Our longtime blogging hero and friend, Joni from “Cote de Texas” died recently. With heavy hearts, Cindy Hattersley and I wanted to honor her here.
Joni is the reason I started blogging 13 years ago. When I heard of her untimely death, I texted Joni to ask if it was true?
Her daughter, Elisabeth replied on her telephone with “I’m sorry to say over text message, but Joni passed away. Please feel free to call me on my cell if you want to talk.” I told her that her mother loved her so much and Elisabeth texted “yes, unconditionally.”
Joni and I used to text over the years like when both our daughters were on the verge of getting married. We also direct messaged each other often on Instagram. That personal connection felt so nice.
Her Obituary Says
“Loving wife, mother, sister, and loyal friend, passed away unexpectedly at home on October 9, 2023, from sudden health complications.”
Joni’s Cote de Texas Style
Joni was the queen of fine fabrics, slipcovers, antiques and seagrass.
A great balance of casualness and finery. Also, warmth and comfort.
Joni’s Sense Of Humor
Stalking the Wheats (April 2008)
Haven’t you been curious to see inside a neighbors home? Well, Joni was too…Sally Wheat’s home. I laughed so hard. Reread her post 🙂
No one’s photos were so great back then…but I’m still glad we have them. I painted our kitchen island in Newport Beach the same color as Sally’s (Benjamin Moore Fieldstone).
Mr. Slippersocks Man
You may remember the story better… but wasn’t it hysterical when Joni’s husband, Ben was asked if he was Joni Webb’s husband…in a café or shop in Houston? He was surprised but…he was identified by his famous footwear. Ha!
Twilight Crush – The Title Of The Post Was “A Confession”
Joni said,” I had heard about the Twilight Saga but never really paid any attention to it. I wished I had continued to ignore it – it would save me all this humiliation. Until last year, I didn’t even know who Robert Pattinson was, nor did I care – but boy, has THAT changed! “
I could go on and on. How could you not love Joni? She left us too soon.
Words Of Tribute From Joni’s Friends
“Joni Webb created the extraordinary blog ‘Cote de Texas’ 16 years ago and gave us – her readers, access to her incredible research and insights into the design world.
Joni had an incredible. ‘Eye’ Her own style was ‘collected’ and yet effortless, balanced and perfectly proportioned. I will miss her humorous presence on Instagram enormously but am grateful that her voice – Cote de Texas – will be with us forever.” • Jenny Rose-Innes
“Something humorous that comes to mind is a funny moment with Joni I’ll never forget. She replied on Instagram to one of my design mood boards with no no no no no no. We both laughed and laughed when she realized she had somehow pocket dialed that to me! She was embarrassed and I was soooo relieved! I thought I might have to resign from design blogging if she didn’t like my work! 
” Melissa • The Inspired Room
“Joni’s was one of the first blogs I read. I loved her French style and patterned my homemade linen slipcovers after hers. She had such insightful takes on magazine articles, and her commentaries were extensive and well thought out. Joni was a design trailblazer!” • Anita Joyce Cedar Hill Farmhouse
“Joni was such a force in the design blog world and pioneered what many of us came to hold as the highest standard. I was always honored when she visited my blog and commented and in recent years was so thrilled when she would DM positive comments on Instagram about some of the Q&A sessions I was doing with homeowners there. Her thoroughly researched blogposts are such a wonderful reference for designers and design lovers, all served up with her wit and delightfully unfiltered commentary. It is her legacy and gift to those of us who love and admire design and honors the design blog endeavors of all of us.” • Carla Aston | ASID
“Joni for me, was a LEGEND. No one wrote a blog quite like Joni. She was one of the first two blogs I discovered many years ago and like so many, I was instantly hooked. She had a true gift and dove deep into all things beautiful. She was a true pioneer who paved the way for many of us. I hope she knows how many lives she touched. May she rest in peace. • With love,” Tina The Enchanted Home
“Cote de Texas was one of the very first blogs I was aware of, before I knew what a blog was. Joni’s exquisite taste and story telling acumen was a delight to discover. She became a significant influence on my future trajectory. She will be missed. May her memory be for a blessing.” • Lory Bernstein Designthusiasm
