Creating a Stylish Luxury Landing of Your Own — How The Southmore Sings With a Few Design Touches

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There’s no denying the breathtaking views from Karen Pulaski’s apartment at The Southmore. The downtown Houston skyline pops through the sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows in dramatic fashion, but that’s not the only impressive look worth lingering over.

Pulaski, an interior designer and the owner of the stylish Tribute Goods, has created a vibrant and soothing perch above the city, making this luxury apartment her own. Now, she’s offering insight into how you can do it to your own space as well. Of course, having a place such as the Southmore to start from is step one. This Hines mid-rise in the Museum District is a next-level home base.

When Pulaski moved from her home in West University to The Southmore, she brought with her a mix of antiques, rugs, various lighting options and plenty of ideas, but as a renter she knew there were some limitations. So she leaned into her experience as an interior designer and looked for creative ways to put her own style stamp on the space.  

“Open plans can be a little challenging, so I really had to think how things would work,” Pulaski says. “There are windows everywhere, so I took that into consideration when placing furniture. You don’t want to put it up against windows, and it doesn’t look right in arbitrary places.” 

She found the perfect place for her antique mirror and buffet in the dining room and had an oversized rug from her previous home cut down to fit the new space. The dining room and its view of the city became a hub for the home. The silk velvet-covered chairs are not only comfortable but add a subtle contrast to the pink rug and balance the flood of natural light. 

“I love the dining room view.” Pulaski says. “My kids have friends over all the time and we are in the dining room. That space feels really good.”

The dining room set the tone for the rest of the home, which balances the neutral hues common to rental properties, and Pulaski’s spin on color, pattern and layered textures. She encourages renters to look for ways to inject their personality into an apartment through rugs, wallpaper and lighting, the latter being incredibly important to the tone throughout a home.  

She had antique light fixtures hung in the apartment but says something as simple as installing a dimmer switch can make a big difference. Blank walls and shelves don’t have to stay that way either. Pulaski installed wallpapers in key places throughout her space, bringing a customized feeling to each room. 

“Wallpaper definitely changes the feeling of a room,” Pulaski says. “There are all kinds of things you can do that don’t break the bank. For example, there are built-in shelves that I covered in Goyard wallpaper. It was an easy DIY.”

The Southmore Lifestyle

It’s worth taking inventory of your furniture, in size, shape and color. What may have worked in the previous space may need a refresh in a new one. Pulaski recovered chairs in bold, cheery fabrics and incorporated vivid accessories into more neutral pieces of furniture. She kept an open mind when placing furniture throughout the expansive apartment. 

“It was trial-and-error with some pieces, but I realized I could get away with more in the space,” Pulaski says. “There’s all this light when you wake up, so I wanted that cheerfulness throughout the space.”

She punctuated the bedrooms with luxe Italian linens from Tribute Goods and accented other rooms with lamps and art from her company, so each nook and cranny represents her vision for the home.  

Pulaski chose The Southmore not only for the interior possibilities and amenities, but also for the location and community. 

“This apartment was easy, turn-key, but also I can walk to Herman Park and the museums,” she says. “There’s a great sense of community here. And it’s a dog friendly building too.” 

Exacting a design vision is possible when renting, and often it’s the little things that make a big impact. Plus, these little things can be changed at some point if necessary.  

For now, The Southmore truly feels home for the Pulaski family. 

“We did just enough to make it ours,” she says.

To learn more about The Southmore and its unique Museum District wonderland, check out its full site.