Flawlessly Finished
/Story by Terri Glazer | Design by Ami Austin | Photos by Ross Group Creative
When they bought the house in an established River Oaks neighborhood in 2017, the current owners embarked on a major renovation plan. They created open spaces where walls with narrow doorways had separated rooms. They gutted and completely reworked the kitchen, as well as the bathroom and closets in the primary suite. They repurposed an unused area to become a wine room and added a new front porch.
The couple also furnished it beautifully, bringing treasured pieces from their previous residence and adding others. Their home was lovely, classic, comfortable and well suited for the parties they love to host.
Yet the wife had the feeling it wasn’t complete. That feeling was especially strong when she was shopping in Laurelwood and discovered Ami Austin Home, the shop and showroom for Ami Austin Interior Design. “Everything she had in the window, I thought, ‘I love that. I could have that in my house!’” she recalls.
When Austin came for her initial visit in the summer of 2023, she was impressed with what she saw. “The first time I came here [the owner] asked me what I would do. I told her if she did nothing that her house was gorgeous,” Austin recalls. The experienced designer did, however, have some ideas for additions that would complete the decor and further enhance the beautiful furnishings already in place.
It was clear that she and her new client were on the same wavelength as far as the finishing touches. Among Austin’s immediate suggestions were giving the entryway a more dynamic look and adding a chandelier over a seating vignette in the living room, two elements that the homeowner had also realized would amplify the overall impact from the moment guests stepped in the front door. “We tried to create some dimension in the foyer,” explains Austin. “The first thing that I thought when I saw the large wall by the staircase was, ‘This could be predictable…but why not do something really interesting?’ That interest came in the form of a grouping of sculptural butterflies that seem to flutter up the stairway.
Visible from the front entryway, the seating area in the living room needed an overhead focal point. The Ralph Lauren chandelier Austin selected fills the bill perfectly. Its style is classically formal, highlighted by sparkling crystal beading, teardrop pendants, brushed gold framework and silk shades that soften the light. The piece is the ideal accompaniment to the grouping of traditional seating, anchored by an antique Oriental folding screen mounted on the wall behind. Austin’s other contribution to the vignette was a pair of Fortuny leopard-print bolster pillows that look right at home on the center-facing armchairs.
The living room flows directly into the large dining room, where a series of full-length windows allows light to stream in and offers views of the inviting back patio and yard. Punctuating the space is a pair of dramatic bronze sculptures from Atlanta’s Cherrylion Studios. Austin placed the statues on custom pedestals from her own line, the Parker Lauren collection. The designer says the art pieces were right for this home, where large groups often gather. “Because they entertain a lot and have people in the home, I didn’t want to clutter, and anything that would take away from the beautiful view outside did not need to happen. My client liked the idea of more architectural pieces.”
On the adjacent wall hangs “Form Out of Fog,” an original painting by local artist Pam Hassler, inspired by the view on a misty morning on the Wolf River trails. The couple had owned and enjoyed the piece for years, but Austin knew that lighting would bring out its beauty even further. She selected exquisite gold Murano glass sconces to flank the painting. More art than fixture, the gingko-shaped pieces emit muted light, but are every bit as elegant when not illuminated.
Lighting and electrical details are of utmost importance to Austin on all her projects, and the difference that expert choices in those two areas can make is apparent throughout this home. In addition to the statement light fixtures she selected, less notable additions also made remarkable differences. She installed subtle-yet-effective portrait lights over many of the couple’s works of art to showcase all their beauty. The designer also specified that all the electrical outlets along the kitchen backsplash be moved to the underside of the wall cabinets when the new tile she selected for the area was put in place. “This way, you can see the backsplash unencumbered,” she says. “It makes such a clean look.”
Divulging what she calls a “trick of the trade,” Austin says her secret to getting the most effective lighting with the least damage to walls and ceilings when adding or retrofitting a home’s fixtures is with Pico remote control technology from Lutron Electronics. Using transmitters that can be placed out of sight, the system allows “noninvasive” installation with minimal repair work needed afterwards. The versatile remote controls offer options for the homeowners to use lighting in a variety of ways to create ambiance as they wish.
The lighting, the art, the accessories and the other finishing touches Austin added to this home are a thoughtful completion of the design aesthetic its owners began when they came to live here—the icing on an already beautiful cake.
