The first time shooting and working with Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey was with a very personal assignment, her own home. She had updated this former parsonage by making it more functional without losing its connection to the past. We worked with the talented Frances Bailey (Stylist) and had a wonderful time during this two day shoot in Austin. The project landed as the cover story in the Sept/Oct 2022 issue of LUXE Austin + San Antonio. The backstory of this house is worth checking out from the article. Seeing how she has transformed this into a comfortable, sprawling home, with surprises around every corner, showcases her style and skill as a top designer.
We’re excited to feature Shazalynn in this Creative Focus series.
Shazalynn with her sweet Lulu. She lost Lulu summer of 2022 and this photo is so special to Shazalynn that Stephen captured from the interior shoot.
Her story…
Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey, owner and lead designer of SCW Interiors, has had a lifelong passion for design that has taken her from growing up in the Southwest to settling in the Northeast. For more than 20 years she’s honed her craft, building on what she learned at the University of Texas, the Culinary Institute of America, and Parsons School of Design. From her experience running her own catering company, as a mother and wife, and as a highly recognized designer, she’s come to believe that a centered home is the key to a rewarding life.
“I was born in Roswell, New Mexico to teenage kids. My children believe that I was literally dropped off by the aliens and maybe they are right. My nickname is the mothership. My early influences include spending so much time with my grandparents while my parents were busy trying to become adults. I have an uncle who is four years older than me if that gives you some perspective. So my time spent in their houses and with my grandmother was so critical to the person I would grow into and particularly to design and my love of food and cooking. There was so much history she would impart with everything she did and brought into the home and I must have been a sponge.”
Shazalynn grew up in a family of creatives and lawyers mainly in the oil business. She was discouraged from becoming a designer because it might not be a feasible way to support herself, and her grandmother thought being a school teacher was much more practical.
“After all, I would have summers and holidays and I probably would not work very long once I got married. This still makes me laugh. During my time at the culinary institute of America I would travel to the city and look at the different options for design schools because it was still where my heart was and so encourage your kids to follow their passion because my path was definitely not a straight one and I always wonder what might have been.”
“Behind the divine new look of a Texas home that belonged to a Bishop.”
Cover & feature story in Sept / Oct 2022 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design Austin + San Antonio
Photography by Stephen Karlisch. Styling by Frances Bailey
Interior Design Shazalynn Cavin Wifnrey, SCW Interior, LLC
Let’s see and hear a little more from Shazalynn
Things that I think make our work different is that being southern, I love a good story. Storytelling is an art form and I really love to impart my clients’ story into their homes. It sometimes takes some coaxing because not everyone feels that their past or their childhood is what they necessarily want to represent in their homes. But the truth is that imprinting starts so early and it informs our personal likes and dislikes. It would be boring if I just inserted myself into other people’s homes so I am really sensitive to where and who people come from and what shaped them I could tell you a million stories about these particular situations. I believe that designing your home should be a very self actualizing experience for the owner. Many people don’t spend much time thinking about what they like and don’t like so it is a great exercise and I am grateful people trust me to help them. Our homes are retreats that should feed our souls and nurture us to be strong in a fast changing external environment. It is one reason why I think kids rooms and bedrooms in particular are so important. So many people are only worried about the spaces other people can see and that is very telling when we begin the process.
I am fairly certain my clients think I am sort of hippie with expensive taste. I don’t place much value in dressing a certain way which is probably not ideal. My job is physical so I dress accordingly. I have had someone ask if I was driving the old beat up suburban out front because he was shocked at an early meeting and another client who calls me the bohemian designer. I am not sure what this says about me but I value humility and I would much rather buy designer fabrics than designer cars.
Portrait by Erin Cone
The portrait of my children with their motherless head was commissioned and is by Santa Fe artist Erin Cone. I was so captured by her work in particular her hands. She had not previously painted small children but was willing to give it a go. At the sitting my son would not let go of my hand so I told her to just paint it like you see it but omit my head (crazy hair all day everyday). The outcome is for me iconic and Erin has enjoyed a prolific career which delights me to this day.
The kitchen….the heart of the home.
An homage to the Bishop who lived in the home for 40 years and would dismiss lent for one day each year in order to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the home with parishioners. I love to experiment with color and the custom green refrigerators were an opportunity to include this color. The interior of the coffee bar is a nod to our Alma Mater and love for the Longhorns. I cook all the time so the space is really about form, function and not worrying about it looking messy. I love to share a meal with people and this allows me to have everything I need within a few steps
What advice would you give yourself at 20?
HAVE MORE FUN, FEAR less, find what really makes you happy, and invest in your friendships. I was so worried about being self-supporting and making good grades and generally making everyone else happy that I forgot to stop and smell the roses. Life is a marathon not a sprint and I was definitely a sprinter.
If you need inspiration for a design project, what do you do first?
My office knows that when I drive by myself I usually find the answers to most of the things I need to work through. Even if it is just to grab lunch I come back feeling more focused on the solutions.
Pattern Play
…one of my favorite things in life. I spent a lot of time playing board games growing up and putting together puzzles. Thinking about this now I realize I became hard wired to work through how things connect particularly in spaces. I always say visual memory is the only thing I have working up there.
The more casual nature of the home.
I personally believe cohesion exists when there is a plot twist. The more organic nature of the bedding against the linear lines in the space presents an opportunity to draw connections to the artwork and more casual nature of the home. I love structure but I am drawn the less serious side of things and this is the balance.
What would you say is key in selecting a photographer for your projects?
Someone who listens, is efficient and finds the humor in life. Oh and it is really nice if they don’t have 13,000,000 dietary restrictions when ordering lunch.
Which movie or TV set is your favorite from a design perspective?
WILLY WONKA – FOREVER!
When the season premiere of “Showhouse Showdown” aired on HGTV featuring my project I received an email from a woman in California who had recorded the show to watch once her kids went to bed. She emailed me to tell me that I was her Willy Wonka. I have the email from her framed because it meant so much to me that she made that reference. True Story.
Coolio- This bathroom was a hot mess and once we started drawing it out on paper this is what worked. I grew up in a home at one point that had an atrium in the middle of the house. Granted it had 4 walls of glass with massive skylights but I always dream about that space. This bathing space creates the feeling of that for me. Plants line the walls, the water creates amazing acoustics within the glass and the skylights drench the space with the Texas sun which I have loved my entire life.
Favorite city to recharge?
SANTA FE – It feels like home. The climate is always perfect. The big blue sky, the smells, the food, ten thousand waves…. not much I don’t love about Santa Fe.
This dining room shot makes me so happy. The light filtering in the mornings is so special. When the sun sets it does exactly what it should. It catches those crystals and cuts across segments of the space through the smaller windows on the front and side of the house. I always tell clients to consider when and how you use your dining room. Also consider how the color and pattern look in candle light and other low lighting. The terracotta is very grounding for me. I am from the desert so it is only natural that I feel right at home against this color.
BTS fun with Frances Bailey, Shazlynn and Stephen.
SCW Interiors has been published in:
LUXE
House Beautiful
Veranda
Décor
Arts & Crafts Home
Traditional Home
and many others
To learn and see more of Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey’s talents please visit SCWInteriors.com and be sure to follow her Facebook and Instagram pages.
We would love to feature your creative talents from our industry on our award-winning blog. Shoot us an email at hello@stephenkarlisch.com to find out how.