Tour a Texas Craftsman Filled With Eclectic Charm

Beth and E.L. Caraway’s 1950s Craftsman-style home in Fort Worth, Texas, has always had lots to love. An avid collector of vintage pieces and flea market finds, Beth had filled it with eclectic charm and character, and stashed away stuff there wasn’t room to display. And then the last of their three grown children moved out, and the time felt right to refresh their empty nest. For perspective, the couple hired designer Shauna Glenn. “The first thing we did was go room by room and assess what we had,” says Beth. And so began a game of musical chairs, rugs, art and more. They also refurbished old furniture, sprinkled in a few new buys (Beth was more than happy to shop!) and brightened up rooms with paint. “All of our treasures are still here,” says Beth. “By moving them around — and making some simple changes here and there — we renewed every room!”

The Caraways’ long-loved couch got a facelift courtesy of a linen performance fabric. The pattern play between the reupholstered ottoman (from Simple Things) and accent chair (from World Market) adds flair. Beth had picked up the crinkled-paper art at the Round Top antiques fair but had never been sure how to display it. Shauna suggested putting plexiglass over it to show off its texture, and the just-placed rug complements its colors.

Beth was no stranger to repurposing pieces: This vintage table, from El Paso Import Co., had long served as an island. The rest of the space got pepped up by adding new appliances from GE and KitchenAid and quartz countertops, repainting the existing cabinets a crisp white (Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams) and decking them out with brass knobs from Wayfair. A colorful rug from Wayfair rejuvenated a beloved old table.

The kitchen table used to be a game table. Paint, fabric and smaller nailhead trim updated the chairs. A cowhide rug moved from the den fabs up the breakfast nook.

Out with the old? Not necessary! To perk up a dark wood dining set, Shauna had the head chairs re-covered with a playful embroidered fabric by Kravet, decided to paint the other chairs white, and put up a cool slatted wood pendant from West Elm. Beth painted the credenza the couple have owned since their wedding navy (Coastal Blue Milk Paint by General Finishes). The teal rug is from AllModern. Shauna rediscovered the tapestry in Beth’s linen closet, stored there 10 years ago. "We had so many things we’d acquired and loved but weren’t showing off — now, they shine," says Beth.

This time, it was designer Shauna’s home that got shopped. She brought over the yellow Joss & Main lamps from her bedroom for Beth to consider. “They were just the right pop,” says Beth. The rug, from Rugs USA, was also Shauna’s. “My husband and I have a running joke about how when he comes back from business trips, there are always things missing in our house!” says Shauna. Pillow swap: couldn’t be easier. This was in another guest room (Beth has several, for when her children visit). (Wall color: Filmy Green by Sherwin-Williams)