Maximalism brings to mind a certain style – busy, layered, and ever so slightly chaotic. It doesn’t feel like quite the right way to describe this playful yet elegant Dallas home. It has elements of maximalism – the clashes and contrasts, the layers of color and pattern – and yet the house feels wonderfully livable, not overly cluttered but not overly curated either. It’s luxurious, but it’s livable, and it’s lived-in. Quietly maximalist feels more fitting.
And that was exactly designer Ashley Avrea Cathey, founder of Avrea and Company, and her client’s aim; to create a home that was characterful and bold but not overwhelming, and that still gave space to honor the home’s heritage. This Tudor Revival–style house, built in 1928, offered plenty of original features to work with, but it needed to be brought into the 21st century and reflect the homeowners’ eclectically elegant tastes.
