Enchanting Eclecticism for a Dallas Artist
Mosaic artist Constance Chantilis stumbled upon her one time home since the for-sale sign has been placed in the front yard. She was instantly enchanted by the property. “I loved that I could get the outside from each area,” she says. Being close to nature is an integral element to the health and overall upkeep of Chantilis’ creative soul. “This area is my refuge,” she says, “and it feeds me.”
What fed the layout of the home, constructed by Mark Martinek of Mod Construction, was a Southern catalpa tree growing in the side lawn. The entire home is raised to accommodate the origin of this tree, recorded on the Texas Forest Service’s Big Tree Registry for being among the biggest specimens in the state. The tree’s name is Grace, also Chantilis says, “I knew when I saw the tree and discovered her name which this was my new home.”
at a Glance
Who lives here: Constance Chantilis along with her puppies, Marley and Clark
Size: 2,300-plus square feet (main home); studio; two bedrooms, two baths
Location: Little Forest Hills neighborhood of Dallas
Sarah Greenman
The front yard has a beautiful collection of sculptural low-maintenance plants and stone installations. Yucca, saguaro cactus, cypress and blue sage, among others, reflect the home’s artistic style and one of a kind structure.
Sarah Greenman
Chantilis put her unique touch on everything in her home. Even the gate is adorned with a few of her art installations. A selection of eyes put in yellow and sepia-colored glass maintain watch over the property.
Sarah Greenman
The front porch features an eclectic mix of vintage patio furniture, ethnic textiles and architectural components, such as a sheet-metal privacy display with a punched-out round layout.
Sarah Greenman
The exterior is encased in corrugated metal, Cor-Ten steel, industrial accents and rustic hardware. The front entry welcomes glass globes hanging from a metal pergola.
The words “hope” and “faith” are cast in marble bits which seem as though they might top a headstone, but here they welcome visitors ascending the steps of the front deck.
Sarah Greenman
Waist-high metal patio walls are topped with figurines which home succulents and cacti of all sizes and shapes. A potbelly ceramic fire pit in the corner is ready for the onset of winter weather.
Sarah Greenman
Inside, Chantilis’ eclectic design and expansive collections unite with the open floor plan and contemporary architecture. “I am a collector at heart and want to be able to see and play with my treats and treasures,” she says.
Sarah Greenman
A frosted glass entry allows diffused light to the foyer and still maintains privacy.
Peacock lampshade: Anthropologie
Sarah Greenman
A industrial table sits in front of a principal window, which can be retracted to open the living room to a courtyard deck. Chantilis has created small altars of natural components, sculptures and plants all over her home. Here she’s placed quartz crystals in an aloe vera plant surrounded with seasonal decor and succulents.
Chantilis, owner of Two Sisters Catering, enjoys using restaurant equipment in her home and studio. The baker’s rack beneath the table homes an range of gemstones and geodes.
Sarah Greenman
The cement flooring are warmed up by an intricate floral area rug.
From the corner is a glowing coral accent wall painted in what Chantilis calls her joyful colour (Valspar’s Tropical Bloom). A similar shade is also used on the exterior doors to her art studio out.
Rug: Sarkis Oriental Rugs in Snider Plaza; table: Carlos Cortes; sculpture centerpiece on table: Willis LeJeune; dining seats: Ikea
Sarah Greenman
A cherished curio cabinet full of collected treasures stands in the foyer. “I love that bit,” Chantilis says. “It is actually 3 bits. The best piece was purchased individually and sat in a different location in the home for a couple of years. The mirror in the trunk along with the glass shelves provide the feel that my treasures are drifting in there.”
Round Top, an antiques fair between Austin and Houston, is among her favourite places to look for treasures.
Sarah Greenman
“The objects I like speak with me, and I need them about me,” Chantilis says. “I collected stones as a tiny girl, but that has obviously enlarged to include religious art, classic toys, poetry, hints and more. Someone else might not get it see its worth, but I really like collecting.”
Sarah Greenman
A favourite place is the measure between the living area and kitchen. “I’ve always been a stoop sitter,” she says.
The industrial stools at the kitchen island were located at Round Top. “The chairs were initially hide but was left out in the rain. I stored them and had them reupholstered with white leather,” Chantillis says.
Table: El Paso Import Co..
Sarah Greenman
Chantilis tucked a wet bar to the breezeway between the living room and her bedroom. It is a well-appointed space with a small refrigerator and temperature-controlled wine storage.
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
The master bedroom is a serene expanse of white accented with solid carved dark wood furniture. A natural-fiber area rug retains the room warm and warm. Chantilis created and installed fused-glass swinging doors between the bedroom and master bathroom.
Bed: El Paso Import Co..
Sarah Greenman
The spacious master bath includes a painted tree cutout that towers above a freestanding soaking bathtub.
Sarah Greenman
Besides an oversized soaking tub, the bath features a frameless glass walk-in shower, double washbowls, clerestory windows and floor-to-ceiling tile.
Tile: Fujiwa
Sarah Greenman
Outside, a route made of tree trunk pads embedded in gravel guides visitors to Chantilis’ studio, CAC Mosaic Designs, at the rear of your property. Following a recent flood, Chantilis revived her studio with the Assistance of Mike Thompsett at Garrison Rock Construction.
Studio door paint: Trolley, Valspar
Sarah Greenman
Having her workplace in the backyard ” certainly has its pluses and minuses,” she says. “But it’s nice to venture out in my PJs to inspect the kiln or take a glass of wine out the studio and start a project. So a lot of what I do as a mosaic artist is in stages, so the advantage is huge.”
Sarah Greenman
Just away from the art studio is an outdoor shower constructed with corrugated metal.
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
The side yard is a meandering courtyard shielded by Grace, the catalpa tree. It boasts a fire pit, a subway floor, ample seating and a second-story guest room beneath the art studio.
Sarah Greenman
The sheet-metal privacy display found on the front porch is used on this second-story deck too.
Sarah Greenman
Two sage-green Adirondack chairs flank a makeshift table, which sits upon an upturned planter. Rusted corrugated metal, a wooden crucifix and potted foxtail ferns make a dynamic background.
Sarah Greenman
Chantilis sits in her living room behind a coffee table she made from recycled classic tile. “I need my area to fill me with creativity,” she says. “I love when visitors compliment the energy created here and allow me to know how they feel when they’re in my home.”
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