Photography by Rob Muir | Interior design by Jane Page Design Group

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room offer panoramic views of Lake Conroe and emphasize the room’s height.

When most people approach the decorating and design phase of a new home, words like “functional” and “comfortable” come to mind. The Glenn family was no different when they began making plans to furnish their vacation home just north of Houston on the shore of Lake Conroe, but they had one even more important requirement: Their place had to be “fun.”

The welcome mat is always out at the expansive, 9,000-square-foot home the couple shares with their two young sons. Friends and family often pop in for a weekend of sun so the couple needed the interiors to be inviting and relaxing. They also wanted the home to have a decidedly coastal vibe—one that combined comfort and casual elegance, like that of a Florida beach house.

Knowing their design wish list called for a thoughtful planner with a good eye for detail and a flair for fun, the couple enlisted the help of Jane Page Crump and Laura Timanus of the Houston-based Jane Page Design Group. To help make the house look at home on the water, the designers wove a number of coastal elements throughout the interiors, beginning in the entryway. An immense barrel-vaulted ceiling swirled with blue, green, and shades of metallic mimics the undulating waves that lie just off the back patio.

In the living room, bare windows reach up to the ceiling-turned-work-of-art, emphasizing the room’s height and offering panoramic views of the lake where the couple keeps their three boats and an infinity-edge pool flanked by private patios. But you don’t have to look outward to see a beach scene. A local artist hand-painted sand dunes and a palm tree on one of the living room walls, further boosting the connection with the outdoors. (A real palm tree sits just outside the window.) 

The burnished-orange tiles with a shimmering patina of the main-level bathroom are just one of several examples throughout the home that reflect the husband’s love for his alma mater Clemson University.
 

Of course, seashell accents are scattered throughout, and a coral collection is on display in a custom-made cabinet in the living room. Even the bathrooms give a nod to the ocean theme with a shell-framed mirror and a mosaic of waves made with blue and green glass tiles along the shower walls. In the home’s elevator, a palm tree and seagull-covered dome draws the eye upward.
Still, it’s not all coast inside the Glenn’s home. “Too much of a good thing gets boring, especially in a house this size,” explains Jane Page. “You really need to interject more than one theme so that things don’t get dull.” For the other motif—the “surprise elements,” as she calls them—the owners chose an African wildlife theme.

Most of the safari elements are understated—a framed tiger print and a set of custom-made, embossed crocodile leather spectator stools grace the game room, for example—but it’s no-holds-barred in the eight-person theater where bold leopard-print carpeting adds drama alongside deep red walls.

The theater is an exception to the disciplined palette of mostly-muted tones used on all three floors of the home. As a result of the neutral color scheme, the designers were able to add character with beach and safari-style accessories and ensure the colors do not compete with the view of the lake. “We didn’t want the themes to be overwhelming, so we used more neutral, transitional fabrics,” explains Jane Page.

As a bonus, the quiet base shades allowed the designers to infuse each space with a range of accent colors, from the soothing blues and greens of the guest suite to the vibrant reds and blacks of the master bedroom. In the youngest son’s bedroom, they opted for navy blue to fit the fun, kid-approved design. A bunk bed (ideal for when a guest stays the night), model sailboats, and walls custom-painted to look like planks of wood contribute to the nautical theme.

Another area that features custom-painting is the utility room, which, surprisingly, may be the most dramatic space in the home. Beginning with the “cobblestone” walls, the area is tastefully, over-the-top. Jane Page and Laura light up when describing the room that holds the washer and dryer but leads to a 200-bottle wine refrigerator. “What we did there was embrace a small area and make it into something much larger,” explains Laura. The room features Louise blue granite countertops and shards of matching tile along the backsplash.

Like any well-designed home, the Glenn’s place offers a glimpse into what is meaningful to them. In the utility room, illusionistic trompe l’oeil (French for “fooling the eye”) murals depict an Italian countryside and include caricatures of the Glenn’s sons and dog. An iron door leading to the room features an outline of a wine bottle with the couple’s favorite wine label. Another example of a personal touch is the recurring burnished-orange shade that reflects the husband’s love of his old alma mater—Clemson University. The color appears frequently in small bursts, most notably in the main-level powder room where orange tiles with a shimmering patina form a privacy partition.

Cool blues and greens were added to the neutral color scheme to create a soothing guest suite.
 

There is no question the home is visually appealing, but it doesn’t just look good. It works for the lifestyle of the family. With frequent guests, sturdy, easy-to-clean fabrics were a must. Durable Sunbrella© fabrics used throughout the home are fade and stain-resistant. A built-in bench in the kitchen is a popular gathering spot after a day on the water, and thanks to the palm-tree-print Sunbrella© fabric, soggy bathing suits are welcome anytime. In addition, every window features tinting that blocks UV rays, and many have motorized window blinds that can be closed at the push of a button, for privacy at night, but don’t obscure water views during the day. The flooring is another form meets function element. You won’t find wall-to-wall carpeting here. Locally quarried large-tile travertine floors on the main level are impervious to sandy feet, while white oak floors reign on the second and third floors.

Because of the size of the home and the soaring ceilings ranging from ten to 24 feet, the home has a decidedly airy feel. The frequent use of mirrored furniture, from the entryway to the bedrooms and bathrooms, heighten the open sense. “We used a number of pieces that were mirrored because Houston gets pretty hot and we wanted to keep things light and cool,” explains Jane Page. Still, they were careful to keep the home feeling comfortable, not cold, by incorporating rugs, window treatments, and plush fabrics.
Ultimately, the attention to detail is what allowed the home to be so many things at once: casual yet elegant, practical yet visually appealing, and personal yet tasteful. “All of the tiny touches, from the elevator dome to the animal-print carpet, came together to make the house something extravagant but still functional,” explains Laura.  And, of course something fun, too.