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[Oznell]

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.)

[Citrine1]

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

[jannabelle1]

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 

[shoptilyadropagain]

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.

[CarolinaGirl88]

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!

[DREAMON]

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. 

[wilma]

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. 

[Desert Lily]

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.

[just bee]

I could do dishes at that sink. 

[just bee]

I like that fabric!