Nest to Nest: An Eclectic Artist’s Home in Dallas, Texas

12 Jan Nest to Nest: An Eclectic Artist’s Home in Dallas, Texas

Happy Sunday!  We are over-the-moon today to be bringing you another Nest to Nest in Dallas, Texas!  Nest to Nest is a series within our Sunday Living edition that features Home Stories across the globe. We were so lucky to enlist one of my all time favorite photographers, Amanda Marie Photography, to collaborate with us on today’s home story.  This ranch style home is located in a mature suburb of East Dallas called Lake Highlands.  One of my soul sisters and oldest friends lives in this home with her cutie pie husband and 2 boys.  Cortney Bonner, daughter of renowned Dallas painters Barry A. Martin Painting Contractors, comes from a long lineage of artists and craftsman so it’s of no surprise Cortney is an incredibly talented artist herself. This outside the box thinker has created the loveliest most colorfully inviting home I’ve ever had the pleasure of being in.  The Bonner’s have been kind enough to let me invite all of you into their eclectic, family friendly home.  So come on in and be prepared to soak in color, art, texture, and layers and layers of inspiration. Be sure to scroll to the end of the post to get to know the story behind the home.

I have personally commissioned Cort many times for her pen and ink sketches, but her talent is not limited to just this.  Lucky for all of us, Cort has recently launched an Etsy shop where she’ll be featuring her work and services!  Check out Coco Custom in the coming weeks!

Nest to Nest Home Story Survey

Personal Style: I am a tried-and-true GAP girl, but in my heart I badly wish I was more bohemian!  I am a preppy hippie-wannabe.
Nest Style: Warm and Personal.  I want my house to tell a story about who lives there and what we value and where we’ve been.  I love imperfect/old things that tell a story, either about how it was made, where or who made it.  Sentimentality plays a HUGE role in my design style.  I can tell you a story about each piece in my home, whether new or a hand-me-down.
Inspiration:  My mom taught me how find a good deal.  She has a knack for finding great things at great prices.  My dad and my grandfather are both artists and have an impeccable eye for beautiful things.  They see the potential in everything, including tossed out furniture set out on someone’s curb.  They amaze me with their ability to turn a vision into reality.
Favorite Celebrity Designer: I have always admired the Novagratz family for turning trash into treasure, finding the most beautiful and unusual art for their homes, and managing to keep their homes realistic for their large family.  I am also currently obsessed with Bailey McCarthy of the blog, Peppermint Bliss.  Her asthetic is way braver than mine and her sense-of-humor is reflected in all of her design work.
Favorite Nest Feature:  The layout of this house is perfect for our family.  It’s large enough (but not too large) that we feel as though we aren’t on top of one another.  We are able to move freely and store all of our stuff without feeling like we are piled in.  Ask me again once my boys are teenagers.
Biggest Nest Challenge:   Since moving to this house over a year ago, our biggest challenge was figuring out how to use all of our old things in a new space.  Not to mention, it required a LOT of work when we first moved in, so remodeling while living here with our two-young boys made me feel like a mad-woman even on the best days.
Proudest DIY:  My husband and father and grandfather made our dining room table and our desk based on an idea in my head.  I had a couple of (vague) pictures of things I liked, and they ran with it.  Now we have custom furniture that three generations of my family had a part in creating.
Biggest Splurge: Ugh, considering our kitchen was disgusting when we moved in (and did i mention covered in mold?), we had to start from scratch if I ever wanted to cook again.  We also added hardwood floors throughout.  Not. Cheap.
Best Find: The light fixtures over our breakfast room table and dining table are West Elm that we bought for pennies at the Pottery Barn outlet due to “defects”.  My handy family members can see past any defects, thank goodness!
Best Advice: Just before we bought our first home seven years ago, my dad advised us to pull into the driveway and if it felt right, then we were home.  We’ve been trusting that gut-feeling with all decisions regarding our home ever since.  I think it’s important to trust your eye.  Doing that will help you build a home that reflects who you are as a person/family.
Favorite Places to Shop For Your Nest: World Market, Target, Marshall’s, West Elm and Anthrpologie (Clearance only! I like to feel like I am getting a “deal”!).  Locally, I love to hunt for treasures at Lula B’s and Curiosities.  We also accumulate art and one-of-a-kind pieces on our travels, especially in New Orleans.
Best Thing About Your Hood: It is a tight-knit community within the limits of our big-city.  We are minutes away from downtown, museums, and White Rock Lake.  My heart belongs in East Dallas!
Best Piece of Advice for Newlyweds Decorating a New Home: Stay true to what you love and be patient. You won’t have it all at once – you will acquire things you will treasure forever over the years. Buy affordable art…no one knows the difference. :)))

Photography by: Amanda Marie Photography