Warm, yummy, cozy. Those are the words interior designer Kay Genua uses to describe a recent project she worked on for longtime clients in Fort Worth. Over a year in the making, she knew the house was unique as soon as she walked in. It would be the fifth project for the couple she’s known for over 30 years. “I know them so well. Their personality shines through on this home.”
Kay’s clients were looking to downsize: He’s semi-retired, she’s retired, their kids are grown, and they simply didn’t need all the extra space, including the exercise room, the playroom, and all the additional bedrooms. The couple had plans to build in the same neighborhood as their new home—they found a lot and had plans drawn, but when the house became available for purchase, they took one look and knew that it checked “a lot of boxes,” according to Genua. “The thought was, ‘This is here, this is ready, we can move in.’ They called me and said, ‘Kay, I think you’re going to love it.’ It’s got our personality written all over it,” recalls Genua.
When she walked into the space, she agreed with her clients. “I immediately felt like it was right for them. It has beautiful woodwork, carvings, and special details. Plus, their furniture transitioned into this house beautifully. Their library furniture worked in the new library. Their living room furniture fit perfectly in the new living room.”
Genua’s clients love antiques and have a few collections, including miniature antique chairs and plates. For that reason, many details in the new space told Kay it was the right one. “If the front door wasn’t an antique, it sure looked like it. The wainscotting was stunning; the built-in bookshelves were perfect for displaying treasures. Some houses just feel like walls. This one had a soul to it. My wheels were twirling the minute I walked in.”
Kay and her clients discussed their vision for the new space. “I know them so well, and we’re usually on the same page. It’s fun to show them my ideas. They are tactile; they want everything to be wonderful to the touch.” Their old house had a lot of blues, and the clients envisioned greens for this project. “I have a photographic memory, and when I walked through the first time, I could place 90% of their furniture. We didn’t need to obsolete a lot of things.” Genua says she’s old-school when it comes to her projects. “I place the furniture by hand. Once I know what I want and how I want to use the space, and then I start looking for fabrics.”
One piece Genua hoped would work in the new space was the Asmara living room rug, which she had found at Interior Resources in Dallas. “It’s what I call a ‘thinker.’ It is a special rug, and I was thrilled it worked with the new measurements. Since we switched from blues to greens, now the rug feels fresh; it has a whole new flavor.” In particular, it worked perfectly with the green velvet sofas the client envisioned for the new living room. The couple’s collection of artwork also took on a new life. “It’s all really interesting, not your usual stuff. It was fun placing the art and using it in a new way,” said Genua.
The kitchen was near perfect as is. It has an island, beautiful cabinets and counters, and the breakfast area is surrounded by windows, creating a charming space that the clients especially loved. It is now the husband’s favorite spot in the home. “He adores sitting by the fireplace,” says Genua. They bought a rug to place under the kitchen table, and his favorite chair is one with a channeled back repurposed from the exercise room in their former home. “I told him to sit in all his chairs and find out which one he likes best.”
They re-purposed a former piano area as a reading space for the couple. Genua found two new wingback chairs, added a cool chandelier, and displayed the couple’s antique miniature chair collection on the built-in bookshelves.
The outdoor space is small but mighty. It’s a zero-lot line and has a beautiful covered patio. Genua added a fireplace and noted that several pieces of the couple’s outdoor furniture fit into the space.
Genua made several updates to the master bedroom, including wallpaper, carpet, and drapes. When brainstorming her ideas for the space, she found a stunning wallpaper and fabric from Brunschwig & Fils. “I suggested that we use the same print all around the wall and on the bay windows. It’s all blues, browns, and greens—very powerful. It’s like a cocoon.” Her client agreed.
What other changes did Kay make in the new house? She mentioned that while the rest of the house had the unique details the clients loved, the mirrors, tile, and counters in the master bath were more ordinary—so they re-did them. And, not every piece they loved worked in the new space. “We didn’t get to use the Welch dresser. It used to be in the breakfast room, and we would change out the display of plates and antique chairs for the holidays, but there wasn’t room for it,” says Kay.
It was a special project, and Genua says she still makes adjustments even to this day, most recently having added an antique mirror and new artwork. “We never tend to be done,” she says.
Kay Genua has been working in interior design for over 30 years. With a business degree from Tulane, she fell into her career when she started working for an antique seller. “I’m self-taught. I’ve learned over the years that you can’t teach someone how to display a bookshelf, you can’t teach fabrics, you can’t teach how to make a room a room. That’s something you have or you don’t.” While Kay has a studio workspace, she prefers to visit a potential client’s home so she can envision what the job will entail. “I want to see their style, which direction they want to go in. I pride myself on tailoring every project to every client.” She doesn’t have a trademark look, and that’s the way she wants it. “I never want someone to walk into a room and say, ‘Oh, Kay did this.’ I want someone to walk into a room and say, ‘this room is stunning; who did it?’”
Find out more about Genua Designs at kaygenuadesigns.com or @kaygenuadesigns.