Texas Designer Kim Wolfe Appreciates Minimalist Design in Her Own Home Remodel

Spending weeks on an island in Fiji competing on Survivor: Winners at War inspired interior designer Kim Wolfe’s next challenge after returning home to San Antonio. “One of the hardest things about Survivor is how slowly time ticks by, but it also gives you an opportunity to think. I’d been doing a lot of interior design and realized that I wanted to start working on houses for myself. When I got home, I needed an outlet, so I poured my energy into flipping a property,” she says. A rundown ranch in her neighborhood caught her attention. “The home was in horrific condition. It had been hit by a tornado and still had tarps over the roof. It was the worst of the worst, but I fell in love with the mid-century style,” says Kim. “I could totally see the potential.” Here’s how she gave her Texas house a complete turnaround.

“I’m a nature girl—Survivor speaks to that. I looked for ways to bring the outdoors in—like installing skylights. I wanted our home to feel organic and laid-back but also modern and special.”

“We downsized from almost 3,000 square feet to about 1,800. I had pared down during the minimalism trend around five years ago, but this was another opportunity to take an honest look at what we really use. Now I keep one nice version of each thing.” 

“A hand-painted ceramic Beaumont Mood light on the front porch was one of the only salvageable things in the house. These antique fixtures are now collector’s items. I worked the home’s earthy color scheme off of it.”

“I spent the past five years figuring out what makes things bulletproof. I put marble in the first house I ever renovated and learned my lesson. These countertops (in Coast [MV514] by HanStone Quartz) are durable and easy to clean. Since we have kids coloring with markers, this is really a no-brainer for me.”

“I found Douglas fir floors from an old milking barn during a trip to Round Top. My friend and carpenter Attie Jonker (of local Green Wood Milling Company) constructed the dining table, benches, and kitchen shelves from that wood.”

“I wanted an adult sitting area close to the kitchen and dining space. The vintage leather chairs are sturdy and tough, so I don’t even worry when the kids are jumping on them.”

“My 5-year-old daughter, August, loves everything rainbows, so I chose this mural from Anewall. We want our kids to have spaces where they’re free to create, but we want them to look good. We picked things that flow together, like a play kitchen that’s white instead of red. Sticking with a simple color palette has made all the difference for me in their rooms.”

“I wanted the guesthouse to feel funky and like a surprise when you open the door. When I was at a warehouse sale for the Austin tile shop Clay Imports, all they had left was a bin of these matte hand-painted cement tiles, so this concept was born. Underneath the white Ikea bed is where I store Christmas decorations.”

Interior Paint
Simply White (OC-117) by Benjamin Moore

Kitchen Sconces
Lighting Connection

Kitchen Countertops
Coast by HanStone Quartz

Kitchen Hardware
Emtek

Skylights
Velux Solar Powered “Fresh Air” Skylight