Bright hues and rich fabrics are the marked characteristics of this more formal, yet inviting living room.

Fifteen years in the making, one couple’s home puts a friendly spin on formal.

Text by Suzanna Logan
Photography by Tre Dunham
Interior design by Mary Stephens, ASID, Stephens & Hagan Interior Design, LLC

When Wesley and Kathryn Green first spied the plot of land 
where their future home would be, there was little to impress the eye. 
“There were no trees, not even a single blade of grass,” says Wesley of the five-acre property in Pampa, Texas. “It was nothing but dirt.”

Undeterred and armed with a plan and an eye for potential, the Greens set about transforming the land into a veritable oasis. Now, the once-desolate area features a carpet of greenery dotted with hundreds of trees and plants. Gravel trails wind through the property, leading to a garden parterre, wildflower and cutting gardens, an orchard, and two vegetable gardens. As if that was not enough, there are two life-size bronze statutes of their children, Stephanie and Stephan, a gazebo, and a stone pump house, along with a potting shed and greenhouse connected to the main home by a breezeway. Surrounding it all is a wall made with over two million pounds of New Mexican stone, chiseled and stacked by hand.

While the grounds are certainly impressive, they aren’t intimidating. The same goes for the Green’s nearly 6,000-square-foot home. “The estate really is something, but it’s still accessible,” affirms Mary Stephens, ASID.

The dining room table is just one of the many one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture throughout the home.

Mary has worked on the home since the beginning and considers it a work of art in progress. She has helped the couple add to the home bit-by-bit, transforming or sometimes just tweaking a room until it is perfect. The desired look inside and out: simple Southern charm with a sophisticated twist. Their design success is nowhere more apparent than in the exterior of the home. Yellow siding, shutters, and brightly colored rocking chairs on the front porch lend a cheerful feel while columns and leaded glass sidelights and transoms add a touch of class.

The Greens decided on a vibrant color scheme of yellow, blue, and red for the kitchen to create a friendly vibe.

The breakfast nook and kitchen are surprisingly located just off the foyer.

Just inside, the foyer opens up to the kitchen and breakfast nook rather than the usual formal living room and dining room. The Green’s decided on this surprising layout and the kitchen’s cheerful yellow, blue, and red color scheme in order to promote a casual, friendly vibe. They also incorporated plenty of windows into the kitchen’s design—a nod to their years spent living in New Mexico. “All Navajo homes have many windows in the kitchen so that it will be the warmest part of the home,” explains Wesley. The numerous windows also afford the couple frequent opportunities to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife. Wesley says it’s not unusual to spot flocks of wild turkey, raccoons, deer, and even a bobcat or mountain lion along the nearby creek.

Wesley and Kathryn are both avid collectors with a store of treasures ranging from a Turkish tapestry purchased in the 1930s by Wesley’s grandmother to 18th century Indian artifacts gathered while they lived in the Southwest. Because the couple wanted a space to showcase their numerous Native American pieces, Mary designed a few rooms in a Santa Fe style. An abundance of rugs and beaded pieces, a moccasin collection, and even a Navajo wedding dress fill the room. Multiple paintings by artists from the well-known Taos Society grace the walls, but the prized piece is a painting of the Grand Canyon that once hung in the El Tovar Hotel that overlooks the canyon.

With the exception of the Santa Fe rooms, the home is outfitted in a Country French style that relies on a mix of bright colors and rich fabrics. With hues in nearly every color of the rainbow gracing the walls and fabrics, the look is anything but shy. “The people in the Panhandle of Texas really respond to color, I think because the natural landscape is so bland,” explains Mary. Also giving the home character are the one-of-a-kind furnishings scattered throughout. “Nothing in the home comes off of a factory floor,” says Mary. A hand-carved mantle and matching settee, dining room table, and fireplace silhouettes are just the beginning. Other treasures include a Waterford chandelier and Tiffany lamp. While many of the pieces designed for the Green’s home have a sophisticated quality, the interiors seem far from stuffy. “We didn’t want anything sterile,” says Wesley. “We wanted a homey feeling that made you feel like you could come in and sit down anywhere.” Soft sofas, well-placed throw blankets and pillows, and lots of bright colors and natural light promote a casual feel despite the elegant surroundings.

Complete with a stone fireplace, a fully-equipped grill station, a horn chandelier, and a dining table, glass doors open the garden room completely to the expansive grounds.

One of the best examples of this blend of formal-but-friendly is the Green’s favorite spot to entertain guests—the garden room. This basement space hasn’t always been part of the home’s design. It was added, rather appropriately, as a result of nature’s influence. A few years ago, a tornado came within a few hundred yards of the home. Kathryn insisted they create a storm cellar, and with Mary’s help, it wasn’t long before the idea for the garden room was born. “It was an expensive storm,” chuckles Wesley. “I might have been better off if it had hit the house.”

The room is ideal for hosting guests in warm or cool months thanks to a large stone fireplace and glass doors that open fully to the outdoors. The space also features a full kitchen with a grill station where Kathryn whips up dishes using fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs picked that day from her garden. Overhead, a horn chandelier doubles as a light fixture and conversation piece and hangs near a custom-made stained glass window based on a pattern by Frank Lloyd Wright.

A mural painted by a local artists depicts sunflowers, birdhouses, and prairie grass to create a nature feel in the guest bathroom.

While many pieces in the home are impressive, the spaces are not without whimsical touches. For example, in the master bedroom, the screen door leading to the terraced patios features hand-carved animal shapes. In a guest bathroom, a mural painted by a local artist depicts a nature scene with sunflowers and birdhouses and the surrounding walls exhibit prairie grass mixed into the paint to help continue the organic feel.

It’s these small details that have kept the couple and Mary busy working on the home for over fifteen years—and enjoying every minute of it. “I expect the house will be done soon,” says Wesley. “But I do have plans for one more project drawn up,” he adds with a chuckle. TH&L