he
1924
cottage Bonnee Sharp shares with her husband, Marc Fuller, and daughter
Georgia,
2
, is a bit deceiving. From outside, the Dallas home is traditional. Inside, it takes a
modern turn with a surprisingly open floor plan. That traditional-meets-modern twist
y suits Bonnee, who loves to decorate with the family hand-me- downs she holds
ose to her heart yet isn’t afraid to update. “I have a foot in both worlds,” she says.
^or the fabric designer and owner of Studio Bon Textiles, pattern is key to making
things work. “A lot of people have furniture with sentimental meaning, but they don’t
quite know how to incorporate it into their environment,” Bonnee says. “Putting a graphic
pattern on any traditional piece makes it look contemporary and fresh.” Bonnee gravitates
to neutral-color geometrics so they blend with her rooms, which are primarily browns,
grays, and whites. The slipper chairs that belonged to her grandmother, and that Bonnee
reupholstered, reflect her approach. She traded their original hot-pink velvet for a graphic
fabric, but with earthy colors it doesn’t beg for attention.
Like her hand-printed fabrics that feature dots and organic designs, Bonnee’s furniture
and accessories have interesting shapes. Each piece—
from the kidney-bean coffee table
she bought at a flea market to inexpensive candleholders she uses as art—stands out in the
neutral rooms. She credits her grandmother, who used antiques with
1950
s modern
furniture, for inspiring her to mix things up and throw in some surprises. “I want my home
to feel fresh, clean, and happy,” Bonnee says.
1 5 6
NOVEMBER
2009
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