refined refuge(12)

Putting family first was imperative to the design’s success. “Our kids tell us their very best memories are from our previous house, where the girls shared a bedroom and all five of us shared a bath,” says Laura, shown here with Lily (left), Alex, and Max. “So beware when you dream of owning a larger home.”  The challenge for Quiñones was to create the same sense of ease and opportunity for memory-making, but in a much larger house. His solution was a design that’s “pretty, airy, and not formal,” sums up Laura.

Family, in fact, was why she did not seek a third term as mayor. “No one has served three terms as Dallas mayor, so that little bit of ego was tempting, but it would’ve been completely narcissistic,” Laura explains. “Our 18-year-old sat me down and said, ‘If you run for reelection, you’re throwing the towel in on our family.’ She wanted me present for her senior year. The past 11 months have been great because I’ve gotten to spend so much time with my kids” -- in a home they all love.