Designed for elevating the everyday, a trio of spaces was transformed into an expansive sanctuary
Good design is frequently found in the details. In the primary en suite spaces of this Highland Road home, local design professional Helene Dellocono of Texture Baton Rouge brought a heightened level of sincerity to every element of design within the luxe trio of rooms. “It’s often small micro decisions that create an overall feeling of thoughtfulness and intention,” Dellocono says.
Working closely with the homeowners, as well as contractor Dupree Construction, from the very first phases, the three spaces evolved into an extension of the rest of their home, with a thread of the color palette running throughout. “Immediately when walking into her house, I just knew we were going to jive because her taste is incredible, and I loved everything she loved,” Dellocono says.
One thing the homeowners were sure of was that it was time to retire the original octagon shape of the primary bathroom. While the locations of the shower and tub remained the same, the sinks and vanities were originally on opposite sides of the room, with nothing in the center of the space. To fill the void, Dellocono proposed an island with a double-sink vanity and a floating mirror, creating a unique architectural feature while addressing the layout challenge.
“We wanted to make it feel even bigger,” she says of the design decision. “That may sound contradictory, but it was also a part of not adding too much on the sides and saving space there.”
The highly custom black marble bathtub the homeowners selected during one of their first meetings became the launching pad for the rest of the bathroom design. “It’s a little unexpected and exciting,” Dellocono says. “But we didn’t want the space to feel too dark.”
While working on a plan with the new tub and its main character moment in mind, Dellocono found the ideal pink tile for the flooring. “It pairs so well with the black marble,” she says. “Those two stone materials were a huge jumping off point for me. It’s my job to make it all make sense.”
For the remaining design elements in the bathroom, Dellocono was tasked with balancing the contrast between light and dark. “In our second meeting, we really homed in on the look of the space, especially when we got that wallpaper,” she says, noting that as soon as the homeowner saw the Pierre Frey “Au Bord Du Lac” wallpaper, reminiscent of an 18th-century tapestry, she knew it was the one.
“She was such a fast decision maker, which makes the whole process 10 times easier,” Dellocono says. “I brought her around eight different wallpaper samples that bring in a contrast of the light and dark, and she chose almost immediately.”
Once the larger elements were nailed down, Dellocono filled in the blanks with choices for paint color, lighting, hardware, mirrors and more. Incorporating tons of texture, from the reeded glass on the shower door and light pink terracotta tiles inside, to the smooth, light drapes framing the statement-making bathtub, each thoughtful layer began to take shape.
“After a while, the design process was pretty quick,” Dellocono says. “I felt like I was able to just show her pretty limited options that I knew she would love, and she was always fast to decide, so we got in a real groove where she was just trusting of me.”
As the bathroom design began to click, the two closets were quickly configured, bringing elements of the primary bath into the additional spaces, creating an elegant flow from room to room. “This made the closets very easy to piggyback off of in terms of what those would look like, because they feel like a natural extension of the bathroom, while each has its own feminine and masculine feel,” Dellocono says.
In the masculine closet, grasscloth wallpaper and touches of plaid complement the stained wood cabinetry, which utilizes the same stain shade as the vanities in the adjacent space. The bathroom paint color was also applied to the walls of the feminine closet, reinforcing the flow of spaces.
“I think there’s something to be said for simplicity,” Dellocono says. “It’s a balance of less is more, and more is more. It’s obviously very subjective, and I just have to go with my gut on what feels right in that department.”
While the two closet spaces were designed with thoughtful layers and elements extending from the primary bath, a more rigorous planning approach was used for the layout of the feminine closet.
“She has the best taste and sense of fashion, so the layout of her clothing and everything within the closet was a high priority,” Dellocono says, explaining that the work on the front end required taking inventory of her wardrobe. “Conversations with the client are so important to ensure we understand their needs, so that they can get what they are hoping for out of the space.”
Combining beauty with functionality was key to creating spaces where the homeowners could get the most use and enjoyment. Everything the couple could want or need is there in its custom-made spot, thoughtfully chosen to continue to elevate the space.
“Even the mirrors feel intentional,” Dellocono says of the feminine closet. “The floor-length mirror is part of the paneling in the wall, and we weren’t going to include one of those trifold, LED light makeup mirror contraptions in this space.” Instead, a wide gold-framed mirror on an easel sits atop the client’s vanity, empowering her to see the work of art in her reflection and giving new meaning to the saying ‘paint your face.’ It’s the combination of many seemingly small design choices like these that creates a couture collection of rooms, custom-fit to the clients and their everyday lives.
