A longtime interior designer and art advisor who spent childhood summers treasure hunting at art and antiques fairs in the UK, Chandos Dodson Epley has a gift for adding art and artifacts to a home in a way that feels both new and enduring. Founder and principal of the Houston-based Chandos Collective and C2 Art, she recently re-designed a midcentury home by curating choices that kept spaces from looking too formal while playing up the well-traveled owner’s impressive art collection. “The client wanted a laid-back elegance to the home,” she explained. “There are numerous noteworthy pieces throughout. Every piece tells its own story as well as the client’s love for collecting.”
A modernist floor plan provides an ideal backdrop for stunning works of art, such as the geometric Field Kallop painting introducing the entry. “The client was very involved in the art selections. My partner at C2 Art, Mary Hammon Quinn, and I work together on almost every project at Chandos Collective,” the designer said. “We love to source pieces at auction and galleries in Texas and around the globe. We are very focused on the secondary market.”
The dining room table and silver-toned artwork are showstoppers in the dining room. “The Ormand dining table is a piece of art. It is made by hand in Paris of sandblasted Japanese Tamo wood and has a cast bronze stretcher. It radiates understated luxury and is a perfect conversation starter. I had not seen that species of wood before I found the table on a trip to New York,” Epley revealed. “The Thomas Glassford piece has an Op Art undertone; the reflection of the mirrored plex and anodized aluminum really engages the viewer in the room.”
A distinct midcentury modern vibe defines the richly paneled living room, where an exuberant painting by Sarah Awad is prominently displayed above the fireplace. “The design and build of the home originally were done by a man named Richard Condon who had a love for everything Frank Lloyd Wright,” the designer stated. “I was told by a friend of his family that red oak paneling was his signature.”
The quartzite bar enhanced by Equipal chairs from Luteca in the bar seating area creates a super stylish entertaining spot. “Today most people want formal living rooms to multi-task, and this was the perfect location for a dry bar,” Epley noted. “The Cristallo Citrino quartzite bar was the perfect juxtaposition against the home’s red brick interior walls.”
Thoughtful details like the finish of the primary bedroom’s walls make this project exceptional, the designer observed. “Most of the house has a gallery-like feel; we added a smooth light gray/blue plaster in the primary bedroom for warmth. While it is minimalistic, it still feels warm with the custom Alfonso Marina tables featuring dark wood and polished nickel accents. I love how couture the ruching on the il Pezzo bench feels at the foot of the bed.”
Photography by Kris Ellis.