Tucked away in the mellow Dallas neighborhood of Midway Hollow sits the unassuming 1952 ranch house of Jason and Denise Wright. Five years ago, the Wrights returned to Dallas from Indianapolis where Jason pursued his dreams working in the drag-racing circuit (and even won two championships), to settle down and start a family. What started out as just the two of them soon grew to three with the birth of their son Owen 15 months ago.
The mid-century home may be small in size (and low on closet space), but what it lacks in square footage, it makes up for with light and character. Even in the midst of all the old trees sheltering the quaint neighborhood, a vibrant and beautiful light streams into the rooms of the two-bedroom, one-bathroom abode. Wright used a bright white paint throughout the home, which opens up the smaller rooms and allows light to flow easily from room to room, adding warmth and richness.
The working mother had a method to her madness when decorating their home—which was done without the help of a interior designer, she notes.
“If I find something that I like and it’s in reason,” says Wright, “I’ll get it and usually can make it work.”
And it does. The 34-year-old mom’s self-described “shabby-classicism” style is due to her love of many different periods and styles. Owen’s room is a great example with its mixture of modern, classic and vintage styles. She also uses pops of color, such as the aqua-colored ceramic bowl handmade by a former co-worker on top of her red-topped dining room table from Sample House, to define their living spaces.
The only room in the home with bold color belongs to Owen. Matched from ceramic bowls Wright found at Avant Garden in Highland Park Village, she painted an aqua accent wall to brighten up his room.
The style-savvy mom knew she didn’t want a “theme” for her son’s room, but still found herself buying any type of animal she found. Newspaper animal heads hang over the active Owen’s crib, with others scattered about the room—including a turtle shell perched on a shelf.
The lack of adequate closet space posed a problem for the new family, who had already occupied the closet space in Owen’s room before his birth. But Wright had a solution—she had her husband, who “loves to do [projects] to keep himself busy,” build a rolling rod for Owen’s clothes to be on display in his room. In addition, Denise wasn’t pleased with the options in stores for curtain rods so she had Jason build them out of birch off of a sketch she made.
But, Denise’s calm style really shines through in the space the family of three spends most of their time: the living room.
Natural colors are accented by a shabby-chic sofa and rose-print pillow with natural accents such as a topiary and deer antlers. To give the toddling Owen the most room possible in the small space, they tuck the coffee table away. In the living room, as well as Owen’s room and the dining room, Denise uses mirrors to open up the small spaces and let light bounce off of them to brighten the home.
The mix of old and new, neutrals with vibrance, and dark with light make for a home all their own, reflecting the heart and soul of the people who live here. The quiet calmness mirrors the personas of the Wrights, who have a self-generated warmth all their own.
