Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/820206
54 T h e l a t e d e s i g n e r Herbert Wells left a very big, very stylish legacy. His memorable projects include River Oaks Country Club, Rice University president's home, the ranch house of Lady Byrd and Lyndon Johnson, and Louisa Sarofim's home. More than 60 years after he founded his firm, Wells Design, and seven years after his death, his successor, Jerry Jeanmard, and business partner Lauren Hudson have honored the dean of decorating with a gleaming Wells Design showroom and retail store in Decorative Center Houston — which, in a bold industry move, is open to non-card-carrying design buffs, aka the public. Wells was known for his way with color and was revolutionary at the time for adding a modern feel to traditional River Oaks and Memorial homes with a mix of antiques and contemporary art. He always opted for the iconic over a trend, and the rooms he designed feel fresh decades later. The latest chapter for Wells Design was sparked when Jeanmard, who has worked with Wells since the '80s, and Hudson, a former client who became Jeanmard's partner a few years ago, were moving offices and uncovered Wells' original furniture sketches. A tailored Tuxedo sofa, cozy tub chairs, ottomans, and a tufted chaise were so timeless they needed only a few tweaks to meet modern standards. After a few successful samples made by the son of Wells original upholsterer, Jeanmard and Hudson launched a made-in-North Carolina furniture collection. WELLS JERRY JEANMARD AND LAUREN HUDSON CREATE A SHOWROOM FOR THE LEGACY OF HERBERT WELLS. LIVING BY ANNE LEE PHILLIPS The new Wells Design showroom Lauren Hudson and Jerry Jeanmard JACK THOMPSON MAX BURKHALTER (continued)