I heart Jeff Lewis.

So one of my obsessions in life is interior design. I. LOVE. IT. And if I had thought long and hard about sitting at a desk typing on a keyboard/calculator for the rest of my life when I was in Accounting 101, then I may have figured out that something a little more creative would have been something I should consider. But that’s all in hindsight and I probably wouldn’t have the business “expertise” (haha…joke) that I have now if I hadn’t done the whole audit and HR thing for the past 6 years. (OMG! SIX YEARS!) So as I read my Southern Accents, Architectural Digest, and Elle Décor, I secretly dream that I had picked a more creative and inspiring career.

On our trip to San Antonio, we were invited to dinner at Mrs. Patsy Steves’ home. This house is amazing! It’s not glamorous or high-end as you would expect from someone who is extremely comfortable monetarily (and also from one of the founding families of San Antonio). The house is very unassuming from the street. You can tell that this house was here before most of the other houses on the block. Among many firsts that I experienced in San Antonio, this was the first time that a formal butler opened the front door for me upon entering her home. We were then immediately offered all types of cocktails and juices by the other random wait staff walking the long foyer. I mean…Who has a guest room reserved just for Lady Bird Johnson? The whole house is more of this strange expensive Mexican craftsman/rustic feel and then you walk into Lady Bird’s bathroom and its completely marble and gold. Why you ask? Oh – Because that was more of Lady Bird’s taste. Oh yeah…Did I forget to mention that the house comes with a squash court and an Episcopal chapel that has been ordained no less (scheduled services the second Wednesday of each month)? Who does that?!?!!!


I snapped a few pictures while we were there. I hope you enjoy!

The front door. That is Phillip standing in the doorway. The giant double doors have smaller doors within them. The door unit came from a fallen Mexican church probably 60+ years ago. Who knows how old the door is. (The front entrance is encompassed in this courtyard...The house is basically nothing but a wall around the front.)


The massive front door from the inside. I can only imagine how much this thing weighs!

The view into the back courtyard (a different one that houses the pool). The view was amazing...The picture definitely does not do this courtyard justice. The concrete columns and arches are one of a kind amazing! This is what you see when you walk through the front door (these doors sit opposite the front door in the foyer).

The ceiling of the foyer/main hallway. The carriage lights/chandeliers hang from stone cupolas with windows.

A long view of the foyer/main hallway (there was still more than couldn't quite fit in the picture). You can see the front door down the hall, the open double doors lead to the dining room, and the breakfast area sits on the right side of the large armoire.

The formal dining room...Check out the ceiling! Amazing! (Notice the cupola in this room...Just like the ones in the foyer.)

The breakfast eating area overlooking the courtyard and pool. The chapel is just beyond the pool (Oh why didn't I take a picture of that?!?!???). The "windows" are actually huge sliding glass doors.

A view from the sun room into the family room (doors in the left portion of the picture) and into the main hallway (door to the right in the picture). The ceiling and back wall are completely glass.

This was my favorite room of the house. I guess it is their more casual family room. If you look really hard, you can see the lofted library with the amazing stone staircase on the left side (no support from floor to where it attaches!).

The house had Mexican inspired everything everywhere including various fountains scattered throughout the inside and outside (this one was in the floor to ceiling glass enclosed sun room). I loved how they lit up the room even in complete darkness.

P.S. If you don't understand the Jeff Lewis comment, then you need to watch Flipping Out on Bravo. I just love that show. Jeff Lewis is an interior design genius and OCD freak all rolled into one that makes for a great reality show.