Dallas Design Gossip and News: October Edition

This is what Dallas designer Ike Isenhour has been doing for the past five years: Going to Florence and working on former Dallasite Brenda Schoenfeld's villa. Every time I ran into him in town, I'd ask him what he was doing. He'd always say, "going to Florence." Times are tough. People do what they have to do.

The villa, which Brenda named Joya (Spanish for jewel -- a double entendre given what she does for a living), is finally finished. It's actually a limonia (building for storing Lemon trees in the winter) that was converted into a home. It's located in the beautiful, ancient, Pian di Guillari residential area of Florence. Brenda is living in Miami while her son is in school, so the property is available for rentals. Ike tells me it's becoming well known in the fashion world as a place to rent while working in Florence.

To view more photos of the villa go here and click on "Joya".

After more than 20 years on Lovers Lane, Antèks Home Furnishings has moved to an 8,000 square ft. space on Dragon Street, in the Dallas Design District, into what they call "a fresh, eco-friendly space with loads of character," sporting a cleaner look, concrete floors, antique and salvaged wood and Thybony wallpaper. Of note: Antèks will remain retail based and is open to the public, with special consideration to the design trade.

Dallas based decorative lighting and home accessory designer Catherine Miller has designed a glass ornament in honor of breast cancer awareness month (October). Miller, who discovered a tumor exactly one year ago this month (the irony!) had it successfully removed and is recovering beautifully.

The lovely blown glass pink ribbon ornament was made by Aaron Tate, a Dale Chihuly protege who just relocated from Seattle to Dallas. Watch a video of him making a pink octopus.

Preston Hollow-dewelling Miller owns the "hot shop" on Walnut Hill and I35 where Aaron and other glass artisans make decorative glass pieces such as lamps, which she sells. I'm going to visit there soon with my camera. I'll keep you posted!

The $65.00 ornament is available at Elements and Talulah Belle.

Believe it or not, these amazing French style gardens are in Dallas. They are on the grounds of Marie Gabrielle restaurant near downtown, which is hosting a Fall cooking class at 6p.m. on October 22. Take a look at the delicious menu and information below. Contact general manager Edward Searle at (214) 871-2098 or just call the restaurant.

(Click on the menu above to view it larger)

Dallas designer Paige Buell has designed a line of throw pillows, which she's selling here, under the moniker Paigeboy. There's a good story behind the name, too.

Builders Sharif and Munir, who have given Dallas much of its signature Big Look, are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a book chronicling many of their projects. You can buy it for $20 (including shipping) by calling their offices. Here's a preview of some of the French and Tuscan inspired houses:

These next two stories belong in "Refugees from the bad economy" category:

Paris-based passementerie maker Remy Lemoine Passementerie d'Art, which was until recently sold at David Sutherland showroom, is now hunting for a Dallas home. I've known about Remy's unusual tie-backs and tassels for almost a decade, and besides, he's a nice guy.

Pictured is one of his new pieces, a tieback in obsidian and leather. It looks exactly like a hair barrette I had during the early 1970s. Very retro!

Kim Coe of Queen Bea Studio in Del Ray Beach, Florda used to sell her wonderfully preppy totes through Dallas based Room Service Home, which has recently gone out of business. Because Dallas was such a big customer of hers, she designed this longhorn bag just for us!

Says Kim: "I created a Cole bag just for Dallas. It has a longhorn on it! The longhorn is embroidered on the bag (not stamped) and can be stitched in any color and a monogram or word can be added. I left it plain and black for the simple clean lines. I also attached a photo of myself in front of my bags and a few baskets. The bags are made here in Delray Beach. The Cole is an unlined rather urban bag (raw/fringed top edge and big stitches on sides, no seams) and black seatbelt handles; 26"wide x 18" tall x 6" deep.

Contact Kim directly if you're interested in any of her bags including the Dallas longhorn.

Louise Kemp's Stunning Preston Hollow House

Several months ago Dallas designer Louise Kemp let me snap these pictures of her fantastic Preston Hollow house for a story pitch I was making to Modern Luxury. The story's finally out, but as stories go sometimes, there wasn't as much room as I would have wished to show her work.

So I pulled my favorite pictures off my camera for you to see here.

This is one of my favorite shots in the house. The large painting, a "doodle" by Karl Haendel, is a great foil for the antique French chair needlepointed by Louise and her mother, well-known designer Mary Cassidy.

The chair's design was inspired by a cubist painting. Isn't it amazing?

The house was renovated recently by architect Ron Wommack who, knowing how much Louise loves to bring the outdoors in, knocked down walls and replaced them with glass wherever he could.

