welcome to the dollhouse

8 Houston designers craft intricate dollhouses for charity fundraiser

Welcome to the dollhouse(s)! That’s right, the third annual La Petite Maison Gala and charity dollhouse auction is back. The always fantastic designer dollhouses are officially out for display in their temporary exhibition locations around town for those who love to participate in their ever whimsical “scavenger hunt” of sorts in the lead up to the big event on Wednesday, December 4 at Hotel ZaZa Museum District.

Kristen Leigh Studio dollhouse Donald Robertson

Photo by Emily Cotton

Artist Donald Robertson created these custom drawings for Kristen Leigh Studio's dollhouse.

This year eight designers were chosen to participate in this charitable cause, and, in an interesting, albeit unintended twist, the stakes have seriously increased. While the dollhouses themselves are desirable enough on their own, they now include custom, miniature paintings from some of the country’s top artists, including mega-famous multimedia artist Donald Robertson — talk about a collectible! But, more on that later.

The La Petite Maison Gala has chosen Family Houston as beneficiary this year. Founded in 1904, Family Houston is a philanthropic organization that provides crucial support to some of Houston’s most vulnerable communities through financial support, education, career coaching, food security assistance, and more.

“We are so pleased to be connected to La Petite Maison Gala this year,” Ken Sheirr, president & CEO of Family Houston, adds. “Our focus is helping Houston families who need it most and I know this will bring immeasurable awareness to our cause. Fundraising events like this help power the programs Family Houston provides throughout the year. It brings real tangible change to this community, both financially and through the exposure to attendees and thus, throughout our great city.”

The pre-decorated dollhouses were designed by Reagan & André Architecture Studio and built by Alair Homes before heading to their respective interior designers. Many interior design trade partners participated in this project by creating scaled down versions of their products such as wallpapers scaled to 1:12 of their original patterns, tiny tiles, and more.

Read on for a guide to all of the dollhouse locations, a statement from the designers about their inspirations, and other items of note presented in logistical order if planning a full tour. (There are no spoilers for the scavenger hunt — not sorry, it’s fun to try and spot each item in the individual houses!). Designers and dollhouse locations are also available here.

Designer: Jean Liu Design
Location: South to North (3711 Autry Park Drive, Suite 100)
Theme: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Description: The program of the rooms is based loosely on the movie and set design, including a double height ceilinged lobby, a tiled natatorium, and a historic bakery (Mendl’s). The style of these spaces is carried out in the similar 1930s décor as the film’s setting, which proved a fun and delightful departure for our studio, as we mainly work in a modernist and minimalist vein.
Items of note: Schumacher wallpaper, Ann Sacks tile, and miniature marble fireplaces by Materials Marketing. Additional thanks to Benjamin Moore and Tom Freeman.

Designer: Avery Cox Design
Location: Foltz Fine Art (2143 Westheimer Road)
Theme: Villa Mare the “Grecodeco” Dollhouse
Description: This opulent, jewel toned villa evokes the splendor of ancient Greece, designed for a couple residing on an idyllic island in the Aegean Sea. The home offers a delight around every corner from a serene indoor soaking room to a grand ballroom and a two-story gallery of curiosities.
Items of note: Kendra Scott - Jewelry as lighting: “Beau” earrings in His Bedroom, “Marina” earrings in the Spa, “Shea” Necklace in the Music Room. Additional thanks to Benjamin Moore, Hector’s Modern Plaster, Growler Domestics, Porter Teleo, and George Cameron Nash.

Designer: Wills Design Associates
Location: Valobra Master Jewelers (2150 Westheimer Road)
Theme: A holiday in Cabo
Description: Wills Design Associates’ mini Cabo retreat celebrates color and culture, where modern Mexican architecture meets global design influences. The striking pink stucco exterior immediately sets a whimsical tone.
Items of note: The intricate rooftop terrace and flamingo banister. Contributions by Helenita Home, Jordan Geibel Creative, Modern Muse by Lizzie, John Robshaw, Schumacher, Holland and Sherry, Wallshoppe, and Benjamin Moore.

Designer: Courtney Barton
Location: Courtney Barton (2940 Ferndale Street)
Theme: Teeny Tiny Tassel Castle
Description: A tangible expression of everything we stand for—craftsmanship, community, and shared stories, and we hope it brings you as much delight as it has brought to us.
Item of note: Exquisitely executed miniature upholstered furniture by Coley Home. Additional vendors and collaborators: Beata Heuman, Andrew Martin, The Lawns Co, and artists Rebecca Rebouché, Asley Givhan, MIchelle King, and Lauren Clyburn.

