Texas Guesthouse

2 min read
August 10, 2022
dpages

STRIKING…

the perfect balance between opulence and stylish functionality is as much about the careful curation of what you choose to include as the insightful elimination of surplus design. It’s certainly a method of practice that interior designer Chad Dorsey subscribes to, as demonstrated by this guesthouse located on the property of a grand lakeside residence in North Dallas which epitomizes Dorsey’s brand of ‘easy luxury’. As is his wont, Dorsey provides elegant and uncontrived solutions to family living with a focus on comfort and uncluttered style that’s warm, inviting and full of character.

THE 10,000…

sq ft home, situated within an exclusive gated community, has been completely refurbished by the Dallas native who’s famous for his strict aesthetic code that ingenuously combines flourishes of delightful eccentricity and glamour. In effect, he endows each room with its own unique personality and uses subtle connectors in the form of color, decorative patterns, texture, and even light – to maintain a sense of continuity from room to room.

THE GROUND…

level of the sprawling home’s guest house centers around a bijou bar – a place of pure decadence fitted with pale blonde hardwood floors and framed by glossy aubergine walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal No222 paint. Fittingly for a cocktail bar, Dorsey has artfully mixed his ingredients, embellishing the space with custom upholstered Leto high stools by Kimberly Denman Studios, an antique martini trolley and a vintage tiered crystal and brass chandelier by BD Lumica from Barcelona, circa 1970.

THE RICH…

berry color of the bar snakes through to an L-shaped staircase, covered with a matching serpent-themed stair runner and illuminated by brushed-brass sconces by Jennifer Wall. Additional seating comes in the form of a caramel leather upholstered wood and steel daybed by Bassam Fellows which sits on a plush supersized cow hide in cream to accent the luxury feel of this space.

JUST UPSTAIRS…

a large blue-themed lounge has been reconfigured as a ‘listening space for teens’. Bold and bright, this room is fitted with a hand-tufted geometrically patterned rug by the Rug Company and bears all the hallmarks of Dorsey’s talent for alloying old and new, as evidenced by a pair of iconic 1950s Egg Chairs by Arne Jacobsen and a contemporary Minotti three-seat sofa overlooked by a statement vintage vinyl-inspired artwork. The end result is a jewel box of a guest house sure to delight all those fortunate enough to come for a stay.