“A Balance of Restraint and Irreverence” — How This Home Masters the Art of ‘Playfully Mature’ Style
Playfully mature. It seems like a contradiction, but it doesn’t have to be. In a recent project, Annie Downing, founder and principal designer of Annie Downing Interiors, combined the oxymoron into a tastefully designed home. The result: a home where lively decor meets modern sophistication.
Situated in Houston, in a neighborhood filled with many traditional and formal houses, Kensington Court stands out as a unique and exciting outlier. Having known the homeowners for years, Annie created a space that reflects their taste and fits their current needs. Since the couple loves to host, Annie ensured each room could be adaptable — fit for entertaining, but designed for real life.
With a healthy mix of vibrant color and unexpected pattern, Annie transformed Kensington Court into a sophisticated modern home that is both playful and inviting.
Annie brought pops of color and pattern into the living room at Kensington Court through the jewel-toned divan and checkerboard pillows.
(Image credit: Image: Lindsay Brown. Design: Annie Downing Interiors)
“I always think a space should have some whimsy — something that keeps it from taking itself too seriously,” Annie tells me. Kensington Court is just that. Combining elements from interior design trends like playfulism with bold color palettes and timeless patterns, this home demonstrates modern, mature design that feels fun, fresh, and exciting.
“We did a mix of modern silhouettes and tailored pieces to give a sense of sophistication, combined with elements like unexpected pattern, a touch of lacquer, and the fabulous tiger-print rug to inject personality,” Annie says. “It’s a balance of restraint and irreverence: crisp architectural lines paired with playful lighting, or a structured sofa… softened with pillows in a cheeky print.”
These thoughtful details are key to Kensington Court’s success: a home centred in design, but at its core, playful and personal. Here’s how you can create your own playfully mature home.
Use a Jewel-Toned Color Scheme
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Decorating with jewel tones is a great way to bring depth into a space. Of course, these colors are rich and, at times, intense, but they can add character — making it feel unique, different, and intriguing, just like they do in Kensington Court.
“In this home, we played with jewel tones in different intensities, ensuring they harmonized rather than competed,” Annie tells me. “We chose a palette of deep greens, moody blues, and velvety purples to create an enveloping coziness — where each room feels distinct yet connected, almost like walking through a beautifully curated story.”
According to Annie, these jewel tones can set the scene of the home. “A deep emerald might feel grounding and elegant in a study, while a rich garnet in a living space brings warmth and a touch of drama.”
While utilizing several shades throughout the rooms of this home, Annie points out that there should always be some common factor — “whether it’s a particular hue that recurs, a shared finish, or a design element that subtly echoes throughout the space,” she says. A common factor can create cohesion within a home that bounces from shade to shade in each room.
Mira High Gloss Console Table
Price: $599
The office space in Annie’s Kensington Court project features dark green jewel-toned lacquer walls — a bold design feature that adds depth and rich sophistication to the room. Rather than repainting your walls, try adding the glossy and luxe finish into your home through a furnishing like this console table. Style it in your entryway for a touch of drama upon entering your home.
Kelly Clarkson Home Cecile 3-Piece Hand-Blown Glass Vase Set
Price: $75.99/ set of 3
If you’re new to jewel tones, but willing to try something different, bring the shades into your home through small decorations like these deep purple glass vases. Since they’re so small, these vases won’t overwhelm your space. Instead, they’ll introduce a pop of color and an added level of excitement. And because these vases come in a set of three, you can style them together or scatter them around your room for a dynamic visual effect.
Price: $1,695
Size: 8′ x 10′ (more sizes available)
Mustard yellow might not be a typical jewel tone like deep red, purple, or green, but it’s nonetheless a vibrant and rich color that exudes the same luxe qualities. In Kensington Court, the mustard yellow rug adds a soft pop of color to the room. It complements the playfulness of other decor, but does not minimize the sophistication and modern look of the space.
Incorporate a Healthy Mix of Prints and Patterns
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Introducing prints and patterns into a space can feel overwhelming, but they don’t need to cause any stress when designing a home. As Annie explains, “Scale and contrast are key. If one textile is bold, another is softer; if a wallpaper is intricate, then maybe a solid fabric balances it out.”
