The brief was elegant but personal – here's how designer Nina Magon nailed this tricky balance
This Dallas home is the epitome of luxury, but it also has charm and character. Here Nina Magon talks us through how she expertly blended perfection with personality
Elegance and glamor don't tend to go hand in hand with inviting and personalize. Luxurious spaces, while so wonderous to behold, can often be... lacking when it comes to creating a comforting, welcoming atmosphere.
But that's the challenge designer Nina Magon had to overcome with this Dallas new build. Design a home that blends both – luxury and glamor in every room but with touches of comfort and character. The result is exactly that. A home design that feels as luxe as a hotel suite but reflects the personality and vibrant style of the homeowner too.
The project is a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home, with numerous spaces to relax, including a games room, gym, salon, two living rooms (not including the extra one attached to the main bedroom) and a breakfast room.
Soft luxurious finishes and fabrics run throughout the entire space, even in more practical rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, and dining you'll find touches of velvet.
'The BH Residence exemplifies a modern and glamorous aesthetic with a keen focus on creating a luxurious yet personal atmosphere. The brief from the homeowner, Jennifer, was to design a home that not only showcased elegance but also felt inviting and personalized,' explains Nina.
'Influences for the spaces include modern design elements with touches of glamour, as well as carefully selected artwork and custom-designed furniture that reflect Jennifer's vibrant personality and sophisticated taste.'
'Key details include the incorporation of luxurious materials and custom-designed elements throughout the home. For instance, the kitchen features Virna Bar Stools by Ciarmoli Queda Studio and a Glass Teardrop Chandelier by Studio M Lighting, which enhance both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the space,' says Nina.
'Additionally, the harmonious balance between vintage and modern furnishings creates a layered, inviting atmosphere that defines the home's unique character.'
'The BH Residence was a new build project. We had the opportunity of coming on to the project in the early stages of construction, allowing us to influence the design direction and ensure the final outcome aligned perfectly with the homeowner's vision,' adds Nina.
So there was really free reign over what could be done with the space, but for Nina, the main challenge was bringing such a level of glamor to every room, even those usually overlooked practical spaces.
She explains to us 'One of the challenges was integrating the client's desire for modern glamour into spaces not typically considered glamorous, such as the game room. By carefully curating the layout and choosing sophisticated yet functional elements, we successfully blended glamour with practicality, ensuring the space was both engaging and stylish.'
The primary bedroom is the perfect example of the whole project's brief – elegant but inviting. It's sophisticated yet soft and in this room the cooler tones of greys and blues seen throughout the rest of the home are replaced with warmer shades, griege, purple, and cream.
'The primary suite was a particularly rewarding space to design. Our client wanted this area to be a serene sanctuary that exuded luxury akin to a high-end hotel. The custom-designed bed and headboard, along with the elegant Calacatta marble in the bathroom and the stunning Bloom Custom Chandelier, made this space both opulent and inviting,' she says.
While this home is undeniable incredibly luxurious and oozes elegance in every single room, the brief of creating a home that feels like a home was definitely achieved.
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I am the Head of Interiors at Homes & Gardens. I started off in the world of journalism in fashion and luxury travel and then landed my first interiors role at Real Homes and have been in the world of interior design ever since. Prior to my role at H&G I was the digital editor at Livingetc, from which I took a sabbatical to travel in my self-converted van (not as glamorous as decorating a home, but very satisfying). A year later, and with lots of technical DIY lessons learned I am back to writing and editing, sometimes even from the comfort of my home on wheels.
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