Hiring local talent can be the smartest thing a homeowner new to a city can do: The designer will not only know the market but will also be able to channel the mood of the place in a heartbeat. Texas native Fern Santini says her actor clients, relocating from Malibu asked for a “family-friendly home that was artful, accommodated their love for musical gatherings and was a little tongue-in-cheek — Austin in a nutshell.”
Adding whimsy to the custom bar — designed by Santini’s longtime collaborator, architect Paul Lamb, to house the couple’s collection of rare Scotch and bourbon — are such details as Paul Ferrante’s Odette Pendants and a preening taxidermied white peacock, which overlooks all the spirited action.
