When clinical psychotherapist Elizabeth McIngvale and her oil-and-gas financier husband, Matthew Mackey, both in their 30s, decided to construct a 6,000-square-foot home in Houston’s historic Houston Heights neighborhood, they knew their priorities. “We wanted the interior to be a tranquil haven far removed from the city,” says Dr. McIngvale. Soon after, the couple enlisted interior designer William W. Stubbs, in his 60s, who had served three generations of Dr. McIngvale’s family, and who had known her since she was a little girl.
Having struggled with OCD and mental health, Dr. McIngvale wanted simple, uncluttered spaces. It was important for her that the aesthetic have soft tones and clean design. “As the heart of the home, the kitchen was especially important for me,” says Dr. McIngvale, who gave Mr. Stubbs a little lookbook she had put together. The end result, she says, was exactly as she had imagined.