Flower Magazine
Maximal and Modern in Houston
May/June 2023 | Written by Margaret Zainey Roux | Photography by Kerry Kirk | View Article
Lindsey Herod has never met a floral that she didn’t like. In fact, the interior designer and self-described “fabric addict” cannot think of a room scheme that didn’t sprout from a chintz, cabbage rose, or other botanical motif—or all three, for that matter. “I’d rather be in the garden than anywhere else so I’m constantly drawn to natural colors, materials, and textures that convey an alfresco feeling,” Lindsey says. “Leafy greens and sky blues, wickers and rattans, and crisp cottons and linens are my go-tos—and, of course, tons of floral prints. As I see it, there is no such thing as too many flowers in a garden, so there is no such thing as too many floral prints in a home.”
The 30-something-year-old design virtuoso learned to master mix from one of the best in the business, interior designer Celerie Kemble. After spending seven years in Celerie’s New York office, Lindsey returned to her hometown of Houston in 2012 where she has since made a name for herself creating spaces that are maximal yet decidedly modern. Like her, Lindsey’s clients are among a new generation of traditionalists who embrace elegance and formality as long as it’s practical, authentic, and conducive to contemporary living. “There is no correlation between age and architectural style,” says the designer. “I have several young clients who appreciate classic features like paneling, molding, and ceiling medallions because of the character they bring to a home. Many of them grew up in older houses and find comfort in their familiarity, so I strive to re-create that in a way that is more current.”
That was the case for one such client, an active family of five who was building in the city’s Memorial neighborhood. Early in the process, the homeowners called on Lindsey to deliver rich architectural details that would set the framework for rooms with a timeless yet fresh aesthetic. Enlisting her “fabric first” strategy, the designer sourced piles of prints, mainly floral, as the inspirations for design schemes that provide a cohesive, thoughtful flow throughout the interiors.
In the living room, plush linen pillows with a wide repeat of big blooms balance the smaller scale prints and solids on the seating and windows. The blues, greens, and taupes in the pillows permeate throughout the space and into the adjacent kitchen that features custom pleated pendant shades made from an imported hand-blocked floral textile. Just off the kitchen, the mudroom, office, and laundry room are all wrapped in a statement-making treetop print, while the dining room features a delicate floral wallcovering that speaks in more of a whisper.
In addition to mixing prints and colors, Lindsey mingled styles and provenances for intrigue. She placed casual cane shades on the scrolly bronze arms of a vintage chandelier in the breakfast room and paired a sleek acrylic game table with a set of patinaed antique French chairs in the music room. In the primary bedroom, timeworn pieces of Chinese export porcelain are displayed on sleek Lucite corbels.
