Masterfully Modernist

Written by Rebecca Sherman

In a Highland Park neighborhood where antiques and French chairs often set the tone, designer Joshua Rice filled one young family's home with remarkable furnishings that feel more gallery than grandmillennial. There are rare, hand-carved dining chairs from Italy, 1960s Dutch loungers only a serious design nerd would recognize, and a sculptural granite coffee table so uncommon that Rice snapped up both of the only known examples. "The clients were ready to do something unique and interesting, so l dug deep for unusual pieces," he says. For this 30-something couple with four children, a mix of high modernist design and livability feels both elevated and approachable.

The house, designed by Dallas-based Smithare Architecture + Interiors, is crisp and contemporary, with soaring volumes and oversized windows that flood the interiors with natural light. Set on a challenging corner lot, the structure was carefully planned to maximize the site's potential, with an open layout and long sightlines that seamlessly connect indoors and out. Minimalist and warm, the interior spaces balance clean lines with curved walls clad in fumed oak and other richly textured materials, such as plaster. A distinctive batten ceiling in darkened wood echoes the house's exterior materials, creating a sense of continuity.

With so much natural light pouring in, Rice reached for darker, moodier colors to ground the interior. "One of the most exciting aspects of the project was the opportunity to use an exotic material palette," he says.

"The lighting was pretty intense, so the dark colors helped balance it out." Like many clients, this couple was initially unsure. "When you lay out all those materials on a table, people generally get nervous, Rice says. But once they saw everything come together, they embraced it. Fumed white oak cabinetry and wall paneling anchor the rooms, paired with honed limestone floors and kitchen countertops that exude a soft, warm gray tone. Throughout, deep aubergine, forest green, and navy are layered with blackened brass and richly grained wood.

Story continued in the LINK Below…

http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1536610-papercity-dallas-july-august-2025/41?

Photography: Lacey Land, Pages: 41-50