Maximalism brings to mind a certain style – busy, layered, and ever so slightly chaotic. It doesn’t feel like quite the right way to describe this playful yet elegant Dallas home. It has elements of maximalism – the clashes and contrasts, the layers of color and pattern – and yet the house feels wonderfully livable, not overly cluttered but not overly curated either. It’s luxurious, but it’s livable, and it’s lived-in. Quietly maximalist feels more fitting.
And that was exactly designer Ashley Avrea Cathey, founder of Avrea and Company, and her client’s aim; to create a home that was characterful and bold but not overwhelming, and that still gave space to honor the home’s heritage. This Tudor Revival–style house, built in 1928, offered plenty of original features to work with, but it needed to be brought into the 21st century and reflect the homeowners’ eclectically elegant tastes.
'This was an early 20th-century house that our client fell in love with for its location and great bones,' explains Ashley. 'Built in 1928 in Highland Park, Dallas, Texas, it was originally remodeled, but as their family and needs changed, they felt it was time for a major renovation. This time, the house was taken down to the studs and added onto, all while keeping the integrity of the original structure.'
Ashley worked closely alongside the owner, Kate LaGere, who is the co-founder of The Mahjong Line – a playful, colorful brand that makes chic game sets. The home needed to embody this same whimsical, maximalist style while still honoring the era of the property. You instantly see the same quirky aesthetic as The Mahjong Line mirrored in the rooms with the bold colors, joyful prints, and an overall sense of fun.
'The homeowners were a cool, laid-back family with three kids. We have worked with them on this house design for years,' Ashley explains. 'We worked with them from the early design stages through completion. It's always fun to collaborate and create spaces that feel perfect for a family's design style and lifestyle.'
'The house needed to be very livable. The clients love to take risks with color, pattern, and texture. All of the furniture was designed to be casual, soft, and comfortable – they wanted every room to feel welcoming. You can sit down and play cards, and especially Mahjong, in two separate game rooms!'
'This family loves to entertain, but also wanted plenty of places to relax and unwind. Every room has been designed to be used and enjoyed,' explains Ashley. And nowhere is this approach clearer than in the home bar. More than just one room, it’s a collection of zones: the bar area itself, a cozy living room for a casual drink, and a long banquette area that doubles as another games room and connects this space with the kitchen. It’s the perfect space for hosting.
'The bar was absolutely my favorite room to design and decorate!' says Ashley. 'It was meant to be a place to gather and hang out, so it was especially fun to work on. The bar runs along one wall, and adjacent to it is a fireplace flanked by four large lounge chairs and a round ottoman. It’s a great place to make drinks and watch TV. On the bar cabinets, we added different colors of grosgrain ribbon into the wood paneling – a creative way to bring in color and whimsy. The plaid on the walls was a Jim Thompson purple plaid we fell in love with – and so did the client – so we had to cover the space in it!'
'The bar connects to the kitchen via a long hallway that we transformed into an additional dining and games room,' explains Ashley. 'It’s perfectly set within a bay of windows and features a banquette and two tables with chairs, which can be used as another space to play Mahjong.'
The kitchen that flows from the bar needed to be just as sociable – a place to cook, gather, and linger. Its warm yet fresh color palette distinguishes it from the playful decor and layered patterns of the adjoining room. You still catch glimpses of the purple gingham and the vivid blue pendant lights above the banquette, but the kitchen itself is a much calmer affair.
'The kitchen was designed for cooking and for gathering with family and friends,' says Ashley. 'It opens into a large family room and card room – while the opposite side looks out onto a spacious outdoor patio and fireplace.' So it really is the center of the space, a moment of neutrality between rooms that sing with color and pattern.
From the calmness and crispness of the kitchen, the space opens up into the largest space – the huge yet cozy family room. As in every room of the home, the feeling here is relaxed. There’s a vibrancy in the pops of purple from the ottoman and the From Jaipur With Love rug, and plenty of layered patterns from the wall prints and the Pierre Frey drapes. But nothing clashes, nothing pulls focus – each piece, each color, and each print works harmoniously rather than competes. As Ashley mentions, this house needed to be very laid-back and livable.
'The family room, which is off the kitchen, also has a fireplace and a large sectional flanked by chaises,' describes Ashley. 'There is a large ‘Art TV,’ as this is a family room, so we had to get a TV in there, but when it’s not in use, the clients keep their favorite paintings rotating on display.'
The large sectional acts as a divider between this lounging space and the Mahjong rooms that sit on the other side of the room. A matching rug grounds the table and zones that area so it almost feels like its own room.
With the living room, Ashley wanted to create a welcoming space for the family to come together. The rich colors, cozy textures, and the mix of styles, shapes, and eras all sit perfectly against the backdrop of the wood paneling – a nod to the home’s history that blends with the transitional style of the remodel.
'We designed the living room with a large table at one end, in front of the window, with two benches on either side so it could have many uses,' explains Ashley. 'Beyond being a beautiful spot for flowers and books, it’s often used for family dinners and even as a place to spread out and do homework. Off the living room, there is also a small, cozy study with a long sectional for lounging and reading. One wall is fully covered in books, while the remaining walls are windows, giving the room beautiful natural light.'
This Dallas home feels like a true reflection of the family who lives here – vibrant, welcoming, and relaxed. But you can still clearly see touches of the home's history among the colors and prints. Ashley's renovation has blended the two, honoring the home’s historic roots while allowing its playful, (quiet) maximalist style to shine.