“I met Joni when Hurricane Katrina blew my 40 foot containers from Europe into Houston. Joni wrote about her experience of coming to the container unloadings and when I read it, I literally fell on the floor with laughter. It was the start of a wonderful friendship that was filled with the love of collecting and humor. I miss her joyful prose, easy manner, love of family and embracing effortless friendship. My heart goes out to her family that was the most important part of her life.” • Tara Shaw
“I can remember reading Cote De Texas before I started blogging…and I was just so in awe of her ability to do the research and leave no stone unturned….to the point that you did not have to google the subject to find any more info….you knew it was all there! We felt like she was our neighbor and she did not hesitate to share everything with us. My heart breaks for Mr Slippersocksman.” • Sherry Hart
“Cote de Texas was one of the first blogs I ever read and Joni was among the first bloggers that I met. We were Houston design bloggers in the early days together. I always admired Joni’s passion for design and the meticulous and exhaustive research she poured into each and every post. She was actually notoriously shy, so I only ever saw her a handful of times, but somehow, her presence was always there and I know it will continue to be for all those who loved her.” • Paloma Contreras
“Joni is one of those angels who came into my life and really made a difference to me personally and in my career. She was funny, engaging, and was a pioneer in the blogosphere paving the way for so many. Her passion for sharing beautiful French design was matched by her desire to help designers and trades become more visible to the world. A night owl, she would stay up researching and pulling pictures to meet her never ending self-imposed deadlines to deliver stories to her loyal followers- who craved her tips, knowledge, and wisdom! She graciously wrote the forward to one of my books and wrote a section on making the perfect slip covers-something she could write an entire chapter on. She was, and always will be, an inspiration to the World of Design and to me personally. I will miss our Angel- Joni Webb!” • Leslie Sinclair Segreto Finishes
“Joni was the Kevin Bacon of blogging. She connected us all.
The Cote de Texas blog roll was how I discovered all of my favorite design blogs. I remember when she added Velvet and Linen to her list. I think Steve jumped off his chair in his office when I shrieked. Joni Webb was reading my blog!
Her generosity was known by all of us, but we also knew that she only shared what she loved. We could trust that if Joni was writing about how much she loved a designer, she meant it.
Although for the past 15 years I knew many details about Joni’s life (Elisabeth’s wedding, the passing of Joni’s beloved mother, Joni and Ben’s ( Mr Slipper Socks) move to Galveston…), I’d only actually met her once. About ten years ago, we saw each other at the Marburger antique show at Round Top Texas. I was very nervous, but Joni couldn’t have been more lovely. She asked if I was looking for anything in particular, and I told her that I had been in search of a small mirror to hang above my bed in our new home, Patina Farm. I didn’t want to do a starburst. I wanted something more unique. It only took a few minutes before Joni found the perfect one.
It hung above our bed for the nine years that we lived in Ojai, and it now hangs above our bed in our little Tennessee log house on Patina Meadow.
Joni’s legacy will live on through all of us whose lives she touched through Cote de Texas and her acts of kindness and generosity.” Brooke Giannetti Velvet And Linen
“We are so grateful for our time and treasured friendship with Joni. She was always such a wonderful friend to Boxwood Interiors. Her visits to our store, and our long talks, will always mean so much to us. We will miss her greatly.” • Boxwood Interiors
This is a message from Joni’s daughter, Elizabeth on Instagram:
“…I promise to do my best at keeping up the Cote de Texas legacy. There will be more to come in the future, but for now we will continue to be on a slight pause as I navigate through the pain of losing my mother. I hope to honor her beautiful spirit by turning Cote de Texas into a book. Joni was famously known for being a voracious reader. It’s no secret that she would’ve died to have one of her own. Hopefully I can make that dream come true.” • Elisabeth
Your Thoughts of Joni:
You can leave a comment for Joni’s family here or on her Tribute Wall. What are your fond memories of Joni?
