Conni Lovelace: Every Home Has A Story
Designer Conni Lovelace loves to imagine — and reimagine — the possibilities of homes. “I listen to what a home wants, and oftentimes that means changing the vibe,” she says. And that’s exactly what Lovelace and her husband Richard did when they found a gem of a home off Venice Boulevard in Oklahoma City’s Cleveland Neighborhood near NW 30th and May. While the house had already been flipped, they had a vision for its next chapter. “The home had so much potential to create a forever home. And because it already had basic updates, it allowed us to invest in layers that added personality, which I refer to as ‘fun money’ — the details that make a difference in the design and your own mental state of confidence,” she says.
An Oklahoma native, Lovelace embarked on her design career over 20 years ago and apprenticed for Melinda Douglas of Douglas Associates in Denver. When Douglas retired, Lovelace took over her existing clients and continued to help others transform their spaces.
Lovelace and her husband returned to Oklahoma in 2020, right before the pandemic hit, and moved into the home on Venice. “I call the backyard at Venice our ‘COVID summer’ project — we had lots of time on our hands, so we concentrated on making updates to the backyard and front porch.” As they continue to settle into their life in Oklahoma City, Conni and Richard are both honing new skills. Richard — whom Lovelace affectionately calls a Renaissance Man — is learning more about construction, and she is working with Melissa Fitzgerald of Kitchen Society Design to learn about kitchen design and remodeling.
The Venice house recently sold — to the first person that walked through the door — and Conni and Richard are now on to their next project, a 1950s home near NW 50th and Walker. “Oklahoma City is such a great place to grab a charming home in one of the many historical neighborhoods,” she says. As for the plans for their newest project, they’re looking to give the house new architecture and are anxious to discover the story it wants to tell. “When you fix up homes, you have to step back and imagine the potential. And, ultimately, leave things better than you found them.” •
Think Like a Design Professional
Mix different eras: vintage rugs plus new, custom window coverings create a framework for the rest of the home’s design.
I prefer pulling textures, materials and different patterns together and staying away from a theme.
I appreciate the unexpected mix, and collecting pieces — sometimes you don’t have a place for them immediately, but there may be a day when you do.
A good “art chair” is the perfect addition, something that starts a conversation. Or take something average and tweak it, like changing a lampshade.
Every room needs something green, at least a plant or a vase of flowers.
