'Manly' Vacation House Kitchen Transformed With Femme French Bistro Look

As a people, we've been on a midcentury and contemporary kick for a while now. Renovation-wise, we might restore a Craftsman or turn-of-the-century cottage/mansion/bungalow in good historical faith, but anything unremarkable tends to get stripped down and pointed toward minimalism (or at least eclecticism).

This Austin vacation home bucks that trend completely. Mother-and-daughter team Brenda and Emily Stephens, who also own an Uncle Maddio's pizza parlor in town, wanted Homepolish designer Maureen Stevens to revamp the place (she refers to the previous design as "sterile" and "evocative of a bearded manly man") in high-feminine style.

Stevens says the style was inspired by macarons, French pastries layered in a variety of distinctive colors. She arranged pistachio green Wishbone chairs, for example, around a white, Saarinen-inspired table.

A Baroque-style mirror above a wooden hutch is another focal point, and wallpaper, fixtures, and accents add an eclectic twist.

In the kitchen, a tiled half-wall adds visual interest and variety, and white cabinetry keeps things light.

• A Kitchen a la French Patisserie [Homepolish]