Oh, I am so very sorry to hear about Joni’s passing. Her attention to detail and her honesty was truly refreshing. What a terrible loss for her family and for us all. She will be missed. My deepest sympathy to her family. Sincerely, Eowana Jordan, Manassas, VA
Thank you, Eowana.
Joni’s blog was one of the first blogs I followed. I wanted my house to look exactly like hers, she had such a wonderful style and her personality showed I every blog post. I loved reading all the funny things you experienced with her throughout the years, she was truly a very special and loved lady. Thank you for this beautiful tribute to her.
Mary Ann,
I was saddened to hear of Joni’s unexpected passing. I followed her posts and always learned details about various designers and the history connected to the homes Joni shared with her blog. She will be missed. I appreciate the heartfelt tributes you and Cindy have shared with us. Thank you.
xo,
Karen B.
Mary Ann this is a lovely tribute, I cannot recall how I came across Joni’s blog, however I loved all of the research Joni did on her posts (so detailed). I was so shocked when I read of Joni’s passing. I am sure lots of her fans here in Australia will look forward to Elizabeth publishing a book in tribute to her wonderful mother.
Beautiful tribute to Joni! She was one of the first bloggers I followed and her research and attention to detail were the best out there. Her love of Mr Slipper Socks and Elisabeth were so strong and we all mourned when she lost her parents to Covid. I just wonder how many out there how have white slips, sea grass and woven blinds because of her great style!!
Shocked…just SHOCKED!! I’ve “followed her” since Podcase Days with Linda Merrill…and…ever since. She was marvelous with research and her commentary was without equal…can not believe this…deepest sympathies to her family…franki
Thanks, Franki…i feel shocked too.
Joni’s blog were like, as others have stated, one of the first blogs I read. I even have a file on my computer where I would save her blogs- because I learned so much and felt they were so special. Then I started listening to her podcast, where I really could hear her amazing personality shine through. I loved her tales of Mr. Slippersocks and their courtship and her love of eating out-especially Chinese food! You knew how much she loved her daughter, and husband) as the love came through in her writing.
Im sure this is what started my love of bamboo shades, seagrass rugs and slipcovers!! My heart gores out to her family and friends, She is certainly, gone too soon.
Yes…I remember exactly how she said to hang bamboo shades.
I loved reading Joni’s blog posts. The thoroughness and research was SO impressive. Her own design style was so classic and refined. She was in a class by herself. I remember when I found her blog and went through each and every link. She was a precious gem and will be missed.
Mary Ann, Such a beautiful tribute!! I had forgotten about the Stalking of The Wheats. Her in-depth research skills were only outmatched by her brilliant wit and humor! She even motivated me to read the first Twilight book with all those posts.
Her love for Ben and Elisabeth was always so beautifully expressed too. Grief is so hard and my heart goes out to them. xo Michele (My Notting Hill)
Thanks so much for commenting, Michele.
Mary Ann,
What a wonderful tribute to Joni from you and so many others. When I found her blog, I remember making a point to read all of her posts from the beginning ….I did not want to miss a thing! I loved her sense of humor and curiosity and was obsessed with her love of wall to wall seagrass and “Houston style.”. What I remember most were her very specific instructions about how to hang curtains and shades. When the time came to add these in my home, I went right to her very specific posts to be sure I did mine right! I hope she knew how deeply she was admired and that these tributes offer comfort to those closest to her, most of all to Elizabeth and Mr. Slippersocks…
I, like everyone else, loved Joni. I was enamored with her style and spent hours studying it.
She will be greatly missed. Thank you for this lovely tribute.
Thank you, Anne.
I am so sorry for your loss of your friend and mentor. I want to read her posts over and over and I am so happy that her daughter wants to honor her uniquely talented mother with a book.
I reread some of Joni’s post to write this…it was fun.
Dear Mary Ann,
Please accept my sympathy in the loss of your dear friend and mentor, Joni. It’s especially poignant that your expressions of grief include her “Stalking the Wheats” post and her darling name for her husband. Her humor in your life and so many others, is/was pure gift.
With hope that you will find solace as you continue to grieve,
Diney on Mercer Island
Thank you, Diney!
