On Site: Interior Designer Isabel Borland

Austin interior designer Isabel Borland recently asked us to help select some pieces for a client’s home in Spicewood, TX. Last week we got a chance to see the polished end results of our partnership and see the family at play in their beautiful new surroundings…

Take a peek here and enjoy Isabel’s commentary on her approach to this fabulous project!

Isabel Borland: 

All that space!

What first struck me as the biggest luxury with the C project turned out also to be the biggest challenge: How to take this glorious two storey free flow of space and give it a human scale -  and make it highly functional?

First, we identified these key criteria for the project (which closely mirror my own design principles):

Maintain the luxurious flow of space between rooms while creating distinct areas that feel intimate, comfortable and highly functional…

A dining area that feels simultaneously formal and informal.
The French, solid oak dining table from Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques is a key anchor. It provides the perfect proportion to hold its own without dominating. To keep it light and kid-friendly, we chose the iconic Kartell Ghost chairs; exquisite Murano glass chandelier also from Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques.

A dedicated place for the boys’ school activities, projects and puzzles.
The French Louis Philippe solid walnut gueridon (c 1845) from Jean-Marc Fray is a key functional piece. We selected this particular table because of its ideal proportion and sturdiness. The sweet, quirky French Directoire chairs (c1940), also from Jean-Marc Fray, perfectly complement the table and the smaller scale is comfortable for the children.

Ample seating where people can engage in separate activities but still be together. The solid mahogany French Deco loveseat (1930s) from Jean-Marc Fray provides additional seating for the dining room as well as a comfy spot that surveys all three main rooms – not to mention the incredible view through the screened porch; (painting by Meredith Pardue from Jean-Marc Fray).

A comfortable, lounge-y area for TV watching that doesn’t dominate the rest of the space.

An environmental focus in line with the home’s impressive Austin Four Star certification. Antiques are a clear choice for a green use and re-use approach.

Elegant, heirloom-quality pieces that are still kid-and-dog-friendly…

An Italian solid walnut console table (1820s) from Jean-Marc Fray adds some height without obstructing any of the glorious views. We loved the graceful legs characteristic of the Piedmont region.

Plenty of wabi sabi with an eclectic balance of old and new; a sense of history and varied patinas that get better with use to communicate the beauty in imperfection, avoiding anything that looks overly designed or precious…

We fell in love with the French Deco club chair from Jean-Marc Fray with its unusual clean lines, sweet proportion and beautiful patina. It feels like a hug when you sink into it.

Flexibility… we only purchased things that would work in at least 2 places (or 3 or 4) and that could be easily moved to make room for baby and the older boys.

Still focused on comfort and durability, the bergeres from Jean-Marc Fray provide the perfect balance. Also from Jean-Marc Fray, the indestructible cowhide softens the room and feels delicious underfoot and the unusual coral leather nesting tables with gilded legs add sparkle, color and texture.

In the end, I am (and more importantly, the client is) thrilled with our solution for a series of elegant, eclectic and functional areas that make the most of the flow of space, grounding it without feeling choppy or overstuffed. The mix of vintage and antique pieces was key to providing a sense of history and human scale in that large space…

…I think what excites me the most is seeing the family live in their new space. There is plenty of seating for guests and extended family visits, and the children feel free to work and play amidst beautiful things. They have gained an appreciation for their surroundings without having to tiptoe around as if in a museum, or worse, an overly designed home.

ABOUT ISABEL:
A lifelong passion for art, architecture and beautiful things led her to interior design. She has a degree in art and architecture history, an MBA, and sales and marketing experience in several industries including fine art and textiles. Her aesthetic is eclectic with a keen eye to proportion, color, texture and unexpected combinations of high and low that feel fun but always balanced and grounding.

Isabel Breeze Borland
424-298-7262
isabelborland@gmail.com
http://isabelbreeze.blogspot.com

Interior Design by Isabel Borland.
Antiques, vintage furnishing and vintage lighting by Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques.
Photography by Jean-Noel Fray.