Words: Jacqueline Gonzales Photos: Jason Page
Sophistication abounds at the first sight of Lunette Jones’s home in Bessar Park, one of Corpus Christi’s premiere neighborhoods. The peaked urn pediment atop the front door frame adds exquisite detail and character to the entrance. And the brick stairway, flanked by swirling wrought iron handrails, leads guests into a realm of old fashioned style and architectural bliss. It’s no surprise that Lunette, owner of Lunette Jones Interiors, is a well-rounded interior designer with a broad knowledge of real estate. She showcases her passion for design throughout her home.
Lunette has lived in 15 different homes in various places including California, Mississippi, and France. Accustomed to lush greenery, she struggled between buying a house by the bay or on the island. In the end, she chose the two-story beauty she now calls home. Initially, she was not fond of the house because the dark interior was draped in dreary browns and grays. However, the open floor plan showed potential, and she knew she could work magic with her decorating talents.
Now that her home is filled with fresh, light colors, it offers an inviting atmosphere. Heirlooms placed throughout the home add to the warm aesthetic. Framed family memories arranged in a vignette and her son-in-law’s gorgeous, intricate artwork lend a more modern touch to the old-fashioned flair.
Lunette also has a passion for Parisian culture. She and her husband once owned a Gîte, which is a small vacation home, in France. They renovated each room with furniture and decorative pieces carefully selected from antique fairs and online shops.
If there is one thing Lunette swears by, it is her ability to find great decorative pieces for any style of décor and any given budget. “Give me a budget, and I can make a house feel like a home,” she says. Several pieces, acquired during her time in France, California, and Mississippi, traveled back with her to Texas, bringing a sentimental value that permeates her home’s relaxing vibe.
Among the pieces she’s kept is an old wrought iron fireplace screen from the 1800s. She now uses it at the front entrance as a wall table with a marble top and a mirror. Although modernizing antiques with spray paint is a popular trend, Lunette prefers to let the antique’s natural beauty speak for itself.
The second floor features a generously sized master suite with an abundance of closet space, a fireplace, additional bedrooms, and a washroom with modern appliances and a large utility sink. There is even a bedroom personalized specifically for much treasured visits from her grandchildren.
The spectacular kitchen is the only room in the house she didn’t change. It had already been updated with a clean shade of white, granite countertops, and high-end stainless steel appliances before the Jones’ purchased the house. If the modern look and feel of the kitchen isn’t enough, a nearby family room, surrounded by windows, offers the perfect view of the courtyard style backyard.
Lunette credits her landscape designer, Robin Marcoux, for making her vision a reality by turning the courtyard into a French garden with a coastal twist. One of the most prominent features of the stylish backyard getaway is an exquisitely decorated guesthouse. The vividly colored, multi-patterned tile floors in this charming abode exude California vibes.
The Jones’ backyard also has an outdoor kitchen and custom pool, providing an entertainment area and a place to unwind after a long day. “Although the South Texas heat can be tough to handle, the evenings are filled with a fresh, cool breeze that makes this area enjoyable to host small get-togethers,” Lunette says. She also added a few planters along the fence to give a simple yet sophisticated coastal feeling to her sparkling pool.
Although Lunette is happy with the renovations she’s made in her home, the eager designer is up for any changes that present themselves. Anyone who enters the Jones’ home can attest to the endless possibilities to come!
