When I saw photos of this decidedly different Lakewood luxury home, I was sure it belonged to a designer. I was not far off. It belongs to acclaimed contemporary artist Carly Allen Martin, and her touch is everywhere.
You’ve probably seen Martin’s work in a variety of public places, including BBVA Compass Bank, Texas Oncology Hospital, and Texas Christian University. She’s represented locally by Laura Rathe Fine Art in Dallas, Artspace111 in Fort Worth, and galleries in Laguna Beach, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, Toronto, and Montreal. Her love of color defines her work and her home. In an age of white everything, it’s refreshing to see color used in such a joyful manner.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of building a home as a creative person is working with a team that can understand your vision. You need like-minded, out-of-the-box thinkers on board. Fortunately, Martin had experience on a former home in Devonshire with Ross Ikemire, owner of Ikemire Architects LLC, and knew it would be impossible to go wrong with Chris Dauwe of Rosewood Custom Homes. “It was a collaborative process,” Martin said. “They helped me create the vision.”
“We go to Santa Barbara and Montecito to recharge,” Martin said. “The design began that way. Our second favorite place is New Orleans, so we pivoted a bit, adding a courtyard and parapets. My style is a fusion of different styles, and that’s how we arrived at the architecture. I drew it on parchment paper in our kitchen.”
Martin is no stranger to the home-building process. Her mom designed homes and taught her about floor plans and creating an overall vision. Growing up, she was allowed free rein in her room. Although her father chose law, art is important to him, and they often sketched horses together, so the art gene was in her DNA.
“My parents would let me hand paint my room over and over when I was growing up. I painted my door, murals on the walls, and even my ceiling fan. We’d strip it down at least once a year, and I’d repaint,” she said.
Martin’s design sense is not just about color. Materials inspire her process, and it’s very much discovery-driven because she loves to treasure hunt for her home. The fireplace is from the South of France, her mother found antique doors for the home’s pantry, and most of the lighting is custom-made or antique.
“As a painter, I love adding visual interest,” Martin said. “I like pairing textures and fabrics and having the art play off the house. I don’t like to have a strategic plan. I like to let one thing lead to the next.”
This Lakewood Luxury Home is Alive With Color, Texture and Art
Martin has filled her 3,668 square foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom Lakewood luxury home with not only color texture and her own work but also with pieces from artists she admires. While living in Italy after high school, her roommate was the now internationally recognized photographer Nicole Franco.
“The stairwell photos are Nicole’s, and the girl on the horse in one of our bathrooms is from her Charros Series and has won several awards.” There’s a John Miranda in the living room and an amusing cake painting by Gary Komarin in the downstairs hall.
Despite such a warm and welcoming interior, Martin’s favorite part of the house is the courtyard. “We sit in the courtyard every night and morning,” Martin said. “The wall is so tall on the parapet that my husband can project the Dallas Cowboys games on it. I hand-selected every plant with advice from my dad’s best friend, who is a landscape architect. He told me what would survive! Greener Days did the installation for us.”
If you look at the house at the right time of day, you will see Martin’s use of color extended to the garage. It’s pink. You cannot tell when the sun is out, but on a gray day, you can see it, and it’s delightful. It’s also insulated, ventilated, and climate controlled because Martin used it as a studio when the children were younger.
So why leave this absolute perfection of design, color, and texture? Any artist will tell you it’s about the next project. Martin and her husband have purchased a 1933 O’Neil Ford in Greenway Parks. It’s an architectural score, closer to family and the kids’ school.
I can’t wait to see what color she paints the garage!
Dave Perry-Miller’s Ryan Streiff has this lovely Lakewood luxury home at 6621 Northridge Dr., offered at $2.295 million.
