Merriment Homes

MERRIMENT {a celebration of style & substance}

I

evoke windmills and oil derricks towering above the flat, open landscape. Texas Architect Magazine deemed the house “a dramatic whisper,” revealing could not be happier to introduce my first

itself, much like the West Texas land, as a “reserved

Merriment Homes’ woman of style, Robin Comp-

yet commanding presence.”

ton. Having known Robin for the greater portion

of my life, I can authoritatively state that we could

with Robin’s knack for seamlessly incorporating

all benefit from Robin’s insight on a wide-array of

her multifarious passions into her house. An aficio-

subjects including: how to raise an honorable son,

nado of quilting, Eames era furniture, vintage col-

how to encourage others with one’s inner radiance,

lections and charming Texas German towns, Robin

and, of course, how to decorate a home.

values the authentic simplicity of the handmade.

Designed in the vein of its West Texas locale,

She is drawn to things of substance, pieces with his-

the Compton residence contains many distinctive,

tories and backgrounds of their own. Every room

architectural elements such as tall chimneys that

exudes the exquisite patina (continued on page 6)

After touring the home, I was most impressed

2

of a woman unafraid to actually live in her home

I’m not keen on knick-knacks. My husband and I

and mix in the old with the new.

love vintage and mid-century, Eames era furniture

Modern yet warm, the Compton residence piec-

like the red chair. We also wanted our house to

es together the family’s seemingly disparate styles

evoke West Texas in its design, using salvaged rock

into a beautiful, cohesive tapestry, not unlike Rob-

from Garden City, keeping the metal unfinished,

in’s handcrafted quilts. The renowned, post-WWII

including tapered chimneys, and drawing on oil-

silversmith, Allan Adler, summed up his style by

rigs with the galvanized metal on our porches.

stating, “I strive for simplicity and believe that sim-

M: What about your fashion style?

plicity is beauty.” Robin shares this refreshing vi-

R: Once again, simple. I avoid ‘trendy’ and tend to

sion, and her house serves as a model for how to

stick with the classics, black and white, items along

achieve this ideal in the midst of a cluttered world.

those lines…

Meredith: How would you describe your personal

M: How long have you lived in Midland?

style?

R: I was born here but later moved because of my

Robin: Simple but warm. I like a lot of texture, but

father’s job with Mobile. (continued on page 12) 6

From left to right: 1. Collection of Quilts and Cake Stands 2. Guest Bathroom with boxed shower, designed with the architectural concept of “a box in a box�

3. Seating area with mixture of modern sofas and cowhide chairs for a TX feel 4. Eames era chaise with quilt

I came back upon my graduation from A&M and met my husband, Jim. It’s funny; I always said, “I’m never coming back to West Texas”, and I came back. We recently celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary here.

fabric, and quilts! I love quilts, a whole bunch. I

To have someone call your home graceful is the ultimate compliment.

M: How long have you lived in this house?

could have an entire white room just with quilts.

R: 11 years in this house

M: I can tell that you deeply cherish your quilts. Do

M: Where do you seek inspiration for your deco-

you have any other meaningful collections?

rating?

R: Vintage train cases and lucite purses, mostly

R: Originally, we loved the southwest. We collected

from flea markets. I bought one or two cases to dec-

art from some of the original Taos artists and ap-

orate the bookshelves, and then I decided to do the

preciated the clean, stucco look. And we’ve kind

entire bookcase with train cases instead. We also

of evolved to also favor German architecture, rock-

collect quilting fabric, grain sacks for pillow cases,

work…we love a clean, craftsmen-like feel. Old

old gameboards, mid-century modern chairs, and

wooden rockers, linen - that’s probably my favorite

Jim collects ironstone punch bowls, his treasures.

M: Where do you find most of your décor?

We created these 40 feet, storefront windows, and

R: Antiquing in Fredericksburg, Texas. We have a

now the light dances on the columns without be-

house there that we bought when our son, Chris,

ing hot. We also had to orient all of our art, so it

went to Trinity in San Antonio. I can plug in a vac-

wouldn’t be hurt by direct sunlight or intense indi-

cuum and do the entire space, which is refreshing. I

rect light.

didn’t expect to love it as much as I do. I have fallen

M: To me, Merriment means a celebration of the

in love with the German lifestyle, architecture, peo-

simple joys in life. What about your home makes

ple. And they keep it real local in Fredericksburg,

you feel merriment?

no Starbucks, no major chains.

R: I love simple. I love uncluttered – things to stand

M: What’s your favorite room in your house and

on their own. When we sell this house, someone

why?

else will be able to bring in their things, and it will

R: Probably the kitchen and dining area; that’s

look just as beautiful. The house is the perfect shell.

where we really live. Jim loves to bake and cook,

It’s weird; you have to work so hard to keep it sim-

even more with age. He’ll be in there making a gin-

ple. But, our architect, Mark Wellen, studied under

gerbread recipe or baking pumpkin bread, or brais-

Frank Welch, and he was a genius at keeping us on

ing a lamb. So if he’s there, I’m there.

task with our vision.

M: What’s something that you think every house

M: What purposes do you want your home to serve

needs in order to feel like home?

for yourself and family?

R: A quilt!

R: To be able to entertain effortlessly. We didn’t

M: What was your biggest design challenge with

want our house to feel crowded, like we were fall-

this house?

ing into each other whenever people came over. We

R: We had so many. For starters, we wanted a lot

wanted to be able to invite people into a warm and

of natural light, to wake up and go to bed and not

welcoming space.

have to turn off lights.

M: What does Texas mean to you?

R: Hospitality: warm, charming, and graceful. To have someone call your home graceful is the ultimate compliment. It doesn’t have to be beautiful, but ‘graceful’ means that your house feels inviting as if it’s saying, “It doesn’t matter what you bring to the table – just come and enjoy.”

1. Guest Bedroom/Quilting Studio - Robin’s passion for quilting began after moving into the house, so she transformed the guest bedroom into a multi-functional quilting studio/bedroom. On the wall, she displays the quilt that her grandmother made as a little girl in the 1930’s, affectionately described as “tattered but dearly loved.”

2. Cleverly coined “The Caboose”, this room was originally supposed to be the back door. At the last minute, the family decided to add on one room that they could mess up and no one would see. Used as a spare workroom and bedroom for last minute guests, the Caboose is the private, no-fuss space that every family needs. Notice the lucite purses.

14

{read more at merrimentstyle.com}