“You need to know your history before you can go forward, and so the idea of sentiment in my mind is not the appropriate word for the work,” Tibbs says. “But I definitely build on my history so that my work, my history, my education and my clients and all that are grouped together, so that the work can hopefully always be both of today and tomorrow.”
This perspective is what guided Tibbs through the design process of Laura Couch and Tracey Henderson’s Falls Road home. The five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath residence balances warmth and clean lines, inspired as much by the couple’s personalities as by their priorities.
“I think the house is architecturally striking, but it’s incredibly livable,” Couch says.
The open layout lends itself to their lifestyle, which revolves around their dogs and the tight-knit group of friends they have known for more than 20 years. The couple moved in at the end of 2020 and quickly realized how much the design suited their lives. Henderson works in Houston during the week, and though they have a place there, she prefers to spend weekends at the Falls Road home.
The homeowners had originally planned to remodel the existing house on the lot, but after meeting with Tibbs, it became clear that their vision required an entirely new structure. The result is a home that reflects the life they have built together.
The couple’s three German shepherds were a priority, so much of the design centers around them. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a strategically placed kennel room allows the dogs to see all the way through the house to the front door. The dogs, however, were not Tibbs’ only consideration.