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Art and nature flows freely in the living room without competing for attention. Caryl Devlin’s rendition of Paul Gaugin’s ‘Ta Matete’ hangs above the slate accented gas fireplace.

By Diane S. Morales, Caller-Times

August 7, 2005

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An abstract wine rack from Fredericksburg and a modern oil painting by Cynthia Devlin, find balance near an antique English buffet in the formal dining room.

Color exhilarates Caryl and Jim Devlin. They live and breathe it every day in their home.

“I call us color junkies,” Caryl Devlin said. “We’ve always been drawn to color.”

And guests to the couple’s Rainbow Lane home can indulge in their kaleidoscope of color and textures where family artwork and contemporary and antique furniture blend in a peaceful setting that’s irresistibly comforting.

The Devlins moved into their home in 1997, making it the third home in Corpus Christi they’ve lived in and renovated. But the Devlins are holding on to their 3,200 square foot home for quite a while.

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In the living room, two modern wingback chairs spruced with geometric patterned pillows intensify the hues in an oil painting by artist Cynthia Devlin, homeowner Jim Devlin’s mother.

“Our home is laid out the way we like it. We have established fruit trees, the privacy of the lot and the lack of traffic,” said Caryl Devlin, 46. “Our neighbors are wonderful. Everyone takes care of each other.”

A grayish brown slate walkway designed by designer Patty Dodson hints at the stylish décor past the brick home’s front double doors. Gray slate and limestone flooring in the foyer mimics the pattern of the walkway, a detail the couple designed themselves.

Large picture windows framed with lush landscaping and mature trees through the living area invite nature inside at the foot of the foyer.

To the right of the home’s entrance are Inca gold walls in the formal dining room, where family antiques, auction pieces and vibrant artwork are meticulously arranged with a designer’s sense.

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‘We love the big oaks and we thank Mr. (Fred) Hoefner for them all of the time,’ Caryl Devlin said, referring to the previous homeowner. ‘We have white, pink grapefruit trees, tangelos, figs. We have our own orchard.’

“Jim’s dad is an architect and his mom is an artist,” Devlin said. “So we have good design sense between us and we think a lot alike, which is helpful.”

Devlin’s love for art began when she entered her first art contest at the age of 6, possibly priming her for her career in advertising and hobbies in oil painting and, most recently, photography. The former executive director of Kent Ullberg Studios, juggles her time as a full-time mom and community volunteer, while her husband is an executive for an oil and gas exploration company.

The couple combined their artistic sense, introducing warm hues flavored with color and Devlin style to renovate the entire home. It took nine months to remodel two and a half bathrooms, gut the kitchen and laundry room, replace doors and windows and rip out terrazzo floors for a slate and limestone pattern.

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The kitchen’s slate back splash matches the fireplace accent in the living room. Aston Designs custom cut the 4-by-4 tiles and laid them tightly without a grout line for added texture, a detail the Devlins requested. Birch cabinets were crafted by Cabinet Alternatives, according to Caryl Devlin.

In the living room, khaki and cream walls, warm colored furniture splashed with cool colored pillows and eye-catching art stimulate sitting areas, while large picture windows offer room to daydream and watch the Devlin’s dogs, Rosie and Del Mar lounge on the gray cobblestone patio.

Heywood-Wakefield blond birch chairs tastefully combine with a granite round table by Aston Designs. The couple found a black wrought iron base in Fredericksburg to craft a casual dining table set between the kitchen and living area.

The table’s granite surface complements the kitchen’s island, and birch cabinets with slender silver hardware add a modern finish. Beige limestone counters and a multi-colored hand-cut back-splash softens the contemporary lines.

“I wanted a warm, contemporary kitchen,” Devlin said. “I like the lines and coolness of industrial contemporary kitchens of today, but it’s not what I want to live around.”

Removing a wall in the kitchen almost doubled its size, allowing plenty of room for the standard gathering place of their guests.

“Jim likes to cook without recipes,” Devlin said. “I’m the sous chef and do most of the prep work. I like to cook things I’ve done before and he experiments the night of a party.”

Cooking styles may differ in the kitchen, but 22 years of marriage created a shared love for color.