Triple Heart Design reimagines a whimsical Wimberley retreat.
A cocoon-esque Arhuas chair hangs in the media room.
In the Texas Hill Country, inspiration is everywhere. From rolling grasslands and soothing sunsets to the deep woodlands and rustic architecture, its country-chic surroundings inevitably influence how we live. Enter the recently completed Wimberley home by Triple Heart Design owner and principal designer Shelagh Conway—who is well-versed in carefully curating elevated spaces with down-to-earth aesthetics. Her clients, a young, Austin-based family of three, sought a weekend oasis outside the city and knew teaming up with Conway would be a natural fit. “The wife, who is a world-traveler-meets spiritual coach and Reiki master, found me online, and after we started talking, we realized that we had met at a spiritual women’s group prior to working together,” shares Conway. “Our mutual spirituality was a fun connection to this special home. Our goal was to create a retreat to relax and rejuvenate.”
Reminiscent of a remote western retreat, the dining room features an expansive wooden table by Burke Decor, Arhuas side striped chairs and a soft Asian-influenced painting—all framed by dark wooden beams.
“We wanted to capture the essence of the home and expand it into a blended transitional style to meet the needs of this young family,” Conway explains. “The soaring ceilings with massive windows captured the beautiful view of the serene outdoors, and we aspired to create a retreat on the inside.”
A top priority: creating a personality-packed home with ample room for gathering and entertaining. “The clients desired a calm and cozy home that utilized some of her cherished pieces from their art collection and family heirlooms. They wanted plenty of room for friends and family and lots of sleeping spaces for long weekends away from Austin.” She adds, “Our goal was to draw the outdoors in and create a peaceful connection to nature.”
The sitting room sports a relaxed yet sophisticated living room-like feel, with a rich leather sofa, rustic lighting and a marble coffee table
Of course, no project comes without its own set of hurdles. “The home was pretty tired from lack of upkeep and disconnection in the elements such as mismatched wood floors, paint colors and some poorly constructed elements like the dining room fireplace,” she explains. “A few areas also needed the floor plan reworked to meet our goals, and we needed all new windows and doors.” The first order of business? Neutralize and highlight. “Connection and cohesion for the overall plan started with new hardwood floors throughout the home,” she explains. “We also connected the dining room fireplace to the limestone already in the kitchen and living spaces. This set the foundation for us to build our design plan. We added all new doors and windows to capture the incredible outdoors and updated all the interior doors and hardware for an elevated feel. All new window treatments and new paint throughout completed the plan.”
The kid’s rooms were reconstructed to squeeze in two sets of bunk beds.
Once the bones were set, the team honed into the family’s laid-back yet luxurious aesthetic, showcasing a smorgasbord of Asian-inspired artwork, heirlooms and functional design pieces. “Every space was created with the idea of gathering and relaxing. With expansive pieces of furniture that are curl-up worthy, to small corners for reading and a huge coffee table for games, there is something for everyone.” While a soft, neutral color palette runs throughout the space, bold pops of color, touchable textures and vibrant patterns add layers of warmth and character to the home. Conway continues, “Friends and families can escape together with tons of room for the kids to run and play, areas for the adults to gather, and have the best sleepovers in the huge bunk room. We designed each space to accommodate both kids and adults and chose bedding and decor that didn’t feel too young.”
The foyer’s vast windows illuminate the space.
As for her favorite moment in the home? “The room that we created as a coffee room was originally the breakfast nook. This is one of our favorite things to add to a home that already has a dining area. We believe a room for morning coffee, afternoon laptop work, and a place for the kids to do art or projects is more important than two eating spaces. We absolutely love how this space turned out. It is the first room you walk into from the carport, and it sets the tone for a long weekend away.” With no stone unturned, Conway’s signature touch is thoughtfully woven throughout each space—creating a harmonious blend of history from the original property with modern and innovative pieces fine-tuned for the family’s distinctive characteristics.
The Asian art was our primary color palette inspiration, along with a few pieces of furniture and rugs that the client owned,” says Conway. “With the bright colors in those elements, we opted for a neutral calm palette that softened the whole home.”
DESIGN DETAILS
TYPE
Single-family
LOCATION
Wimberley
DESIGNER
Triple Heart Design
BUILDER
CHX2 Construction
RESOURCES
MARVIN
Windows and doors throughout
SCHLAGE
Hardware throughout
HARDWOOD BARGAINS
Flooring throughout
SHERWIN WILLIAMS
Paint throughout
THE SHADE STORE
Curtains and blinds throughout
RH
Living room sofas and media room accent table
POTTERY BARN
Entry hall benches, media room console, rug and sofa, living room leather chairs, and dining room side tables
ARHAUS
Living room coffee table and mirror, media room hanging chair, dining room side and fabric chairs and lighting, and sitting room sofa and marble coffee table arhaus.com
BURKE DECOR
Dining room table burkedecor.com
CRATE AND BARREL
Dining room chairs crateandbarrel.com
