Some things are just meant to be. Jennifer Adam and her husband, Todd, met in a Woodlands neighborhood one day to check out a house that was for sale. “He was in his car, I’m in my car because we’d met for lunch,” Jennifer recalls. “We were supposed to meet at a certain house that was for sale by owner. We’d been looking for a more central location, a little more space. We thought we’d check it out.”

But another house caught Jennifer’s eye. It wasn’t for sale. But she had always loved this curbside charmer. “I was nervous, but I went up to the door and left a note saying, ‘I love your house! If you’re ever interested in selling, please call me.’”

Less than 10 minutes later, she got the call. The homeowners, empty-nesters, were, indeed, interested in selling. They wanted to relocate to Arkansas. “They weren’t in a hurry,” says Jennifer. “They were waiting to find the right house there. We weren’t in a hurry either.”

Within two weeks, Jennifer and Todd were invited over to check out the home’s interior. And within a few months, they were living in their new home with their daughters — Anna Claire, now 10, and Ava, 7.

“All from a little note!” says Jennifer, who is used to people asking her about the house. It’s an unusual style of architecture for The Woodlands, a Cape Cod style dwelling that would be perfectly at home on the East Coast.

Its layout from the street is deceiving. “A lot of people think it’s a one-story, but it’s not,” says Jennifer, who especially loves its floor-plan for the private master suite. A gameroom, the girls’ bedrooms and a guestroom comprise the upstairs on the opposite end of the house.

“Lots of privacy for everyone when we have visitors,” says Jennifer. “It’s just a great floor-plan and one that works particularly well for us.”

Its location on the Palmer golf course is another plus. “Todd loves to golf so that worked out great, finding a house on the course,” adds Jennifer. And for her, the grounds were an instant attraction. She loves to
garden.

“Just everything about it spoke to us,” she says.

Visitors have the same reaction. The home is elegant, but casual, a space instantly welcoming to guests. Jennifer’s decorating style contributes to this feel.

“It helps that I have a mom who is so good at this kind of thing,” she says. “My mom has a good friend and a lady I grew up with who lives in Memphis. For our housewarming, my mom flew her here and she stayed with us for three days and we went to the Decorative Center in Houston and picked things out. Her mom and the same friend also went on an antique trip together, purchasing items that add to the home’s charm.

“It all came together really nicely,” says Jennifer, surveying the living room. Beautiful floral print chairs mix with a warm textured sofa in this space. Antiques add to the rich feel. This room overlooks the pool and golf course beyond, as do many rooms in the house due to the home’s unique angles.

The dining room is particularly lovely with antique chairs in a rich tapestry that complement a stately table from Meredith O’ Donnell. Pass into the kitchen and you’re in family central, an area that encompasses the breakfast room and the den. Here, too, are fabulous views of the pool and golf course.

The den is all about comfort, with two smartly dressed custom swivel chairs in zebra print that get lots of use. “So comfortable!” says Jennifer. A custom sofa and leather chair complete this casual look, all anchored by a coffee table from Dixon Smith Interiors (Baton Rouge).

The home didn’t have a fireplace originally. So the family reconfigured the entire den
wall to accommodate one and to achieve desired features for their television set and other necessities.

Upstairs is all about the girls, where a charming gameroom is set up for learning with two school desks and a giant chalkboard. A balcony off of this room lends yet another fetching view of the grounds and golf course.

Anna Claire and Ava’s artwork from The John Cooper School adorns a hallway wall here. “My favorite art in the house!” says Jennifer.

Youngest daughter Ava’s room is perfectly purple with her first name initial monogrammed over two twin beds (custom made in Louisiana.)

Anna Claire’s room is dressed in a variety of soft, girly colors. “My husband took the girls to Louisiana to visit his family for a weekend and I redid her room. She wanted it painted blue for her birthday. I redid the bedding, everything…and painted the bed white since it was sage green,” explains Jennifer who doesn’t mind taking decorative matters into her own hands. “I figure as long as it’s something not too expensive or antique, there’s not too much you can do to it that can’t be undone!”

It’s likely she has inherited some of her interest in decorating from her mother, a tremendously talented, hands-on woman who once built a bed for Jennifer. The bed, made from landscape timbers, is one-of-a-kind, resting pretty in the Adam family guest room.

“Growing up we had a neighbor who had a wood-working shop, so she used his tools,” says Jennifer. “And that sucker is heavy! We had to hoist it over the balcony to bring it in here!”

Jennifer loves telling the story of how they got their home. “A little note can go a long way,” she says. Seems other people out there agree.

“I’ve received a letter since being in this house from another person inquiring about it. It said, ‘You might find this letter strange, but my husband and I have always liked this house.’ I just had to laugh! I was like, ‘No, I did the same thing! Really, it’s okay!’”

TEXT BY CATHY GORDON  |   PICTURES BY BRIAN BOOKWALTER PHOTOGRAPHY  |  BUILDER: TOM COX CUSTOM HOMES