Creator Tony Henry didn’t just design a house — he designed a legacy for his family. Known online for sharing joyful, inspiring content with his wife, Jayla Henry (also known as Jayla Brenae) and their two young children, Nyla and Braylon, Tony is now turning a lifelong dream into reality: building a home from the ground up for his family in Dallas, Texas.

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Home as a Family Legacy

Tony Henry is building a 5,000-square-foot home in Dallas not just for comfort but as a long-lasting legacy for his family, emphasizing intention and togetherness in every design choice[1][4].

Collaborative and Child-Inclusive Design

The home’s design process involves input from both Tony’s wife, Jayla, and their children, ensuring the spaces reflect family needs and even their kids’ dreams—like a disco ball in their daughter’s room[1].

Functional and Thoughtful Features

Custom features such as a “Costco door” from the garage to pantry, foldable pantry doors, and a built-in breakfast nook are designed for convenience and practicality in daily family life[1][4].

Embracing Challenges and Expert Help

Despite Tony’s architectural background, the couple faced decision fatigue and brought in designer Shannon Jordan to help realize their vision, showing the value of collaboration and expertise[1].

Building for Memories and Future Generations

Tony is most excited for the family memories to come—like hosting holidays—and values working with his own father and son on the project, highlighting the generational bonds the house helps nurture[1][4].

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Tony’s background is in architecture, with a degree from the University of Michigan. Even after a career pivot to UX design in the automotive industry, at heart, he’s always been a creative — and when it came time to design “The Henry Residence,” he knew exactly what mattered most.

Designing for Legacy, Love, and Little Ones

“We’re building on an acre of land,” he shares with Home & Texture. “It’ll be 5,000 square feet with four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, and a three-car garage.” Beyond the main house, there’s also a guest/pool house that includes a bedroom, bathroom, home gym, and soon, an in-ground pool. “None of us can swim,” Tony admits with a laugh. “But the kids love water, and Jayla convinced me. She’s had some great ideas throughout this process. So I said, if we’re doing a pool, we’re doing a pool house too.”

The couple’s journey to internet fame began years earlier with a viral love story — they met at a college tailgate event in 2017 and married just six months later. Now, they document their everyday life with infectious warmth, from parenting two energetic kids to navigating building a home together for the first time.

When asked about his non-negotiables, Tony doesn’t hesitate. “The double staircase. Interestingly enough, that’s actually been a dream for both me and Jayla,” he says. “For me, I needed my own office and an open floor plan. I wanted everything to feel connected.”

A Look Inside The Henry Residence

Designing a home with children in mind meant letting the kids dream, too. “Nyla is very opinionated about her room. She asked for a disco ball, so I’ve got to figure out how to make that happen,” Tony says, beaming. “We always ask the kids what they want and then try to think about how they’ll grow into each space.”

Despite his architectural design chops, Tony says the interior process was unexpectedly intimidating for him and Jayla. “The builder gave us a budget and said, ‘Pick your fixtures.’ And we hated everything we chose,” he laughs. The couple eventually brought in interior designer Shannon Jordan to bring their vision to life. “She’s amazing,” Tony shares. “It’s been such a relief to have her on board.”

Not only is this home being built with his family’s wants in mind, but it’s also full of smart, functional touches you might want to save for later. “We have a large pantry room with an extra dishwasher that almost serves as a second kitchen. It even has a sink and counter space to hide the mess when we host, to keep the primary kitchen clean,” he explains. “And we added a ‘Costco door’ — it connects the garage to the pantry, so we don’t have to lug groceries through the whole house.”

@_gqtone The best part about designing your own custom home is the FULL creative control behind is all 🙌🏾 #TheHenryResidence #OurHenryHome #CustomHomeBuild ♬ original sound – Tony Henry

5 Bespoke Features That “Just Make Sense”

1. Foldable, pocket doors on the kitchen pantry cabinets
2. A “Costco door” for easy grocery unloading
3. A built-in doggy bowl area
4. A built-in breakfast nook with discreet storage
5. A built-in laundry basket connected to the laundry room

Still, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. “Decision fatigue is real,” Tony says. “The scariest part was choosing paint colors. With all the natural light, we second-guessed everything.”

One of his proudest accomplishments? Designing the guest house under intense pressure. But what he’s most looking forward to are the memories that come next. “Thanksgiving, Christmas — we can finally host our whole family. I can’t wait for that,” he says. “And I’m going to finish the pool house with my dad. He’s a general contractor, and the reason I became an architect. My son Braylon will help too. Anytime he sees a hammer, he’s ready.”

If you’re wondering whether you’ll be able to hire Mr. Henry for your next home design project, Tony says that for now, he’s content. “I’d need a license to design full homes, and it’s a huge time commitment. I might be open to consulting, but we’ll have to see what the future brings.”

And his advice to anyone dreaming of their own bespoke build? “Take your time. Figure out everything you want before you start. It’s easier than adding things later.”

With their move-in date set for fall, the Henrys are on the cusp of a new chapter — one built with intention, joy, and a little bit of sparkle (Nyla B’s disco ball included).