Designer: Amy Kummer Interiors
Location: Moreau Paris (4444 Westheimer Road, Suite 145)
Theme: There’s no place like home for the holidays.
Description: The AKI team hopes this dollhouse fills everyone who views it with the warmth of family and the joy of the holiday season.
Items of note: The ladies closet and rooftop pickleball court. Notable vendors and collaborators: Fleur Home, Lee Jofa, Schumacher, Scalamandre, Benjamin Moore, Phillip Jeffries, Thibaut, The Modern Dollhouse, Creative Style Furniture, Pierre Frey, Itsy Bitsy Mini, Galbraith and Paul, Vanessa Walton with Jacquelyn Reese Linens, and artist Mariel Sawicki.

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Designer: Kristen Leigh Studio
Location: Back Row Home (8570 Katy Freeway, Suite 111)
Theme: The Hamptons
Description: Kristen Leigh’s Hamptons-inspired dollhouse is an ode to the beauty of everyday life. Incorporating many of her own line’s fabrics and wallpapers, Kristen aimed for the house to mimic a traditional, yet lived-in, home.
Items of note: The ART! Wow. Miniature original works by Erin Donahue Tice, Lynn Sanders, Hilary Howarth, Blakeney McGee, Lily & Rose Studio, and a set of six custom original works by Donald Robertson. Additional thanks to The Decorated Wolffe and Mike Norfleet.
Side note: Robertson tells CultureMap he was impressed by the design of the living room where these “six awesome little paintings” now call home, especially since he never spoke to the design team.

“It was a cold call [email], it’s not like it was a meeting,” Robertson says. “It was a trust fall and I’m amazed by who did it!”

Speaking of the Hamptons-inspired dollhouse, Robertson conceded that “it takes a lot for me to be surprised and speechless, but I am in awe.” How did this design come together without any type of briefing? “I got the little pack of six canvases and a sharpie, and just went for it!” A reminder to everyone to always shoot your shot.

Designer: Elizabeth Garrett Interiors
Location: Frock Shop (9135 Katy Freeway, Suite 104)
Theme: The Campbell
Description: We are so proud to have been chosen to be a part of this special event and we can’t wait to share our completed home with the Houston design community.
Items of note: The ART again, and the rooftop landscaping. Miniature paintings by Avant-Art Gallery, representing Laura Waldusky, Dimmit Contemporary Art, representing Sara Genn and Randal Ford, Laura Rathe Fine Art, representing Carly Allen Martin and Lynn Sanders. Notable vendors and collaborators: Albert Hartley, Andrea Condara, Holland & Sherry, Houston Drapery Center, Paul Meyer, Supply Showroom, Susan Harter Muralpapers, The Urban Electric Co, Tyler King, and DAV Plaster.

Designer: Jennifer Barron Interiors
Location: Mont Art House (1230 Houston Avenue)
Theme: Southern, Georgian Home
Description: Our dollhouse was largely inspired by southern, Georgian, homes. Many of the homes in Georgia are layered with antiques, florals, borders and wallpaper, so that was my goal with this dollhouse.
Items of note: The miniature Delft tiled fireplace and Susan Harter Mural. Collaborators and vendors of note: Samuel & Sons, Benjamin Moore, Phillip Jeffries, Fabricut, Robert Kime, Pindler, Schumacher, Holland & Sherry, Stark Carpet, Colefax & Fowler, Pierre Frey, Sanderson.

The dollhouses will be on display until Tuesday, December 3 and will be auctioned off by auctioneer Johnny Bravo at The La Petite Maison Gala the following day. Interior designer Alexandra Killion founded the gala in 2022 and has raised over $300,000 since its inception.

This year the theme is Apres Ski, and is sure to be a hit. Killion’s co-chair for 2024 is designer Lauren Wills Grover. They are assisted by event coordinators Madelon McGrenera and Shellyn Shoenthal. Purchase tickets here.

la petite maison fundraisers home-design

home design trends

How Houston homeowners are sprucing up their outdoor spaces this summer

Outdoor patio, Houzz 2026 Outdoor Trends Study

Photo by Nick Neuberger / A\ Typical Studio

Homeowners are creating their own private sanctuaries with comfortable furniture, fire pits, and more.