This unicorn head (isn't it great?) is a 19th century plaster piece that Louise's parents brought back either from Europe or John Rosselli's in New York during the late 70s or early 80s, she says. Her father was Dallas antiquarian Jim Faulkner who owned antique stores in Dallas for decades.

This is the back room where Kemp's teenagers hang out (there are some vintage video game machines on the opposite side). It has a great boutique hotel feel to it.

Architect Wommack completely glassed in the entry of the house. Not surprising, Philip Johnson's Glass House is one of Louise's biggest design influences.

This antique chair looks smashing next to the gray concrete wall, doesn't it?

Simply sublime.

More gorgeous antique pieces from Louise's father's antique store. I'm crazy about Brunschwig's tiger velvet upholstery used in restrained ways, as it is here on the chair seat.

A simple vignette of rustic pots and tropical plants, along with birch color wood and pale travertine floors.

Dallas Design Gossip and News

Claudia Armstrong, formerly of Forty Five Ten and At My Table, has gathered some of her talented friends for a not-to-be-missed sale out of her house. Armstrong is selling some of the things she's gathered on buying trips recently, and her friends are bringing more. Designer Jeffrey Swiggart will be selling some mid-century era outdoor furniture among other things. Armstrong is working on securing a warehouse space on Commerce St., east of downtown, where she'll open up shop sometime around the holidays. Meanwhile, she'll be holding periodic sales at home.



I ran by and took a few shots last weekend while she was setting up some of the pieces in her University Park condo.

This 60 x 33 giclee print is by Dallas artist Michael Osbaldesten. It's going for $600, a steal. Claudia will have other large scale prints by the same artist on the day of the sale.

These 60s or 70s era brass skewers make great table ornaments, and will be priced for very little, Armstrong promises. You can really see Claudia's taste through the types of things she buys.

Same with the golden beaded bird. There's a pair, and they'd look good just sitting on a table, Armstrong says. If you have a few bucks, they're yours.

These etched glass lantern domes from Europe are more than 50 years old, and just look fantastic as table decorations, especially arranged in a group. They'll be going for $85 each.

Claudia has a Lucite fabricator who makes these wonderful Lucite towel racks for her from vintage and antique architectural fragments she has found. They will go for $225 - $300.

I love the old horse, he looks Etruscan.

This marble fragment is my favorite. The wooden one behind it is made from an antique wooden Italian candlestick.

These etched glass candle holders and lamps will be for sale also (sorry I don't have the prices for you). What I've shown here is just a preview, there will be a lot more for sale, so don't miss out.

Designer Mary Anne Smiley is having an estate sale! Take a look at her invitation below (you'll have to click on it to read it).

This is straight from Mary Anne about what's included in the sale: "An Italian Leather vintage Mid C 3 piece living room set is so good looking and very comfortable. There is a beautiful wood dining room table, 10 coral Chinese Fret Bamboo design dining room chairs with Dedar Black and White Seats. There is a beautiful coral Bokhara rug, a large Stark area rug, an Oriental, several runners, There are some beautiful art glass pieces, one from the 70s. There are 2 marble top night stands, a vintage bamboo patio set with bar, settee, chairs, Amoeba table, and end tables from the 40s that is so cute. There is a heavy Iron scroll table built in the 50’s with a thick round parquet wood top that is good looking. There are sconces, art, accessories etc.,"

Jean Carpenter died recently leaving an estate full of New Mexico and India artifacts, as well as some mid-century pieces. Check out the sale notice below (click on it to read it).

Night Shirt by Julie Richey

The 2009 Orsoni Prize, the International Award for Mosaic Fine Art, goes to Irving based mosaic artist Julie Richey. She does amazing mosaic installations for residences as well as her fine art.

Detail of the Night Shirt.

Chef Avner Samuel of Aurora holds a cooking class about once a month on a Saturday morning. I attended recently and shot some photos -- the whole experience was a blast, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Samuel's cooking, or who doesn't want to pay the price of an expensive meal at Aurora.

I love beautiful restaurant kitchens, so this one was fun to shoot.

It costs $95 per person, and you get a 4-course meal paired with wines along with your lesson. You can't beat that. On this particular Saturday, it was standing room only -- the kitchen was packed and so was half the dining room, with many of us peering over the counter while Samuel did his magic.

Most of the people at my table had never had a meal at Aurora before, and many of them had given the cooking class as a birthday gift. A few people were in town for a wedding and spent the afternoon cooking instead of shopping, they told me.