by: John Bloodsworth
For Peggy and Randy Davis, home is where the art is. Their spacious house in Terrell Hills is a resplendent repository for treasures and trifles acquired by three generations of family members with a refined and global appreciation of furnishings and objets d’art. And for the entertaining couple, collecting continues to be a source of enjoyment.
On a recent trip to the Texas coast, the Davises uncovered a remarkable French garde manger used to store cheeses, breads and sundries in a provincial country retreat. The massive walnut chest commands attention in the dining room, where it resides with a pair of Louis XVIII fauteuil chairs picked up at auction.
Sterling silver place settings and Limoges china that belonged to Randy’s great-grandmother share table space with chargers and crystal acquired by the couple. Cut glass stemware and an exquisite pair of sterling silver art deco egrets center the dining table, as they had in the home of Peggy’s family.
Retreating to the main living room, a solid slab of polished black marble surrounds the fireplace, commanding attention from floor to ceiling. An antique Quan Yin rests on the floating mantel in contemplative repose.
A broad band of painted decoration by San Antonio artist Kay Stewart Hemmick in cinnabar red, black and gold leaf recites Mandarin prayers. The frieze around the living room offers protection for the family and their children with petitions to “bring the children home safely” and “look after the children.” On a side table, an eclectic tableau of treasured possessions includes a Chinese lunch box used by railroad laborers in the late 19th century and a brass trumpet with aged patina that son Dakota played in high school.
In an alcove off the main living area, a sitting room features a mural that was conceived from a cherished aspiration. Peggy dreamt that she was in an Indonesian temple looking out to the sea. When she told friend Kay Hemmick of her dream, the talented artist captured the vision in pigment. An ancient Chinese junk inscribed with the name Peggy Jo is captained through the tranquil sea by husband Randy. Son Kolton is adventurously hanging from the starboard side while his brother Dakota sleeps in the cabin below.
A spacious kitchen and breakfast room with glass walls bring the outdoors into the sun-drenched rooms, with swimming pool and dining patio just steps away. Outdoors, Peggy finds therapeutic renewal tending her well-maintained garden, where she grows her own pumpkins and gourds for fall décor.
Near the entry, where a pair of massive iron and glass doors designed by Randy hold court, a small powder room reveals the whimsical side of this cultivated couple. Nesting in an English Queen Anne curio cabinet holding a pair of reticulated Old Paris vases is the couple’s collection of souvenir snow globes.
