Modern House by Allen Kirsch and Sharif Munir

Case Study-inspired house by Sharif Munir and Allen Kirsch. 
Circle sculpture by Juanluis Gonzalez

Case Goods . . . Interior designer Allen Kirsch, homebuilder Mickey Munir and architect Vernon Berry teamed up to build this contemporary house for art collectors Pam and Phil Baker in Preston Hollow. Kirsch is known for his modern interiors, but this was Munir's first modern project, he says. He's itching to do more. For Berry, who has worked as an architect for Sharif Munir since 1978, inspiration for the house came from the great mid-century Case Study houses in California where he once lived. "They weren't just white boxes, they were comfortable houses made from rich materials," such as the rift-cut white oak, limestone, and pale brick selected for the Baker's house.

The dining room was designed to precisely accommodate the width of a large antique Chinese buffet and custom Emperador table that seats 12. Encaustic by Brad Ellis.

Keeping in mind the Baker's desire to buy large art pieces, Berry and Kirsch designed walls to hold big art works, and interior and exterior vistas to showcase sculptures that hadn't yet been purchased. Top left, the Bakers commissioned a Tree of Life sculpture in red by Shane Pennington for a niche in the dining room. Top right, A figurative sculpture by Deborah Ballard stands behind a glass wall separating the hall from an exterior courtyard.

Detail of Shane Pennington's Tree of Life includes tiny people along its roots

The breakfast room is dominated by a George Nelson pendant and Knoll Saarinen table, both from Design within Reach

An elegant open, glass stairwell leads to a second floor wing designed for the Baker's grown daughter to use when she visits. Custom glass doors, designed by Vernon Berry, are strong enough to withstand hurricane winds. 

At left, Roger Winter's portraits line the walkway under the stairs. Robert Jessup's large scale painting hangs in the entry. At right, the dress wall sculpture is by New Mexico artist Nancy Youdelman. 

A quartet of Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs create a simple seating area around a Milo Baughman coffee table; custom rift-cut white oak cabinets hold an Asian artifact of a dragon; Painting by Margaret Fitzgerald.

In the living room, Allen Kirsch designed custom sofas manufactured by Kisabeth Furniture with Travers fabric. At right, James Williams wood sculpture and painting by Margaret Fitzgerald.

Pam Baker's favorite color, red, was used sparingly throughout the house, including on this custom designed Kisabeth sofa. The draperies are a Clarence House fabric. David Buckingham created the gun wall sculpture. 

Artist Shaun Smiths intricately woven wood deer head looks astonishingly like a pixillated computer image. Clarence House fabric drapery, through Culp Associates.

Allen Kirsch designed a glamorous chocolate Venetian plaster powder bath with white oak cabinetry, Emperador  marble counters, and Vitraform glass sink. A niche was built to hold an Asian artifact. The sconces are Boyd, through Donghia.

In the master bedroom, custom floating side tables were made by Kisabeth Furniture; red Womb chair from Knoll; encaustic painting by Brad Ellis; 1860 Chinese daybed used as coffee table, from Oriental Treasures.

Beautiful linens made in Italy by S.D.H. Fine European Linens

Lounge chairs by Kingsley-Bate; limestone pool and Jacuzzi designed by
Naud Burnett & Partners, and built by Distinctive Pools

Artist Barnaby Fitzgerald

Barnaby Fitzgerald

A Must See . . . I discovered Barnaby's Fitzgerald's incredible large scale paintings while dong a story on Cheryl and Kevin Vogel's house (They have a spectacular one hanging in their living room, which you can see in the photos). Fitzgerald, who teaches painting at SMU, is having his first solo show in five years at Valley House Gallery, which opens on Saturday. Born and trained in Italy, there are obvious references to a past classicism that's beautiful even as it crumbles and in the artist's studio. That's what I see in his paintings, but Fitzerald will be talking about his own work on August 25 so it'll be fascinating to hear what he says.

Barnaby Fitzgerald

A fresco painted by Barnaby Fitzgerald

Dallas Design News!

Astier de Villatte ceramics at Grange Hall

Paris-based Astier de Villatte's 18th century-inspired ceramics are created in a Bastille workshop that once held Napoleon's silversmith. Made by hand and covered in a milky glaze, you can still see the beautiful black terracotta undertones. Grange Hall just received a collection of Astier de Villatte's newest pieces . . . 

