A playful condo at the W looks nothing like the homeowners’ other residences
By Kate Harrington
Interior designer Elizabeth Stanley had a blank slate to work with when she took on the design of a three-bedroom condominium in The Residences at the W Austin for a Texas family with four grown children in 2014.
The family was making the W unit a third home and wanted the space to have a style all its own in order to set it apart from their other residences: a farm and a more traditional house. With an urban setting around them, the owners hoped the condo would feel playful, and Stanley integrated bright pops of blue with a neutral palette to deliver that feel.
“The space is awesome,” Stanley says. “It’s higher up and facing the south, so they have very dramatic views of the lake and South Austin.”
To capitalize on the views and add a hint of whimsy without being too overbearing, Stanley focused on adding textures and color through accents, furniture and art to more neutral walls and floors.
In the living room, a leather Barcelona daybed gives a classic-modern touch, while white vintage Vladimir Kagan settees feature a Rosemary Hallgarten fabric. Coffee tables by New York furniture sculptor Silas Seandel add an artistic flair that is also carried out in the floor-to-ceiling windows that line one side of the living room. And a dramatic Arco chrome floor lamp echoes the modern style of the daybed and brings a playful element into the room.
While the living room furniture mixes styles and materials, it all maintains a neutral tone. Stanley played with color in the room by adding a two-paneled painting by artist Meredith Pardue on a wall, as well as painting a small accent wall above the wet bar in a dark shade of blue.
The dining room also mixes neutrals with cheerful blue accents. A bright Kyle Bunting rug complements the blue orbs that make up the custom-made Bocci glass chandelier hanging above the table. Meanwhile the table and the chairs deliver a classic-modern touch in clean white tones.
In the master bedroom, Stanley turned to textures to keep the space soothing and subtle. A light taupe paint with slight peach tones covers the walls, and a mix of materials gives the room a sense of peacefulness without being bland. Pony hide covers the smart lines of the bed frame, a luxuriously soft Alpaca rug draws the eye and the curvy, metallic lines of the lamp on the bedside table contrast with the corners on the headboard.
One of the homeowners’ children is a photographer, and Stanley framed some of his pieces and hung them throughout the home.
“They really wanted the place to feel fun,” Stanley says. “My focus was to keep that sense of fun, but also keep it sophisticated and warm.”