Classic Meets Cool in This Trendy Texas Home

Trying to pin down the style of Shauna Glenn’s house in Fort Worth, TX, is impossible—which is exactly why it’s so enjoyable to look at. There are trendy rugs and timeless furniture, contemporary art and classic light fixtures, and endless charm.

“I married my taste and my husband’s,” says Shauna, a designer. “He’s more rustic and traditional, and I’m more modern.” What helped her mix it up: “I used to be a writer, and I never went to design school or learned the rules,” she says, so nothing held her back.

Shauna and her husband, Jeff Jones, had worked with a builder to construct their house, and they started with neutral walls (Modern Gray by Sherwin-Williams), a simple background to ground her eclectic design brew. Another Shauna strategy: sprinkling blue accents throughout the house. It has a cohesive effect, even when it ranges all the way from classic navy to superstrong turquoise. “If I’m ever worried about a combination, I’ll walk away for a while,” says Shauna. “When I come back, if it makes my head hurt, I’ll change it, but most of the time
it feels good.”

Pieces that are both classic and cool can set the tone for an entire room, as these leather Barcelona chair replicas from Modterior do. Balancing them out are a simple sofa from West Elm, a hip shibori armchair from Anthropologie, a fluffy stool from Grandin Road, and whimsical artichoke lamps by Stray Dog Designs. The couple have four grown children plus two teens at home, and lots of family nearby, so there’s always lively conversation around the coffee table when the house is full.

Shauna’s reasons for leaning traditional in the kitchen were purely practical: She plans to be cooking there for a long time. “Marble subway tile is never going out of style,” she says. Even so, the space has personality, with bistro barstools from CB2, Shauna’s collection of colorful drinking glasses displayed on the counter and a vivid runner by Annie Selke’s Dash & Albert.

From the get-go, there’s no mistaking this house is sophisticated and fun. The black-and-white cabinet from AllModern and the arrangement of abstract art—a canvas from Grandin Road and framed pieces by Kim Curran—have gallery appeal. Meanwhile, the symmetry of the blue West Elm lamps and caned chairs from CB2 give the setup an elegant touch.

Shauna had her heart set on petal pink walls in the dining room. To sweeten the deal for husband Jeff, she put in a Three Stooges poster­. Who knew Curly, Larry and Moe could look this chic?

This open area above the living room, a.k.a. the lounge, is a quiet spot to take a phone call (and cell service is better here!). Shauna designed it around the black bookcase, a treasured antiques store purchase. “The builder’s plans had another window in that spot, and I asked him to take it out,” she says. A sofa with a geometric pattern from Wisteria, a mosaic-like rug from Rugs USA, and a red chandelier from Shades of Light add pizzazz.

Officially, Shauna didn’t intend to put this Otomi wallpaper by Hygge & West all over the bathroom. But the real story is, she knew what she was doing all along.

“It’s a big joke between me and Jeff!” she says. She’d been looking for the right kind of striking detail for the space, which has classic crown molding and a soaking tub. With the metal and glass table (from Urban Outfitters) that holds towels, this room feels like a spa—for labradoodle Rooney, too.

Shauna was digging pastels for this room, starting with light blue on the ceiling. Her pretty mix of bedding (the duvet cover is by Annie Selke’s Pine Cone Hill) matches the art, including the print of sunbathers by Texas artist Hayley Mitchell. Sharing the space with groovy lamps and a mod leather bench, the tall, tufted headboard adds a traditional touch.

Although she was going for boho with the rattan bed and pendant (both from Serena & Lily) and floral bedding from Anthropologie, Shauna didn’t want to box herself into one style. She put up removable speckled wallpaper by Chasing Paper and a black-and-white rug from Houzz for unexpected contrast. The Barbie beach photo was bought on a family trip to New York City. “As soon as I spotted it,” she says, “I needed it in my life!”