Annie demonstrates this in each room of Kensington Court. For instance, the bold, graffiti-like wallpaper in the dining room is softened with dark leather chairs. In the living room, patterned pillows and window coverings are balanced with neutral-toned couches. “It’s that push and pull which keeps things lively yet intentional,” Annie explains.
Similarly, Annie shares that certain prints can add to the vibrant spirit of a home, and look timeless when styled right. “Animal prints are like a good red lip — classic, but with a little edge,” she shares. Like the other patterns scattered throughout the home, the tiger print rug “feels bold yet grounding, almost like a neutral with personality,” according to Annie. It’s these mindful infusions of prints and patterns that can make a home feel playful while maintaining its mature sophistication — as seen in pattern sprinkling.
Crosby Tobacco Brown and Ivory Alpaca Throw Pillow With Down-Alternative Insert
Price: $243, Was: $297
In the living room, Annie introduced pattern with pillows. Since they’re small home decor elements, why not opt for pillows with lively patterns? Checkerboard is a style I’m loving right now; with only two alternating colors, it’s a pattern that will bring interest to a room without feeling overpowering.
Modway Pinnacle Vegan Leather Dining Chair
Price: $342.97/ set of 2 Was: $935
Balance is important when designing with patterns. Annie says that solid colors can help create cohesion in a space. To offset the bold nature of the graffiti-like wallpaper, Annie introduced black leather dining chairs. This style is just that — it has a sleek finish and elegant look that can help you ground a space beaming with pattern.
Nonia Hand Tufted Wool Animal Print Rug
Price: $96.99, Was: $280.00
Just like the rug in the Kensington Court home, this runner rug is finished with an eye-catching tiger print that will add just the right amount of intrigue into a space. Sure, it’s a bold statement piece. But like Annie said, prints like this can become timeless when styled right. Place this rug in a hallway of your home to create some drama and visual appeal.
Find Furnishings Fit for Entertainment
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The owners of the Kensington Court home enjoy hosting, which Annie took into account within the design process. Each room seamlessly blends elements fit for entertainment with the interior necessities of everyday life.
“Great entertaining spaces should feel effortless,” Annie tells me. “Here, we designed the spaces to transition seamlessly from everyday living to full-blown gatherings.” This intention is clear throughout the home. In one room, Annie added a tastefully designed home bar — functional for every day use but equally ready to entertain guests.
Similarly, in the kitchen, Annie thoughtfully opted for an alternative kitchen island — a freestanding table with stools designed as a gathering place in the heart of the home. “Unlike a built-in island, which is locked into place, a freestanding piece can feel more dynamic and open, making the space feel less rigid and more inviting for gathering, conversation, lingering over a glass of wine or keeping company while someone is cooking and preparing a meal,” Annie shares.
Price: $1,499
If a built-in bar isn’t in the cards for your home, opt for a freestanding bar cabinet. This style features sleek glass doors that reveal an interior of three exposed shelves and three drawers. With ample room for storage and an adjustable top shelf, this cabinet can easily store your cocktail glasses and liquor bottles in a chic and elegant way.
Revolver Stool, Counter Height
Price: $206.25, Was: $275
When entertaining, ensure you have ample seating for guests. In the kitchen of Kensington Court, several barstools surround the freestanding island to serve as additional seating when necessary. Barstools without seatbacks make for practical choices in small kitchens and for entertaining — they can easily be tucked under an island when not in use, and you can sit on them from any direction.
Yanko Mid Century White Marble Top Natural Brown Mango Wood Counter Table
Price: $1,099
A freestanding island might not be a common kitchen trend, but when done right, it can look just as good as a built-in island — if not better. With their lack of base cabinets, freestanding islands can make a space feel more open — which is a helpful small kitchen idea. This style features a natural wood frame and a white marble counter — a sleek and elegant choice to incorporate in your kitchen design.
Through color, pattern, and considered furnishings, Kensington Court became a home that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but exudes a rich, modern, and mature energy.
As a home fit for entertainment but designed with real life in mind, Kensington Court demonstrates the power of versatile design, blending sophistication with playfulness to create a space that is both functional and stylish.
For more inspiration, our page on the latest fabric trends will help you combine comfort and texture into your design projects.
