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text by  SHANI SILVER
photography by  ANNE MARIE

As life goals go, designing our dream homes from top-to-bottom ranks high–very high. Designer Brandi Hines and her husband Jamie did just that, and crafted their dream home filled with of-the-moment design elements, and inspiration aplenty. Located in Comfort, Texas (we know, how sweet is that), this owner-designed home is as chic and minimal as it is inviting and family-focused. Words could never do it justice. Take the tour below!

WE KNOW YOU TOOK ON QUITE A BIT (IF NOT ALL!) OF THIS PROJECT YOURSELF. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS ROLES YOU PLAYED IN THE DESIGN OF YOUR HOME? The main roles I played in this project were designer, general contractor, and client. It’s always harder to make selections and decisions on your own personal project.

HOW DID YOU BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS? (WHERE DO YOU EVEN START SUCH A LARGE PROJECT?) I started with design inspiration through other projects. I took pieces of all the these design elements and started sketching out elevations and floor plans and how it could layout on site.

ANY ADVICE FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE UNDERTAKING SOMETHING SIMILAR? Have a good plan! One that is well thought out even down to where you will have a lamp! There is nothing worse than not having a plug or a switch or a light where you need it. Be patient and level headed. There is a lot going on during the building process and if you’re taking on the project as the designer/client and GC, you’re going to need every bit of patience you can come up with.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS PROJECT? My favorite part of the project was getting to work on it with my husband and our three year old. He was onsite a lot and watching him get to experience the process was unforgettable.

AND THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? we had a few hiccups along the way, from fireplaces not fitting, to framing mistakes, but it really was all thought out and went pretty smoothly. If I had to say anything was a “challenge” i would say the pool. It’s a little different and we had a few issues getting to the end result, but I found an amazing masonry team that helped me achieve just the look I wanted.

WHERE DO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SPEND THE MOST TIME IN THIS SPACE?Outside. We spend a lot of time outside, but for inside the space I would say my son and I find ourselves in the entryway a lot, either reading books, racing cars down the hallway, or building a lego batcave. As a family we love the family room, it’s the perfect end to an active day.

WHAT IS THE BEST REACTION YOU’VE HAD TO YOUR HOME THUS FAR? The best reaction is having it published on domino! It’s always a different, amazing reaction when people see the home., It makes me feel like I really succeeded when I hear my husband say it turned out perfectly. It was really important for us to have a family home.

See more from Brandi Hines!