Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1137964
61 A ll good architecture and design projects are a collaborative effort. Some, such as Michele and Jack Lafield's house in Old Preston Hollow, fall into the dream team category — one that works in such harmony that a true masterpiece of design, materials, and craftsmanship is created. Jack, who works in the energy business, wanted a cohesive team that had successfully worked together on other projects — and architect Ralph Duesing provided just that. Duesing and interior designer Joseph Minton are longtime collaborators who have completed multiple projects together, many with noted builder Randy Clowdus. The three were tapped to create a home for the Lafields that reflect the couple's love of clean lines, beautiful materials, and innovative use of light and space. Michele and Jack — empty nesters with grown children — also wanted a house that looked to both the past and the present for inspiration. "From Michele's description of materials and feel, we determined that she wanted a classical and modern house that would look timeless for many decades to come," Duesing says. The architect had done his homework. "I knew the Lafields' previous decorator and called her to find out what their style was," he says. "She said the furniture in their former house had a similar feel to that of Jean-Michel Frank, so I decided to use his work as the basis for their new house." Frank was a highly influential French interior and furniture designer working in the 1920s and 1930s, known for using simple but luxurious materials to create minimalist interiors of the highest craftsmanship. Like Duesing, Minton has long been inspired by Frank's game- changing work. "When Ralph mentioned a Jean-Michel Frank influence, I nearly jumped through the roof," he recalls. "Ideas for materials I'd use in the house were just spilling out as fast as I could think of them." Frank was also a master FRANKLY SPEAKING BY REBECCA SHERMAN. INTERIOR DESIGN JOSEPH MINTON AND PAULA LOWES, JOSEPH MINTON, INC. ARCHITECTURE RALPH DUESING ARCHITECT. PHOTOGRAPHY EMILY MINTON REDFIELD. FLOWERS HAILE WOSSEN, ANTHOS. JOSEPH MINTON AND RALPH DUESING COLLABORATE ON AN ELEGANT, MODERN VILLA INSPIRED BY FRENCH DESIGN MASTER JEAN-MICHEL FRANK. Camo, the Lafields' mini Labradoodle, walks through the back gallery. Dan Rees' Artex, 2012. Artist Eric Slayton designed the bench, from Holly Hunt. Landscaping M.M. Moore Construction Company.