Not every home is capable of making guests feel welcome as soon as they walk through the door. But Donna and Tom Pazera’s home, sitting on rolling Hill Country land just five miles outside of Fredericksburg, was designed to do just that. Finished last summer, the 5,000+-square-foot, fivebedroom, five-bathroom elegant farmhouse has already become the perfect gathering space for their outdoorsloving family.
“With Amy’s help, it wasn’t difficult to achieve the look we wanted,” says Donna Pazera, crediting the talents of interior designer Amy Slaughter who helped the couple fine-tune their design. “This home has truly become a family gathering space that allows us to share our common loves of golf, fishing and being outdoors.”
From the large, open floor plan to the special accents that give nod to the couple’s hobbies and interests, the home remains light, cheerful and reflective of their warm personalities. “We tried to hone in on the homeowner’s hobbies and interests and really designed the home around them,” says Slaughter.
Tucked in the private Hill Country golf course community of Boot Ranch, a few of the home’s exterior features include a chipping green, golf tee, horseshoe pits, fire pit and serenity garden nestled in a grove of oak trees — spots that both facilitate peaceful relaxation or entertaining their family, friends and grandkids. The covered terrace provides a fabulous area to convene for drinks, cozy up next to the fireplace during winter months or enjoy a casual outdoor summer barbecue surrounded by magnificent views.
Inside, simple Americana accessories and antiques pay tribute to the couple’s New England roots, explains Slaughter. Donna’s love of sewing and quilting is emulated through decorations such as cotton blooms, an antique spinning wheel, yarn spool candlesticks and large glass jars filled with antique yarn spools.
“Most of the accessories in this home are really one-of-a-kind,” says Slaughter of the furnishings and antiques which underscore the family’s various interests.
From the beginning, a primary design goal was to create a seamless integration between the outdoors and indoors, an objective achieved through glass stacking panel doors across the living room that open to the expansive loggia and give way to gorgeous panoramas.
“This design really expands on their living and entertaining space and capitalizes on their Hill Country views,” says Slaughter. Divided light windows above the clear panel doors provide a charming look that furthers the farmhouse feel experienced throughout the rest of the house while grey Lueders stone featured on the home’s exterior is carried inside to the fireplace and interior accent walls. Hand-scraped hickory floors flow throughout the home, and combined with the soft wall colors, allow stellar Hill Country vistas to take center stage.
“During our very first meeting, she fell in love with one of the new fabrics in my showroom,” says Slaughter. “We developed her entire color palette around it. She wanted to keep the colors light and airy with blues and greens, which you find consistently throughout. Each bedroom was designed around quilts which Donna recently made for her two sons, and we integrated those colors and fabrics from the beginning, too.”
An adorable bunk room provides a fun and functional space for visiting grandchildren –– three aspiring anglers. A wall of built-in twin bunks featuring storage below and individual reading lights remains the focal point of the room appropriately outfitted in fish-themed decor. The open floor plan provides plenty of space for little ones to play or create artwork on the circular gaming table featuring a durable “no-mess” zinc top.
A light and airy vibe is at play throughout the luxurious master bath, punctuated with elegant European accents like the 19th century pair of gilt wood Louis Philippe mirrors, a French iron chandelier, a garden tub featuring a French tumbled limestone skirt and surround and an antique French Parfeuille Terra Cotta tile floor made from reclaimed 150-year-old roof tiles.
“Rahnee Gladwin found all the tile that is in the master bathroom,” says Slaughter of the designer who has a showroom in Fredericksburg. “She is a very valuable resource with the ability to focus on our aesthetic and find exactly what we were looking for.”
Another favorite space in the home is the kitchen, an area Slaughter took back to the drawing board to redesign from top to bottom in order to accommodate everything the homeowners wanted the room to hold, from state-of-the-art appliances to extra storage. Rich blue cabinets and hand-painted decorative tile remain standouts in the spacious kitchen which now flows flawlessly into the living and dining areas.
Simple furnishings like the nearly 10-foot French oval farm table found in the dining room and painted buffets flankingthe fireplace underscore the home’s casual elegance while art commissioned by their artist friend, Maxine Price, adds color in a meaningful way. “The colors represent land, for their Hill Country home, and sea, for their home on the coast,” says Slaughter. “Within every turn here exists a story, which exemplifies their simple roots and inviting home.” From Americana accessories to soft hues, a comfortable, welcoming vibe remains at play. “The first thing guests say to me when they walk through the door is how comfortable they feel here, almost instantly,” says Donna. “It’s the highest compliment.”
DESIGNER Slaughter Design Studio, LLC
830.307.3397 | Slaughterdesignstudio.com
ARCHITECT Pollard Hodgson Architects
318.868.3635 | Pollardhodgson.com
BUILDER Big Sky Builders, LLC
318.218.7296