Country Mile

Subdued hues add a sense of longevity to every inch of a newly built Texas home.

- Kelly Allen

WE USE A LOT of what I call 'muddy colors,' Alison Giese says of her namesake design firm's signature palette. To establish tailored but cozy interiors for a young family's newly constructed, ranch-style residence in San Antonio, Giese once more relied on “color that's not colorful.” The way she sees it, “If it's blues and pinks and greens that have a lot of brown in them, then they become more of a neutral.”

LAUNDRY ROOM "This quartzite is one of the prettiest I've seen," Alison Giese says of the Brilliant Grey stone countertops. Paint: Blustery Sky, Sherwin-Williams. Faucet: Moen. Roman shade: custom, in Virginia Kraft Textiles fabric.

FOYER

A floor-to-ceiling limestone wall, which doubles as the backside of a fireplace, brings texture and warmth to the entry. Table: Arhaus. Mirror: Arteriors. Lamp: Currey & Company. Rug: Passerine. Vessels: African gourd baskets, Alison Giese Interiors.

KITCHEN

The 12-foot-long island boasts a custom brass footrail reminiscent of a restaurant bar. Pendants: The Urban Electric Co. Counter stools (with backs): Summer Studio. Cabinetry paint: Natural Choice, Sherwin-Williams.

The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom house is laid out in a “boomerang shape,” Giese says, and is poised to be the family's “legacy home,” a place to be enjoyed by many generations. Giese, working with Smithdish Architecture, filled the 5,000-square-foot interior with natural materials, botanical patterns, and personal touches.