Michigan Avenue Pied-à-Terre

The owners, empty nesters from Houston, asked for a turn-key pied a terre.

The husband, a Texas energy executive, has a passion for wall covering unequaled by any other client. His interest in exploring textures and custom techniques

inspired many of the selections throughout the apartment.

Years ago I’d put together a palette built around a deGournay pattern of bamboo branches – a dark charcoal silk ground with silver, bronze and champagne branches and leaves. Our client at the time decided against it, wanting a light palette. Everyone

in the studio loved the scheme, especially when it was developed with dark leather, metallic fabrics, and chain mail curtains. I put it in a basket with the hope that someday we’d find the perfect client for it. I’ve never held onto a palette like that, but we all really

wanted to see this brought to life. Ten years later, the right clients for the scheme came along.

The Living Room millwork was redesigned to accommodate the 6’ x 8’ photograph of buffalo, which brings a little Texas to Michigan Avenue.

Other wall coverings throughout the apartment include a variety of woven textures and grass cloths, a hand painted deGournay Willow paper in a tarnished silver gilded paper in the guest room, and the fully upholstered walls in the tranquil master suite to name a

few.