Mary Ann, what a beautiful tribute to your blog mentor and friend. I loved reading every word while tears rolled down my cheeks. What a wonderful woman to be remembered so beautifully by so many. I do hope her beloved daughter Elisabeth will find a way to make her book dream come true … it would be a dream for all of us. Thanks for sharing this … I loved Joni’s blog too and look forward to rereading favorite posts. Starting with Stalking the Wheats. xo
I’d like to have the book, too, Juliet.
Beautiful tribute Mary Ann….she was an ICON to all the bloggers of our time…..and we all looked up to her…..
Yes…hard to believe that she is gone, Sherry.
Joni sounds like a benevolent force of nature. I read her blog sporadically but she was clearly one of a kind. A reminder that life is precious.
Yes…life is precious.
Like many of us who followed Cote de Texas for years, I never met Joni, but felt like she was a neighbor, sharing a cup of coffee, as we poured over her wonderful posts. She was a gem, wrote beautifully and always did incredible research of her subject. I think one of my favorite posts was when she “snooped” the neighborhoods near her home. Everything so inspiring! I am sending my heartfelt condolences to Elizabeth and Ben, may they hold wonderful memories of Joni. She was like no other.
Thanks for commenting, Cheryl.
Thank you Mary Ann for letting us know about Joni & for such a glorious tribute of such a glorious life. Talk about a life well-lived — no one’s could’ve been more beautiful. Her blog was incredibly thorough in her research and explanation; it was always a learning experience for me in all things beautiful & correct. Joni was such a great writer. I LOVED her dishy, hilarious critiques of, for example, King Charles’ coronation. It’s a sad day for us. She’ll be so very missed.💚
You are right…so fun when Joni was “dishy!”
This was so lovely to read and I was thrilled to add a few words myself. She is sorely missed in our community. Thank you, Mary Ann and Cindy, for putting this piece together!
Thanks for participating, Carla.
I was sad to hear of Joni’s passing. I started my blog shortly after she started hers, and she was always an inspiration… someone I aspired to be like. Rest in peace, Joni.
She inspired all of us, Barbara.
A lovely tribute to Joni. She was one of the first design blogs I read. She will be missed. 😢
Linda
Thanks, Linda.
Mary Ann, this is so beautiful! What a thoughtful tribute to an amazing person! Joni meant the world to so many and was an inspiration to many as well. So sweet that you and Cindy did this together….joining together to remember a friend. It would be amazing if her daughter carried on the legacy of her blog!
Xx
It’s fun to read Joni’s old posts again, Annie.
I’m so sad to read of Joni’s passing. We lived in the same neighborhood and I would often drive past houses she blogged about, in particular Sally Wheat’s old home 🙂 and I would always think of her and her fantastic wit. Every. Single. Time. She will be sorely missed.
I remember that, Nancy, and your kitchen!
What lovely comments about such a wonderful and inspiring person. Can we all admit that when her blog popped onto our computers in the morning, the world would stop? More coffee (or tea) was poured, and we would all happily settle in for what was guaranteed to be our treat of the day. Her research, knowledge, terrific taste and wonderful sense of humor will never, ever be forgotten.
Absolutely, true, Beth.
Joni was amazing. A wonderful mother and wife and a friend to all, many who never met her(myself included.) She was kind, funny, with, truthful and told it as she saw it. That is one of the reasons her blog was a destination. When you saw the little sunburst pop up you knew that you were in for a treat. It was a “long read” as they say. A well written and researched post of which I always came away having learned something new.
Joni you are gone too soon and will be missed by all but your legacy will live on in Elizabeth, Mr. Slippersocks and all who you touched.
Thank you for sharing Mary Ann.
Joni was so truthful, Elizabeth!
Wonderful tribute to a woman who transcended the blogosphere. Speaking for many, I lost a friend I never met.
Well, said, Jean.
Mary Ann, I am so glad we did this tribute together. You remembered things that I had forgotten. What a loss. I hope her family and friends can find solace in your remembrance of the wonderful Joni. There will never be another ….
me too, Cindy. Off to read your post.