Home tour: a dark-palette family home in Dallas, Texas that redefines modern design

While the project took almost four years due to major delays in construction during the pandemic, Dallas-based architectural and interior design firm smitharc created a thoughtful plan specifically designed to fit the challenging corner lot whilst meeting the clients’ specific needs.

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Spanning 5,600 sq ft, the two-storey home with a partially open-plan layout features on the first floor, a covered outdoor living area, a sunken living space separated from the dining area, a kitchen with an adjacent scullery; as well as a primary suite, powder room, media room and office, and a yoga studio. 

Whereas, the second floor is home to a family room, and four bedrooms, each with its own full bath.

“Our starting point was working with the grey limestone chosen by the architects for the walls that span both the interior and exterior,” explains Rice. 

This grey limestone, combined with thermally modified raked wood panels for enhanced durability and stucco, creates a distinctive exterior character through vast Portuguese glass doors and windows.

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The continuation of the grey limestone from the façade into the interior establishes a seamless flow that grounds the entire design concept, while providing a neutral backdrop against other rich, earthy hues such as wood panels and stucco for a grounded and cohesive atmosphere throughout the home.

“We went with a palette that was very muted and natural, but on the darker side, to complement the immense amount of light coming in during the day,” describes the designer. 

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These tones offer a serene, calming environment whilst serving to anchor the space, ensuring the interior feels warm and inviting without being overwhelmed by the Texas brightness flooding through expansive windows.

From there, Rice drew on his expertise, filling the home with rare, distinctive pieces that perfectly reflect the clients’ tastes while adding an element of surprise to each room.

“We mixed iconic mid-century furnishings with limited-edition pieces from celebrated designers to add depth, character, and a sense of history to each space,” he elaborates. “Whether it’s the sculptural lighting or the custom-designed furniture, each piece was carefully sourced and integrated to create a cohesive, yet distinct, atmosphere.”

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With four young children under five in the household, the design had to balance sophisticated aesthetics with practical family needs. 

“We were very cautious of this fact when designing the spaces,” Rice notes. “For safety, we used beautiful but highly textured floors in each of the kids’ bathrooms to prevent slips and falls, while at the top of the stairs, a baby gate matches with the railing.”

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The best example of designing for practicality and durability is seen in the entry, where the fumed oak panelling features protruding vertical battens beyond the panels that can be easily removed.

“They served to protect the panelling from scratches, acting as a sacrificial bumper, in addition to being a practical way to hide the seams of the panels,” he continues.

In the open-plan living space, the darker grey ‘ceppo’ marble flooring provides elegant contrast to the architectural limestone walls, while custom-designed cabinets in fumed oak and warm-grey Fenix laminate add depth alongside the plethora of vintage furnishing designed by Giulio Lazzotti, Jean-Marie Massaud, Poul Hundevad and more.

While the ‘ceppo’ marble persists upon the countertops in the kitchen and dining areas, light oak wide plank flooring throughout the remaining spaces offer warmth for the office and media room, where a unique panelled wall in fumed oak forms a racetrack shape, marking the centre of the first floor.

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“In the primary suite, we switched to natural white oak and incorporated dark blue Japanese tiles and dark Icelandic marble, bringing a sense of calm and luxury to the bathroom,” Rice explains.

Meanwhile, every element in the powder room is entirely custom: from the curved tiles, to the millwork and oversized door—both crafted to the design team’s specifications, right down to the hardware.

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“I designed the solid stone sink and had it, along with the floor tile, carved from a single block of stone by the same artisans in Italy who produce my furniture,” elaborates Rice, regarding his favourite room from this project. “We also commissioned the mirror specifically for this room from the Hungarian artist-designer Boldizar Senteski.”

“It’s always a thrill when we get the chance to design every detail, all the way down to the tile,” he concludes. “It turned this room into a true little jewel box for us.”

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