When Debbie Mocnik talked to her husband Jack about building a new house, she knew it had to be something they could live in for years to come.
“Jack’s military family moved constantly when he was a child,” says Mocnik. “Even though we’d been in our last house more than 20 years, he wasn’t anxious to move.”
So the couple began to interview architects. “After several appointments, we met John and Sherri Duvall,” she says. “They understood what we wanted and nailed it on the first pass.” The husband-and-wife are principals at Duvall Architects.
As the planning proceeded, the Mocniks added another member to their creative team: interior designer Sally Taggart. “Sally helped us with a bathroom remodel at the old house, and we really liked the results,” says Mocnik.
“They wanted a home that blended inside and outside,” says Taggart, ASID, owner of Sally Taggart Interior Design. “And making the space easy to maintain was also important.”
Although there are guest areas upstairs, everything the couple would need to live is on the first floor. And while nothing in the space screams “handicap accessible,” in fact it was planned to accommodate wheelchairs if that became necessary in the future. The space is open and airy with no floor height changes among rooms. Concrete floors throughout are a custom mixed charcoal stain.
Because the couple enjoys being outside as much as possible, there are lounge chairs in the front courtyard and areas to eat and relax on the patio where there is also a television. “We had heaters installed so even if it is a little chilly, we can eat and entertain outside,” says Mocnik. And Phantom retractable screens allow doors to be open during mild Oklahoma days. All the furnishings are from Jack Wills Outdoor Living.
Since Mocnik co-owns The Cloth Merchants, a fine fabric and sewing instructional studio in south Tulsa, she likes to support local stores. “Everything in the house is new, so that gave us a lot of opportunity to shop locally,” says Taggart.
In the spacious living room, the white leather sofas are from Urban Furnishings and the gray chairs from SR Hughes. Art is from Royce Myers Art Unlimited.
Nearby, the kitchen is sleek and comfortable with easy-to-maintain laminate cabinets and countertops of black granite with a brushed finish. The island’s eye-popping top is red quartz from Caesarstone. The dining area blends furnishings from several local sources. The barstools are from Luxe Home Interiors, the dining table is from Richard Neel Home and the chairs are from Urban Furnishings. Lighting is from LifeStyles.
“We wanted to create a master bedroom that is peaceful and calm,” explains Taggart, so a color palate of soft grays and purple was chosen. The bedding is from Design Concepts on Harvard. The master shower is in keeping with the couple’s goal of planning for the future. The large walk-in shower has no door and is large enough for a wheelchair to turn around.
Although they acquired a dramatic collection of artwork, Mocnik’s favorite piece in the 4,800-square-foot home is a four-by-five-foot mosaic from Urban Furnishings’ Rebecca Joskey. “It just anchors the house by bringing all the colors together,” says Mocnik.
Since moving in, the couple says several people have stopped by wanting to know about their builder. “I tell them it was the architects who created this,” says Mocnik. Then she adds that it was Taggart who kept her grounded and on budget. “This house would not have turned out like it is without Sally,” she says. “We love it!”
