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Georgia. “That room had these fantastic sofas. I researched and found the company that
made them. I was beyond thrilled!
” she says of the tuxedo sofas, topped with pillows made from fabrics they
purchased in Paris.
“Matt kind of saw this room as kind of a ranch hacienda masculine space,” Carolyn says of the living room.
But perhaps the most striking aspect of the home is its position around a
courtyard.
“That’s the focal point of the house. It’s why we picked it. We wanted a central court yard,” says Matt. One side of the U-shaped house consists of a casita with guest
quarters, charmingly presented with a rather unique entrance
—the original clavos-studded door that once graced Matt’s grandparents’ Spanish style home in Minnesota.
The door, with colorful bottle glass detailing, fits in swimmingly with the home’s four sets of doors that the couple had custom made in Mexico.
Matt’s study—undeniably masculine in collectable masks and handsome carved furnishings
(Moroccan chair, custom-made Mexican style desk)
—sits casita-side too, overlooking the bliss of this central courtyard. Their
love of Mexico is evident here as well. One of last year
’s Christmas trees was adorned in butterflies representing the monarch butterfly
that migrates through Mexico.
“I used to go outside and see carpets of butterflies in McAllen!” Carolyn recalls. “Just beautiful!”
Another unique tree in the breakfast area was covered in Mexican tiles and
artifacts, then topped with a plate. It overlooked the amazing kitchen,
designed with just the right balance of modern functionality and Mexican
influence
—talavera tiles and rich wood. A traditional wood-stacking alcove under the sink
is set in deep cobalt tile.
“We looked at everything under the sun when designing this kitchen. A typical
Mexican kitchen is over -the-top colorful and we wanted to keep that in check,
to get the right
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balance,” Matt explains.
This is a family that likes to cook and entertain. And there’s no better space than their dining room for the latter. It anchors the gallery
entrance to the right, instantly drawing attention with its handsome waffle
patterned ceiling and beefy table and hand-tooled leather chairs with large
nail heads from Armoires
& Accents in San Antonio. A spectacular painting of an elderly Mexican woman that
the Keeners refer to as
“our Mexican Mona Lisa” overlooks it all.
Truly, every room of this home is unique due to the Keener’s keen eye for detail and focus on authenticity.
A large reclaimed wood door, custom-made in Mexico, leads to the master bedroom.
This space, with flowing velvet curtains and gold chandelier is all about
comfort. For the holidays, it was bejeweled in red and gold tones. Honey onyx
vanity countertops in the master bathroom are a standout feature, along with a
sink, fixtures and bathtub in copper.
A grid inset wall, alight in candles, is a stunning detail.
The couple added about 2,000 square feet to the original house plan and changed the
upstairs configuration considerably to incorporate a space for every
conceivable need. Upstairs are the two boys
’ bedrooms, two bathrooms, a computer gaming area, a media room, workout room,
game room and three balconies.
Downstairs, Carolyn has an oversized pantry that would make anyone jealous. “I have to confess, I love my pantry,” she says.
In fact, the Keeners are hard-pressed to find anything they don’t like about the house. “I think it feels just right, homey,” says Matt. “It’s definitely the right type of house for what we love,” agrees Carolyn, “and a really special place during the holidays!”l
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