Master Class: Peak Inside this Posh, Neutrals-Savvy Bed, Bath and Closet Reno

Master Class: Peak Inside this Posh, Neutrals-Savvy Bed, Bath and Closet Reno

The bedroom employs a rich neutral palette and plush materials.

When an oil company honcho and his wife decided to expand and upgrade the master suite in their Memorial Drive manse, the direction to Eklektik Interiors owner and principal designer Kathy Anderson was all about compromise. They wanted opulent but functional. And they wanted a softened, plush vibe, but with a color scheme in which the weight-lifting man of the house would be as comfortable as his fashionista bride. “Definitely not girly-girly,” says Anderson. The result is a rich play of textures and a monochromatic palette of bronze and champagne hues.


For the bedroom, Anderson sourced textured Phillip Jeffries wallpaper with just a hint of sparkle to coordinate with a headboard covered in taupe velvet, throw pillows and foot stools covered in fox fur, and dangling pendant lights from Arteriors. “I love pendants rather than lamps by the bed,” says Anderson. “They look like pretty earrings. And it frees up the nightstands for other things.”

The wallpaper repeats in the bathroom’s barrel-vaulted ceiling — above a marbleized-porcelain corridor that leads to a freestanding bathtub set upon a platform of French oak and surrounded by antique mirrored tiles. Fabulous stuff. But no more so than the closet, which is intended to favor a boutique. Lit by skylights by day and chandeliers by night, the closet fills three otherwise space-wasting corners — “I hate corners,” the designer says — with shoe carousels that each hold 196 pairs of shoes. All the shelves are lighted, and the recessed wall mirror is actually a disguised door to a jewelry cabinet.

“You can make things look really beautiful,” Anderson notes, “but if it isn’t functional, what’s the point?”

The bathtub is set upon a landing of French oak and surrounded by antique mirrored tiles.

The skylit closet recalls a sophisticated boutique.

Home + Real Estate
Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less

Photographer Jhane Hoang with two covers she photographed

ONE OF Houston CityBook’s most beloved photographers was recently diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer. Jhane Hoang has been behind the camera for some of the magazine’s most ambitious shoots — including an overnight shoot at the then-new Weiss Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and a cold rainy shoot at the Houston Zoo where the crew used a concessions stand as a staging area for hair and makeup.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Betty Hrncir, Sidney Faust, Julie Baker Finck

ACTUAL WINTER WEATHER was in the forecast the night of the Winter Ball, benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and honoring the Women of Distinction, a festive and fitting detail that sparked a flurry of conversation at the Omni Hotel.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties