Some homeowners paint their rooms — Terri Claycomb has them landscaped.
The idea took seed, so to speak, when Terri noticed topiaries painted on hotel walls while on vacation one year with her husband, Eddie. “When we were looking for a house, I was always looking for a place where I could have those topiaries painted,” Terri recalls, “this entryway was perfect.”
Eddie and Terri moved to Dallas from Denver and immediately settled in the neighborhood. This is their second home here, having moved to a larger space as their family grew. The couple has three children: Catelyn, 13, attends the Episcopal School of Dallas; Clif, 11, and Caleb, six, both attend Highlander Garden School.
The entryway of their most recent Lake Highlands home was just the beginning. Now it’s hard to tell the indoors from the outdoors at this French country cottage; the rooms explode with flora and bright cheerful color as if Mother Nature herself was the decorator.
Just past the entryway is the dining room, at the center of the house. Walls are embellished with a painted country garden, making every day a picnic.
Upstairs is the children’s haven — or maybe heaven is a better word. Each has a room that was tailor made (painted) just for them. Catelyn’s is the French country bedroom, warm and cozy. The boys’ rooms are embellished with outdoor sports murals, like fishing and baseball. Terri points to the baseball bat painted on Caleb’s wall that looks so authentic his grandmother thought it was real.
Sports occupy more than murals in the household. Terri, for instance, is a competitive tennis player and competes at the TCD club level. “When I began to re-do the re-do’s, Eddie suggested that I get out of the house, so I began to play tennis. Now the whole family plays,” she says.
The heart of the house, the kitchen, was an immediate hit with the kids. Was it because of the smashing décor? Wrong — the room has a drinking water fountain. It is in the kitchen where Terri uses the color red. Here, she shows off her collection of roosters that match the ones in the curtains. This room is vibrant enough to wake up any morning sleepy head.
A bank of windows overlook the backyard from the kitchen area, dining areas and family room, and shows a perfect backdrop of flowers and green space to tie this botanical home together. (One of the reasons the couple bought the house in the first place was the beautiful yard.)
The Claycombs have lived here for four years and have given a magical touch to most all the living spaces, even the guest bathroom. In here, Terri had always wanted antique cabinets. Eddie finally agreed, and what took a bit of convincing is now one of his proudest accomplishments.
The family room is large and comfortable for entertaining and the grand piano adds a touch of elegance. Terri uses beautifully carved antiques with china plates and teacups to accessorize.
“I would rather have an old teacup than a bottle of perfume,” she says.
