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From bland white walls and a single dining table, Johanna’s former dining room transformed into a space of color, texture and traditional style. Johanna credits contractor Jim Howry Jr. for overseeing the project and designer Jennifer Wither for the home’s new look.

By Diane S. Morales, Caller-Times

November 20, 2005

Eddie Seal/Caller-Times

In the corner of the sunroom, Oekerman displays her colorful collection of Faberge egg copies mixed with new knick-knacks.

Repairmen pounded, scraped and stomped on Johanna Oekerman’s roof, but inside her newly remodeled home, the cacophony is subdued by a world of inviting color, textures and accessories reflecting her personality with the help of a designer’s intervention.

“It was almost like therapy,” Oekerman said. “She helped me express who I am, my personality,”

The retired speech therapist for the Corpus Christi school district sought the help of friend and designer Jennifer Wither, owner of JWA Interiors, to make over her 1,500 square foot home on Jarvis Street.

Together the friends collaborated on paint colors, wallpaper, draperies and other details that ultimately represented Oekerman’s quest for comfort and peace for friends and family.

“She (Oekerman) let me express my inner artist,” Wither said.

“But the house is still mine,” Oekerman interjected.

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Contemporary drop light fixtures from B.L. Guess shine on the granite bar counter in the kitchen, while a modern table centerpiece spices the space with a dash of red.

“Yes, it’s totally Oekerman’s identity, not mine. A home should be an expression of the homeowner, and not imposed by a designer,” Wither said.

Airy space

An imposing closet at the home’s entrance and an obtrusive wall in the living room needed some designer veto though that sent both barriers tumbling, opening the spaces.

“Oekerman never went in that front room or used it,” Wither said.

With the closet and a living room wall removed, stark white walls were replaced with lively tropical wallpaper patterned with birds and white flowers, a bold step for Oekerman’s taste.

“It’s almost like the wallpaper is alive,” Wither said. “It’s an incredible greeting.”

Mustard colored walls and traditional furniture invite guests into the living room, where sprinkles of family mementos mix with new accessories.

Eddie Seal/Caller-Times

When Oekerman spotted the wrought iron bed, she had to have it. The backdrop of floral draperies matches the silk tan bedding with embroidered flowers.

Throughout the remodeling process, Wither and Oekerman collaborated on most of the decision-making. There were a few challenging moments when it came to the mustard wall color for the living room, and the vinyl floor pattern.

“At first, I didn’t like the wall color because it was too mustardy,” Wither said. “But Johanna liked it and said to wait until we had all the furniture in. Now, I love the color, the room and just the whole house.”

Oekerman loves the house so much she can’t pinpoint a favorite room, but relishes the comfort of her gold tapestry sofa stuffed with down feathers from Braslau’s. The sofa angles toward a white custom wall unit designed by Wither.

An infusion of toned colors, such as black or red, accent the house. In the living room, black framed artwork, black floral pillows and the red draperies pull in colors from the tropical wallpaper near the entry and the hallway near the kitchen.

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Shades of red, gold and black dominate the study where a contemporary oversized armchair converts into a twin bed.

As for the flooring, the friends waffled on the shade and position of a dark square pattern in the ivory colored floor. At close inspection, the tile-looking floor from Poelma Floor Store reveals its vinyl texture, hidden by veins of tan hues and complemented by a rustic brown square pattern that was the sticking point of contention.

Tropical flavor

A wall formerly separating the living room from the kitchen opens to a partial hallway decked with the matching tropical wallpaper from the entry.

The floral wallpaper with the black background frames the doorway to the kitchen for an inviting transition into a palate of crisp white cabinets, black and tan speckled granite counters and sage walls. Across the kitchen bar, basks the sunroom, a moniker given by Oekerman because of the natural light that pours in through the French doors.

“It’s my morning room where I sit and drink coffee and read the paper,” she said.

Choosing sage for the walls took seven attempts at finding the perfect shade of red and finally failing.

“We figured it just wasn’t meant to be, so we went with the green that we had already selected for the bedrooms,” Wither said.

Eddie Seal/Caller-Times

Feminine artwork complements the décor in the guest bedroom where silk fabrics and a leopard print upholstered armchair add texture.

What was a sure find for Wither, but took a little coaxing for Oekerman, was the palm and monkey patterned wicker sofa from Browning Brothers. The colors in the pattern draw from the wall color and the red striped cushions on the wicker arm chairs.

Wither combined birch furniture pieces such as Oekerman’s 20-year old coffee table, end table and a round dining table in the sunroom, mixing old with the new.

Textured layers

In the master and guest bedrooms, femininity is expressed with layers of fabric and accessory textures for variety and balance.

An antiqued, white-washed dresser and night table display colored glass bottles and silver vases. Light gold silk bedding with embroidered flowers dresses the black wrought iron bed. Oekerman’s late grandmother’s hope chest sits at the foot of the bed, balancing the past with the present.

Past the red, black and gold accented study, a quaint guest room is a restful spot for Oekerman’s family’s sleepovers. Sage silk quilted bedding covers the twin beds, while fringed tapestry window treatmentsadd a whimsical touch to the wooden blinds.

“I just wanted everything to blend, flow, not to be choppy,” Oekerman said.

Contact Diane S. Morales at 886-3758 or moralesd@caller.com