Astier de Villatte ceramics at Grange Hall

Astier de Villatte ceramics at Grange Hall

Astier de Villatte ceramics at Grange Hall

Astier de Villatte ceramics at Grange Hall

Palissy Lantern by Neirmann Weeks at Laura Lee Clark

Take it home now . . . Neirmann Weeks' beautiful chandeliers used to be only available to the trade and an order could take months to receive. But the luxury furniture and lighting company, which makes everything by hand in Maryland, is responding to our need for instant gratification. Now you can buy selected pieces retail, off the floor. The Shop at Laura Lee Clark just got in a shipment of glamorous lighting that works beautifully in contemporary or traditional rooms, don't you think?

Danieli Chandelier

Capucine Chandelier

Ike Isenhour's front gallery at E.C. Dicken.  Photo by Kelsey Foster

I like Ike . . . designer Ike Isenhour has refreshed the front gallery of one of the oldest trade-only showrooms in Dallas, E.C. Dicken, with a modern feel. Among the pieces that Ike has brought in are a plush gray sofa with clean lines by A. Rudin and chartreuse pillows from NYC based Michelle Hatch. I'm looking forward to seeing Ike's upcoming furniture line, designed with his longtime client and jewelry designer Brenda Schoenfeld. The La Enjoyada line will be carried at E.C. Dicken and launch sometime in October. The designs are under wraps until then, but with Brenda's eye for exquisitely crafted jewelry and Ike's sense of contemporary style, this is one new furniture line to follow closely.

French coffee table at Jan Showers

Summer Showers . . . 

Jan Showers has returned from a shopping trip to Paris, bringing back some gorgeous Texas-sized period coffee tables from the 1940s–1970s.  Look for lots of chrome, glass, Lucite, parchment, brass, and bronze. By the time you read this, Jan will may have already repainted the caramel colored space in her showroom into a deep turquoise to show off these beauties (I love the fact that Jan views turquoise as a neutral). Can't wait to see the transformation!

French coffee table at Jan Showers 

French coffee table at Jan Showers 

French coffee table at Jan Showers

Artist George Sellers' Golden Bugs

George Sellers' 22-karat gold insect sculptures are modeled on 16th century drawings of insects.
Studded with Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones, 
the fantastical creatures go for upwards of $4,700. Photo by Ben Garrett

Beauty and the Beasts . . . George Sellers is a classically-trained artist who studied sculpture in Italy, researching 16th and 17th century renderings of insects to create his new Gilded Beasts collection, available through Ceylon et Cie. George and his nephew Ely Sellers carve these large scale, fantastical creatures from clay, then encrust them with jewels and gild them in 22-karat gold. This beautiful wasp is mounted on a faux bois base, which George carved from plaster and mounted atop natural quartz. It's really an exquisite work of art.

George has been doing the window art for years in New York at luxury jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels, working with the famous Douglas Little. His sculptures remind me of beautifully-crafted brooches, and George admits to being influenced by his years at Van Cleef. 

A praying mantis detail. Photo by Ben Garrett

George Sellers with his golden bugs. Photo by Ben Garrett

Horse hoof table, gilded in 22K gold. Photo by Ben Garrett

This clay scarab will soon be entirely encrusted with jewels, says George. Photo by Ben Garrett

A faux bois lamp, sold through David Sutherland Showroom. Photo by Ben Garrett

Faux bois tables and floor lamp, sold through David Sutherland Showroom. Photo by Ben Garrett

Artist Darius Goodson and George Sellers conferring over drawings of
Darius' Harmonic Forms table designs, which are sold through Ceylon et Cie. Photo by Ben Garrett

Harmonic Forms table designs. Photo by Ben Garrett

Harmonic Forms table designs. Photo by Ben Garrett

Harmonic Forms table designs. Photo by Ben Garrett

Left to right: Artists Darius Goodson, Philip McVean, George Sellers
and Ely Sellers inside George Sellers' Riverfront workshop.Harmonic Photo by Ben Garrett

Behind the scenes . . . 

Behind the Scenes: Me shooting photographer Ben Garrett shooting Darius and George at work

More behind the scenes shots of photographer Ben Garrett at work

George Sellers' Riverfront studio

Sculpture by George Sellers

A beautiful French magazine brought back for inspiration; more of Darius' table sketches

One of a pair of huge leopards created by George Sellers that guard the entrance to the studio

Read Lisa Martin's wonderful story on George Sellers' work inside the current edition of Modern Luxury Interiors Texas, here (turn to page 52).