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69 P ersonal stylist Nini Nguyen — who counts Rihanna as a client — is understandably confident about her sartorial chops. So is Vanity Fair, which named her as its first Best-Dressed Challenge User's Choice winner. Harper's Bazaar Vietnam has featured her work, and worldwide fans of her Instagram page, Nini Style, salivate over her signature vintage-meets- luxury look. But when she and her husband, photographer Loc Truong, moved into a new house last year just north of LBJ Freeway, Nguyen was in uncharted territory. The 1970s-era contemporary had "great feng shui, great energy," she recalls. "But it needed a lot of fixing up." Plus, with two young children, the couple needed new furniture. "When it comes to fashion, I know exactly what to do, but I'm clueless about interior design," she says. "I'd buy a chair, but then I was, like, 'Where do I put that?'" A longtime client stepped in to help, gifting Nguyen with a consultation with interior designer James McInroe, who had previously decorated the client's own residence. Nguyen and McInroe were a perfect match from the start. "I like drama, but I also like clean and classic," Nguyen says. McInroe is known for imbuing rooms with the kind of tension that comes from unexpected color combinations and a mix of modern and neoclassical furnishings. "When James came to the house, he looked around and immediately knew what to do," she says. "He had a vision." McInroe's plan included keeping many of the house's cool '70s details, including the entry's modernist stained-glass window, built-in brick planter, and original glass chandelier. The Brady Bunch-era teak staircase couldn't have been more perfect. In fact, the house's retro interior architecture seemed made to order for this creative couple, who love vintage. With vaulted ceilings, multiple levels, and an open floor plan that envelops the kitchen, living, and dining rooms, the interiors feel as fresh as they did 50 years ago. McInroe brought it all into the 21st century with new hardware, doors, and polished-concrete floors. MAXIMUM IMPACT BY REBECCA SHERMAN. ART DIRECTION MICHELLE AVIÑA. PHOTOGRAPHY LISA PETROLE. WHERE FASHION AND DESIGN COLLIDE: STYLIST NINI NGUYEN EMBRACES A '70S VIBE — WITH DRAMA COURTESY OF INTERIOR DESIGNER JAMES MCINROE. Rare vintage Knoll Barcelona stool with sling seat, and Danny Alessandro fireplace tools, circa 1970, from James McInroe. Lucite table, circa 1970, from White Elephant Antiques. (continued)