You May Know Her is a recurring column about identity. It’s an opportunity to showcase inspiring women who are also mothers and learn how they manage to separate those roles. It’s an invitation into the spaces they’ve so carefully crafted to serve as both a means of self-expression and a haven for their families. Come in. Get to know Kari.
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Can you give us a bit of history about this home? ***
The bungalow was built in the 1920’s and is in Woodland Heights. We rent it from our good friends (and neighbors) who have an incredible design aesthetic and remodeled it in 2014. The owners exposed the shiplap walls throughout the home, added bold wallpaper, custom light fixtures and open shelving in the kitchen. They also opened up the entire attic space and finished it out which now serves as our older boys’ bedroom and playroom. Our home has a great flow and works well for our family of 5.
How long have you lived here? With so much already in place, how have you infused your own style throughout the home?
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Our family has only lived here just over a year, but our furniture and style fit perfectly in the space. This home has an incredible mix of old and new much like our furniture and design elements. We have mid century pieces from Reeves Antiques and antique pieces from my husband’s side of the family because I truly love mixing old with new!
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Three words to describe your home decor style?
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Modern Farmhouse, Eclectic, Functional – I really love mixing old with new and incorporating lots of texture throughout the home.
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You’re relocating and can only bring 3 decorative pieces. What do you grab?
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My George Mulhauser chair from Reeves, the dental cabinet antique chest from Patrick’s grandmother, and the crate chair that I purchased from a friend when I had Thread, a children’s resale boutique I owned. We used to buy our fixtures for the store from her because she has a great eye and even owns a store in Burton, Tx near Round Top.
In any given week, how many days do you “get dressed” (i.e. no yoga pants or hoodies)? Have you noticed any difference in your demeanor, attitude productivity on the days that you do and the days that you don’t?
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I would say that I “get dressed” almost every day of the week. It just makes me feel good! While some days are a shower (yes!) and make up, other days are a hat and sunglasses. Most importantly, I always feel like I put something on that makes me feel good about myself. Because of this practice, I definitely feel more productive and confident when I take time for myself and get dressed!
You have a unique master bed/bath situation. Can you tell us about it?
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When the owners remodeled this home, they wanted to have two full bathrooms without doing an addition, so they added a bathroom inside the master bedroom. Hence the reason I like to call it our New York City studio apartment :). The floral wallpaper is amazing and gives the space a feminine vibe.
Do you feel like your clothing style and home decor style are in line with one another?
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Yes, I actually do. I love neutral tones and I look around my home and see those colors: black, white, and earth tones. I love a good white t-shirt or black tank and jeans, most often paired with my favorite hat. My wardrobe is also very functional much like my home. I have pieces that can be dressed up or down. My favorite stores are Madewell and Zara.
You represent Houston/Texas pretty hard throughout your home. What do you love most about the place you live?***
I didn’t really think about it, but as I look around I have so many pieces from local artists/shops that represent H-town and Texas! I’m a native Texan and love it here. We lived just north of Houston in The Woodlands and went to Austin for college. Houston has been my home and I love all this incredibly diverse city has to offer. Motherhood has definitely opened my eyes to some amazing places that I never visited pre-kids.
Assuming your personal style has changed over the past decade, how much of that change was prompted by the evolution of style trends and how much of it was a practical adjustment to the role of mother?
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I feel like we have been lucky because I think that the style trends have been complimentary to the role of a mother. Stylish jeans and t-shirts with a great pair of earrings, necklace or hat are totally in line with current style. This fashion is super functional for moms on the go who want to look good while on the go. Women don’t have to sacrifice their style bc they are a mom. It’s really cool when my boys notice me wearing something pretty or new.
What are you wearing and how do these items make you feel?
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The white top and jeans are an example of comfortable, casual and feminine. I love the top…it’s from Zara
and the jeans are my absolute favorite from Madewell.
This dress is also from Zara and I recently bought it to wear to Round Top. It’s comfortable and I can pair it with booties or sandals.
As a mother of 3 boys, how do you maintain a) your sense of femininity and b) your bathrooms?
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I love being a boy mom! That’s is why I make a point to try and make myself feel pretty….to maintain my sense of femininity…ha! Furthermore, we need some female power in my house. My boys love seeing me dressed in feminine outfits…skirts and dresses. Luckily, we have two bathrooms in our bungalow so I don’t have to share with 4 boys! I keep my space feeling feminine and in line with my style.
As for the bathrooms, it’s a group effort. My husband and I share the toilet-cleaning responsibilities and our big boys clean as well. I love using Do Terra Thieves and water mix to clean the countertops but I use Clorox wipes for the tougher-to-clean areas. Burning candles and using a diffuser really help keep our home smelling clean and feminine.
Did you enjoy answering these questions? Why or why not?
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Yes, it is fun to reflect and take the time to think about these parts of my life. I love fashion and design so this is my cup of tea! 🙂
Coffee or tea and how you take it
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Both – coffee in the am with a little vanilla Ripple. It is dairy free and delicious!
I love any and all tea! This is my go to in the afternoon for a little pick me up.
Album you’ll play for the rest of your life
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The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream…..I am listening to it right now.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever received
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Let go and trust God! This has been important during this season of my life and I tell myself this everyday! He is in charge of our lives and has great plans for us!
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