ABOVE: Homeowner David Taylor called on his longtime friend, interior designer David Stone, to transform his new Hyde Park bungalow into a light-filled home that honored the past while embracing the future. OPPOSITE: Every detail and finish lends itself to a sophisticated and thoughtful elegance.
STARTING OVER Soaring Ceilings, Stately Arches and a Mutual Love of Art Story by Katricia Lang | PhotoS by benjamin hiLL PhotograPhy
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hen is it time to move out and start fresh? For Houstonian David Taylor, that difficult decision came about after his wife passed away. In embarking on construction for a proposed new bungalow in Hyde Park, Taylor called on his longtime friend of 20 years, interior designer David Stone, to add a personal touch to the spec home. “My wife had died and I decided to move out of the house. And what I realized working with David [Stone] is I’d never done anything on my own,” says Taylor. With 50 years in the design business and his own company since 1983, Stone knew exactly what to do. Stone put Taylor in the driver’s seat while also using his own experience and expertise to guide the homeowner through the design process. 64 house& home | May 2019 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net
Stone helped Taylor bridge the gap between his past and his future. In the striking media-room-turned-man-cave sits a contemporary white Italian leather sofa, two chairs, and a marble coffee table: all pieces from Taylor’s previous residence. The armoire and dining room set also came along. In both cases, Stone and Taylor mixed something old with something new. In the dining room, it’s an elaborate candelabra centerpiece; while Taylor’s man cave displays an impressive red, black and white heavily impastoed painting, making it the most sophisticated room to ever have cave in its title. Although Stone passed away last November, his presence is still felt in touches large and small. As guests walk through the house, a picture of David Stone emerges: a good friend and a great designer.