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MARCH | PAGE 57 | 2015 of art students for centuries. Purchased at the Theta Charity Antiques Show, it's still in its original gilt frame. Their holdings also include a work by abstract expressionist Warren Brandt, whose art hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. A French expressionist harbor scene by Eugène Boudin, which reigns in the library, was inherited from Smith's grandparents. A Thomas Gainsborough landscape, also in the library, once belonged to the estate of Stanley and Mary Marcus. One of their most intriguing paintings was purchased from a River Oaks estate in the 1980s. Signed Edward Hopper, the abstracted cityscape with cars is a topic the famed American realist painter was not best known for but "is of the period," says Lyons. "We've never explored its authenticity — we kind of don't want to know. If it's real, it would be a game changer in the art world." For Lyons and Smith, it's all about staying true to your own personal style. Ornate gilt chairs and mirrors from Europe's 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are juxtaposed with Lyons' clean-lined design for custom sofas, upholstered beds and skirted consoles. Sleek Nancy Corzine tables and chaises purchased during the couple's initial mid-century modern period coexist happily in a living room filled with fine antiques. "There aren't any rules," says Lyons. "You just live with what you love." A gallery overlooking the courtyard houses a collection of marble and bisque busts and rock crystal obelisks, some dating back to the Italian Renaissance, mixed with French Grand Tour souvenirs. The Russian icon belonged to Wayne Smith's mother. Lining the back staircase, a Swiss gouache painting purchased in Geneva and a 1979 painting by Houston artist Otis Huband. Carpet from Creative Flooring Resources. Denny Lyons In the master bedroom, the bed was designed by Dennis Lyons. The nightstand is a rosewood reproduction of a Ruhlmann writing table. Vintage crystal lamp, one of a pair. Large monogrammed pillow designed by Jamie of Nashville. Silk pillow from Restoration Hardware. Wayne Smith, with a portrait of his mother in the background. Collection of boxes in agate and malachite. Nineteenth- century blackamoor.