topic Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX in Home

YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

Oznell — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:43:15 GMT

Homeworthy featured theater fundraiser and comedienne Melissa Smrekar's small house a while back, and it's a light-hearted manifestation of her exuberant personality and varied interests.

She describes her style as "Town and Country Tenenbaum", which is funny in itself. A lot of it is estate sale, thrifted, etc. but she's admittedly a fan of the sort of smart, polished Sixties' style that draws from various design sensibilities.

Love her wall color, Farrow and Ball's "Setting Plaster", which she says is a great neutral, and sort of "crumbly Italian villa-esque". In certain lights it has a sly pink-ish undertone.

She splurged on a custom, moss green velvet, with contrast piping, for sofa. The vintage bench in the fireplace was a $30 estate sale find--

Her affinity for lavish Schumacher chintzes only goes so far on her pocketbook, so she uses them strategically on pillows and ottoman, and for the backs only of her club chairs, a familar designer look. The fronts are in hard-wearing "performance" fabric--

She's an avid needlepointer, which is visible on various pillows in the house. And I love the motto on her cocktail napkins below, "I demand glamour"....

Her striking heron panels were simply a fancy Gucci wallpaper, that she had framed--

The playful, vintage-look side table was a score from the famed Round Top antique market, a market that she haunts for her goodies.

She says that adorable "Winnie" is very fond of the camera, and that appears to be true--

Melissa picked up a handsome, inlaid Italian Mah-jongg table, and when in use, stores the wooden top under her couch.

She collects the fanciful little Herend porcelain animals. Love her froggie.

Her kitchen came with a big, midcentury pendant light, that she didn't like. She replaced it with two birch bentwood pendants, which she felt were a nice "light" contrast to all the heavy marble and ceramic tile.

The variegated tile floor is handsome, and she said, rather unusual for Dallas. Hard-working island--

Love her cement swan planter:

Melissa has more of a tolerance for pattern and wallpaper than I do-- so I couldn't have this much of it in my bedroom. But it totally suits her style.

Her "quieter" grasscloth guest room walls would be a bit more my speed. The good-looking side table/chest is second-hand Henredon, I think she said --

In one image, more of the charming French- English sensibility of the house:

Also in the guest room, she keeps her gorgeous Korean secretary, which houses all her stationery supplies, including old-fashioned sealing wax....

The unexpected critters are fun-- her bow-tied giraffe is from John Derian--

I get a kick out of this little house, and all of Melissa's ingenious hacks. To me it's kind of 'Lilly Pulitzer-crossed- with-Dorothy-Parker'.

The color palette is brighter than I prefer, since I'm more the " drab or chalky, off-pastel" type. There's somewhat more visual stimulation than I like to live with. But I find her place to be like a perfect little movie set for an imaginative, quirky personality-- a happy place to visit.

(This is one Homeworthy youtube video that's great to check out, for all the tips and tricks alone.)

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

Citrine1 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:22:44 GMT

I do like a nice pink/green combination but, overall, this is a big no for me. Too whimsical for my taste.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

jannabelle1 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:49:05 GMT

Interesting home! It's always fun to see how others live and decorate. I'm intrigued with the Gucci wallpaper birds that she had framed. It's also a good reminder of what can be found at estate sales and vintage shops. Thanks, @Oznell

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

shoptilyadropagain — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:54:55 GMT

It's a huge no for me....pink & green, wallpaper, floral prints.....no thanks! The kitchen is doable but I'd need to make some changes. I do love that glass top round table in the living room and the giraffe (minus the bow). Oh, the kitty is precious too.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

CarolinaGirl88 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:58:56 GMT

Cute, quirky and whimsical! I don't like everything, but she definitely has a good eye for what SHE likes and is true to her own vibe. I love that swan planter, too, and several more pieces. Interesting; thanks!

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

DREAMON — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:19:30 GMT

I like the kitchen but not the pendant light.

The rest of the house if not for me. For some reason the bench in the fireplace is what turns me off the most.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

wilma — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:56:10 GMT

I've never been a pink girl, and I don't like the floral printed chairs and wallpaper. I like shades of green, and the animal pieces definitely speak to my love of animals and make me smile. My favorite room is the kitchen, but I don't like that ceiling light. The Korean secretary is a beautiful piece.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

Desert Lily — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:59:33 GMT

My great aunt owned several small businesses. When I was 5 years old, she gave me a set of porcelain poodles similar to the ones in the pic. "Made in Japan" was on the bottom. They were called spaghetti porcelain poodles. The small poodles had chains that connected to the mother poodle, and I can see the rings for those in your pic. Some cute spaghetti poodles from that era are still around and are not expensive.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

just bee — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:33:27 GMT

I could do dishes at that sink.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

just bee — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:36:03 GMT

I like that fabric!

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

taquito — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 03:17:34 GMT

Birds, flowers, and a cat! What's not to love? It wouldn't feel like home to me, but I can appreciate this being someone else's home. There's lots to look at.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

jubilant — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:15:00 GMT

Quirky for sure but there are things in most homes that I do like. In this one it would be the flooring in the kitchen. I had flooring similar to this in my very first kitchen in the late 60's. I also love the animal and frog figurines in the bookcase. Last but not least

I love that desk!

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

wagirl — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:57:18 GMT

Very whimiscal---not my style, but I do LOVE that kitchen island and that round glass side table--the rest reminds me of what my daughters taste was when she was little.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

LavernLuvsShoes — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:41:59 GMT

Love the Moss green sofa, the Heron Panels and the Swan!!! ♥

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

LIndaMJ — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:23:10 GMT

Although pink especially pale pink is my favorite color, this house is too whimsical for my taste. I sure do admire her desk and I am a cat lover so I sure would love to spend some time with Winnie!

With that being said, I did thoroughly enjoy looking at every picture and as always enjoyed your comments. Thank you so much @Oznell!

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

Oznell — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:31:34 GMT

Neat that you had those adorable poodles, @Desert Lily . I bet there are lots of collectors who are avid for them. So much ceramics from the 'made in Japan' era is sweetly nostalgic and sought after now.

@just bee , I was drawn to that retro-looking fabric too. She has an eye for that period, has great costume jewelry too. She even owns and travels with that original cool 'round' luggage from the Sixties, that chic women jetsetters would have...

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

just bee — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:03:48 GMT

@Oznell wrote:
Neat that you had those adorable poodles, @Desert Lily . I bet there are lots of collectors who are avid for them. So much ceramics from the 'made in Japan' era is sweetly nostalgic and sought after now.

@just bee, I was drawn to that retro-looking fabric too. She has an eye for that period, has great costume jewelry too. She even owns and travels with that original cool 'round' luggage from the Sixties, that chic women jetsetters would have...

@Oznell

There's something almost Thurberish about that pattern. Maybe she can sacrifice her smock and make a couple pillows...

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

RedTop — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:13:42 GMT

Not for me.

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

CANDLEQUEEN — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:00:18 GMT

I really like her cute kitchen!!!!

Re: YOUTHFUL DALLAS JEWEL BOX

spiderw — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:08:26 GMT

While this isn't my taste there are many pretty things throughout the house. The moss green sofa is beautiful , the glass top side table, the lovely flower print on the chairs, the Mah-jongg table and chair, the beautiful Korean secretary, all eye catchers for me.