A new Houzz home design trends study is revealing all the inspiration Houstonians need to spruce up their outdoor spaces for their summer gatherings, and the No. 1 priority is transforming backyards into comfortable lounging areas.

The 2026 Outdoor Trends Study surveyed nearly 1,200 U.S. homeowners to learn about their recent or planned outdoor or home exterior projects.

Owners are increasingly interested in making their outdoor spaces more accommodating, instead of being motivated by boosting their home's resale value. That means ditching the curb appeal and focusing on turning their yards into the ultimate relaxation zones and gathering spaces.

The survey determined homeowners' top outdoor renovation goals include improving aesthetics (53 percent), enhancing entertaining spaces (34 percent), and extending the living space of the home (32 percent).

Overall, homeowners are taking on exterior renovations to repair elements, and because they finally have the means.

Outdoor kitchens, structural upgrades, and other features
Several ways that homeowners are elevating their outdoor spaces are through deck installation, adding shade structures for extra hot summer days, updating open and screened-in porches or verandas, and building an outdoor kitchen for gatherings and cookouts, and adding al fresco dining areas.

Nearly all renovating homeowners (95 percent) that are undertaking an outdoor kitchen project are building them from scratch, Houzz found, while infrastructure upgrades are a high priority among existing kitchens.

Outdoor kitchen, Houzz 2026 Outdoor Trends Study Building an outdoor kitchen will make your place the summer house party hotspot.Courtesy of HomeTech Construction & Design

Photo by Nick Neuberger / A\ Typical Studio

Homeowners are creating their own private sanctuaries with comfortable furniture, fire pits, and more.

"The share of renovating homeowners installing a plumbing, electrical or heating system [in an outdoor kitchen] has risen by 10 percentage points, to 68 percent, while the share opting to install appliances has risen by 6 percentage points, to 61 percent, compared with 2024," the report said.

Homeowners are also extending their living areas outside by upgrading or adding outdoor furniture like sofas, lounge chairs, coffee tables, a fireplace or fire pit, and upgrading lighting and adding entertainment features. More than half of survey respondents said they are creating dedicated reading areas and choosing comfortable furniture pieces to bring their "quiet retreat" vision to life.

Shockingly, the share of homeowners that are focusing on water features has decreased, suggesting that owners are not interested in the costly upkeep of a swimming pool or hot tub.

"Swimming pool projects have dropped by 3 percentage points to reach 7 percent, while hot tub projects (9 percent) and outdoor
shower projects (3 percent) both have dipped by 1 percentage point compared with 2024," the report said.

Low-maintenance plants top growing greenery upgrades
Drought resistant plants are non-negotiable for Texas households, and Houzz said more homeowners are prioritizing resilient native plants, shrubs, and trees in their yards. Flower beds and borders come in second place on the priority list, followed by upgrading garden paths, stairs, and adding planters or planter boxes.

The Native Plant Society of Texas has a list of 10 drought tolerant native plants that Houston residents can plant in their yards, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also has its own guide for choosing the right drought resistant plants for your environment.

Native plants and greenery, Houzz 2026 Outdoor Trends Study Fleas and ticks haven't seen a yard this nice.Courtesy of David Morello Garden Enterprises, Inc.

In another surprising turn of events, Houzz found homeowners are showing less interest in maintaining a natural lawn and are instead choosing "low maintenance and durable alternatives," such as synthetic lawns or hardscaping.

"And while more than a third of homeowners are actively shrinking grassy areas — 18 percent are reducing and 17 percent are removing their lawn — the former share has declined by 5 percentage points, and 23 percent of renovating homeowners are actually expanding the lawn," the report said.

Home exterior projects
When it comes to a facade refresh, stark white exterior house paint is falling off trend, while beige is skyrocketing in popularity. Homeowners tackling repainting as their major exterior renovation project are also showing a greater preference for green, black, brown, and blue exterior wall colors.

To accentuate their newly beige exterior walls, homeowners are choosing black or white paint for their trim, beams, columns, and other exterior accents.

The report also found that 51 percent of all exterior renovation projects include some type of roofing work — namely a full roof replacement, followed by adding new roofing or repairing and patching existing areas. Over half of all renovating homeowners (56 percent) are opting for full window and skylight replacements rather than partial or temporary fixes, and 37 percent of renovating homeowners are adding windows or skylights into their homes.

home design houzz outdoor decor summer