ven before moving into their newly built home, Kelli and Danny Williams were
aware of its curb appeal.
“We had people trying to buy it from us while we were building!” says Kelli. “We actually had people make offers. I was like, ‘No, I’m going to live here. I don’t care how much they give me. I love this house!’”
It’s easy to understand the attraction. The home combines New Orleans southern
charm with the cozy appeal of a Long Island cottage.
“It’s just homey, so comfy,” says Kelli of the 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom Jay Wendell custom home. “I’ve traveled a lot and I like the architecture up on Long Island. I grew up in
Louisiana and love that New Orleans style too. So why choose? This is a bit of
a mix.
”
Kelli was intrigued by a floorplan she had seen in a showcase home. So when it
came time to build, she had a plan.
“I wanted to do that house, but on steroids,” she says, laughing. “Just a kicked up version of that one.”
The result is an abundantly comfortable, yet spacious home that is great for
entertaining. Spaces spill into one another, particularly in the back part of
the home where an oversized family room, breakfast area and kitchen form family
central. Kelli, an accomplished cook and avid school and community volunteer,
frequently hosts events, making use of these generous spaces.
“And most important to us was a large outdoor covered area that would accommodate
a lot of people,
” she says. Indeed, the home provides this and more with an expansive sitting
area that overlooks a beautiful pool with gentle fountains. Lush landscaping
surrounds a yard that backs up to the golf course.
Interior designer Sandra Weeks helped Kelli conjure up the details. “It was a match made in heaven,” says Kelli. “I had these big notebooks of magazine pictures I’ve had for several years and she had this big file from magazines too. We both
had some of the same pictures! That sealed it for me. I knew we liked the same
things!
”
Intricate moldings contrast with rich wood floors, giving the home substance and
warmth. An earthy tapestry of fabrics on curtains and furniture ties the look
together with elegant chandeliers illuminating, at times, unexpected places.
Take the laundry room, for example.
“I love my chandeliers,” says Kelli, who explained to the electricians that, yes, there would be a
chandelier in the laundry room.
“They were a bit puzzled by that,” she recalls. “They were like, ‘Ma’am, we’ve got a mistake here. This says you have a chandelier in the laundry, but you
don
’t put chandeliers in the laundry room.’ I was like, ‘Well, I do!’”
With a room this cute, doing the wash isn’t a chore. Cabinets in a diamond pattern of apple green, creamy white and black
set a whimsical tone.
Kelli made a dainty black and white checked sink apron to complement the look.
“Most houses have a small laundry room, but we have so many kids coming and going
that I wanted a sizeable room,
” explains Kelli whose daughter, Macy Maggert, who just graduated from high
school, lives at home. Brother Matt attends Texas A
&M University. Sisters Jenna and Jordan from Danny’s previous marriage live here at times, too. Jordan attends the University of
Texas, while Jenna just finished her first year of college.
Each bedroom in the home has a distinctive style. Among them, Macy’s is a standout space with fun, punchy pink walls and vivid
