Janet Neyland has lived in, and decorated, many different style houses for her family, and she “listened” carefully to each one before she moved in the first piece of furniture or painted the first wall. “We had a home over 100 years old and we kept it very vintage. We also lived in a ranch style home. The people who built it had owned a sawmill. That house was full of beautiful hardwood floors and paneling, even before hardwood floors became popular. Our home in the Spring Branch/San Antonio area had vaulted ceilings, stone floors and a huge fireplace,” she said.

In each of these houses and in the one that she’s just finished remodeling, Neyland waited for the house to “speak to her.” No she’s not a spiritualist, although she does confess to believe in more than just the temporal. She’s referring to the practice of allowing the major style elements, already at play in a house, to help guide her decorating decisions. “I’ve always decorated or remodeled based on the characteristics of the home,” she said. She didn’t force modern onto the century-old house nor did she go Victorian with the ranch. Because the Spring Branch home had a ski-lodge feel to it Neyland used an oversized sofa and some wildlife trophies, but not to the extent that the previous owners of her current home used hunting trophies and even bear skins to decorate. “They were serious hunters,” she said.

No, this Texas transplant seized the opportunity to bring the beauty of a Louisiana piney woods rural setting inside. “One of the first things I saw when I visited this house was all the natural light. The view from this wall of doors, and from just about every room in the house, is of oaks, pines, pasture, white picket fences and of course, the red barn.

The previous owner admitted to having a thing for doors, according to Neyland. There were 27 in the house, not including closet doors, so she did away with some of those by opening up space between some rooms and closing off others, improving flow and giving the place an airier, lighter feel. Between her butler’s pantry and dining room, she added a barn door.

Neyland also set about to simplify the lines of the house by changing the trim from the windows and doors from fluted and floret to something simpler painted a bright white.

The fireplace is an amazing focal point. Neyland took it from a western looking stained wood and iron-fronted design to a sleek modern white. The starfire and copper reflective fireplace crystals shimmer in the dancing flames. Above the mantle is a family portrait from a recent beach vacation. The brick hearth was the same red brick as the outside of the house. “We were going to leave it, but it didn’t look quite right with the white, so I used white chalk paint on it.” This allowed Neyland to control how much of the red shows through. “It was easy and there was no way to mess up. I can highly recommend it,” she said. The chalk paint was also used on a rustic style breakfast room table created by George Copeland.

In the dining area Neyland used a touch of red “to stimulate appetite,” selected a dramatic overhead light that really is an art piece and vintage dishes that echo the beautiful piney woods of Oretta, La.

She also brought the outside in with her fresh, yet natural color choices. “I did a lot of research on color,” she said. “You have to be careful with certain colors and the feelings they can evoke. The green held a particular challenge. “I didn’t want too much yellow.” Neyland tried out 15 different samples, painted in 2 ft. x 2 ft. areas on walls that got lots of natural light as well as walls that didn’t. “You’ve got to take paint samples home and try them because usually the lights are fluorescent in the store and the paint color will look different in your home,” she advised.

After she narrowed color choices down to two shades of green she invited her husband and children to vote on their favorite. They all agreed (without knowing what the other voted) on “Baize green.” “It’s a joyful, clean color,” Neyland said.

“When I was researching color, one of the things I discovered is that blue and khaki and ivory are good colors for a soothing, romantic atmosphere,” she said.

Neyland noted that there are many great ideas that she’s pulled from magazines and from visiting the homes of others that haven’t been used because they weren’t quite right for the house. Yet she highly recommends the practice of keeping such a file. “A lot of people don’t really know what their style is,” she said. While it is true that anything goes these days, sometimes Neyland thinks that starting without a plan or just using something in a room because you like it can have less than satisfactory results. She also solicits the opinion of others. Sometimes these are professionals. Sometimes these are simply people who have done a good job in their own homes. “You don’t have to do it like they do or even follow their advice, but the feedback can really help,” she said.

While using existing furnishings and décor is often necessary, when the Neylands have moved, they have sold their furnishings; down to their mattresses and linens. Neyland is a fan of the fresh start and all that it implies. Selling these things and buying new was less expensive in this case than moving and storage fees.

Of course there are some things with which she’ll never part. She has kept a piano that was given to her when she was nine because of its sentimental value. She has also kept vintage every day dishes and china that have been given to her by family members.

There is attention to detail and boldness in Neyland’s style. She even tuned in to the faint whispers that quite possibly resonated in the house from the previous owners: The family room has a fabulous antler chandelier and in the breakfast room there is pheasant trophy. The overall effect is fresh and serene.

When asked what makes the Neyland house a home, Janet replied: “The Lord, being together as a family, the Word of God and prayer.” Life is busy. It can be chaotic. But a home is a place where we can determine the atmosphere – if we listen.

Janet Neyland said she allows major style elements already at play in a house to help guide her decorating decisions. (Rita LeBleu / American Press)