Plano Profile February 2010 : Page 50
interiors The primary focus in the living room is this bold artwork, painted by son Sam Lam, M.D. The pleasing curves are echoed in the armchairs. 50 Plano Profile February 2010
Interiors
The Heart and soul of contemporary
A chinese proverb states “Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes.”
Carol Lam has a great soul and strong will, as strikingly evidenced by her perfect, classic, contemporary house. As she guides us through her home, pointing out architectural elements and decorative touches, there is no doubt that she was determined to create a surrounding that suited her exactly. Her home is not simply a wish come true; it is the fruition of years of precise planning and consultation with like-minded experts.
From the moment she purchased her lake-view property several years ago in an exclusive, yet-to-be developed neighborhood west of Plano, she knew the focus of her home would be nature. Her interior décor would complement it. Exterior vistas would luxuriate in it. Landscape would celebrate it.
Even her exquisite Baccarat crystal chandelier in the dining room was altered in deference to the outdoors. Instead of the signature red crystal in the center of the art-quality piece, she asked for a green one to better reflect her natural surroundings.
The hardwood floor throughout the house is walnut. Neither waxed nor glossy, the walnut has a natural finish, making it deep in color and rich in texture. The simply sculpted table in the dining room and the nearby breakfast table both echo the organic feel of the natural wood beneath them.
Like a rainforest with its many stratas of terrain and ecosystems, a huge timber stretches lengthwise across the kitchen bar at eye level. The impressive beam is a solid piece of African Wenge, an exotic wood species. At 111 inches in length, you might think this architectural element would be overpowering, but it blends into its environ with quiet purpose.
The kitchen has unique wood accents as well. The Wood-Mode custom cabinetry is described as “Driftwood rift-cut with Black Forest on cherry accents.” The hortizontal grain of the fawn-colored wood is pleasing and unusual. The slender-tiled glass backsplash is the color of bay leaves, and it shimmers softly when sunlight finds its way through the uncovered windows.
All of the amenities are top-of-theline quality, perfect for someone who entertains frequently—generally for a crowd. Miele kitchen appliances are renowned for master chef technology. Carol demonstrates that to cook broccoli, for example, the steam oven is programmed down to every last detail: broccoli, florets, amount by weight, al dente…perfect every time.
Just as one begins to covet cooked broccoli, she points out her coffee system, which is a plumbed unit. Hooked up to the water system, it stores the beans and makes coffee or espresso on demand. You can even froth or steam the milk at the same time. But the ahhh moment comes when Carol reaches into a cup warming drawer below and lifts out a cup that immediately warms the hands. Carol may not have the whole world in her hands, but the good life is definitely in her grasp.
With two grown children, one of whom is the renowned plastic surgeon Sam Lam of Lam Facial Plastic Surgery Center in Pano, Carol has reached a point in life where joy and entravagance should be intertwined.
This philosophy was wholly embraced by the designers she worked with, including Brooke Bodenheimer from The Kitchen Source and Shirley Flabiano and Roger Leighton of SAS Interiors Design Group. They shared her vision from the start.
Shirley said, “One of the things we knew was that she loved, loved, LOVED this area!” Roger added, “Her personal background also inspired us to achieve a particular look.”
The team’s result is a home that welcomes the outdoors into the decorating scheme, incorporates colors of the earth, and introduces heirloom pieces from an ancient culture.
Fabrics are as beautiful as they are practical for frequent entertaining.
Lines in the architecture and on the furniture are clean, but not always straight. Gentle curves and arches help soften the space without altering the home’s character.
Because of the cleanly adorned architecture, art in this home becomes the focal point. Many of these bold pieces were created by her son, Sam, who relies on his artistic eye in his profession as well as his avocation.
Accent pillows also invite attention, with their vivid colors and intriguing designs.
Contrast those modern touches to a slender wall of niches built to hold heirloom vases from Carol’s homeland of China. Each vase was measured, and a niche was carved out of the wall to fit each one separately and exactly. That may seem like extraordinary measures to showcase vases, but these are extraordinary pieces. They are valuable not Oonly in their antiquity and the creative process, but because they have been in the Lam family for many generations.
For all of Carol’s vitality and drive for perfection, she maintains a relaxed demeanor. One possible reason for this may be her love of nature and the tranquility it affords. The small lake just beyond her property is a sight she never tires of.
“My home brings me a lot of joy. Where can you find a place where you wake up in the morning to see the sunrise, and in the evening see the sunset? In the city, you don’t see this. It’s so beautiful.”
Truly, it is beautiful. And Carol is soul-ly responsible for making it so.
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