THRIFT STUDIO 2015

Mary Anne Smiley + Bernadette Schlaeffler Collection

SNEEK PEEK  Dwell with Dignity's Thrift Studio opened on April 24, and it's the most colorful yet. (Photographer Lance Seligo of Unique Exposure shot the designer vignettes.) 

It's for an amazing cause, dear to the heart of many Dallas designers. To read more about Dwell with Dignity's mission, go here. This year's lineup of designers and showrooms is stellar: Mary Anne Smiley Interiors + Bernadette Schlaeffler Collection; Tiffany McKenzie + Jan Showers Collection; Brittany Cobb for the Dallas Flea; Cantoni; Doniphan Moore; Duncan Miller Ullman; Ellie Visconti + Pettigrew; Reagan Nickelson + Carlin & Company + Duralee; Shelly Lloyd Design + Brendan Bass Showroom + Robert Allen. 

Doniphan Moore

Reagan Nickelson + Carlin & Company + Duralee

Tiffany McKenzie + Jan Showers Collection

Holly Hunt's Glam New Dallas Showroom!

Holly Hunt showroom in the Dallas Design District

ON THE HUNT . . . She's one of the best-known names in luxury furniture design, and Holly Hunt's roots go deep in Texas. Raised in San Antonio, she studied English at Texas Tech, and went through the executive training program at Foley's in Houston before a fortuitous transition to design, when she bought a small furniture showroom in Chicago. That one decision changed everything for her—and the direction of design—spurring on a sleek yet glamorous look that keeps going strong. Hunt has since opened eight showrooms—including a multi-story one that just opened in the Dallas Design District—and two in the works in London and Houston. (Hunt's exquisite detailing and a demand for perfection were noticed by Knoll International, which recently bought her company for a reported $95 million.)

Like boutique hotels and well-designed building lobbies, showrooms are becoming great places to snag ideas for residential decorating, including current color trends and furniture placement. Here are some of my favorite shots from the newly opened Dallas showroom. The multi-levels are dramatic, and I especially love Hunt's color sense and her fun vignettes.

The showroom's grand staircase with Stilt Coupe chair and ottoman

Holly Hunt's Arthur cocktail table

Holly Hunt's Reve occasional chair

Holly Hunt's Barbarella stools in yellow

Barbarella stools detail

Holly Hunt's Fortis bed

Holly Hunt's Spectacles table

Holly Hunt's leather studio

Holly Hunt's leathers

Holly Hunt; Photo by Anna Knott

Poul Kjaerholm's Entire Collection Just Re-Released!

Poul Kjaerholm's PK-22 lounge chair and PK-65 table

The Danes do it best . . . Danish designer Poul Kjaerholm's original, fine midcentury modern furniture is expensive and hard to find. That's one reason why celebrated Danish furniture manufacturer Fritz Hansen (founded in 1872) acquired the rights to the entire Poul Kjaerholm collection, pieces from which are already starting to arrive at Scott+Cooner in Dallas. So far, it's the only place you can get the collection in Texas, if not the southwest. 

This is exciting news for anyone interested in great midcentury or Danish design (most of these pieces were designed in the late 1950s and mid-1960s). Kjaerholm's simple and sophisticated aesthetic is unsurpassed—he pushed the limits of refinement with natural materials such as marble, wood, leather and canvas. Even though this is a re-release, the quality is going to be there, since Fritz Hansen is known for meticulous craftsmanship and using the best materials. This is by no means the entire collection, but these are some of my favorite pieces and room shots:

Poul Kjaerholm's PK-62, PK-63 and PK-65 tables

PK-31 two-seater, designed in 1958

Poul Kjaerholm's PK-12 arm chair, PK-55 desk

3 Cool Modern Kitchens!

Valcucine's Sine Tempore kitchen

Made in Italy, sold in Dallas . . . it's safe to say there's a plethora of very chic kitchen showrooms across Texas now, all vying for a cut in the luxury market. My favorite kitchens tend to be German (such as Eggersmann) and Italian (such as Bon Tempi Cucine). But today, I'm focusing on Italian handcrafted Valcucine kitchens, which are available to the public and to the trade, through the newly-opened Pohlenz Dallas Valcucine showroom. Architect Scott Pohlenz fell in love with the kitchens while working in London, and brought the line to a showroom he co-owned in Tulsa, then opened Pohlenz Dallas Valcucine earlier this spring. The Dallas showroom carries 20 other Italian lines, including baths, doors and closet systems. 

The Sine Tempore kitchens are handcrafted in elm wood and can be customized with Old World hand carving, as shown below, in almost any design.

WORK OF ART . . .

Valcucine's new Arte kitchen

If you're more into sleek and modern than carved wood, Valcucine's new Arte kitchens are extraordinary for their ability to be customized like works of art. Handmade by artisans in Italy, they are crafted in matte glass and customizable with your own artwork or select from 12 standard designs. Each glass panel is one-of-a-kind and layered on eco-sustainable wood cabinetry.

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT . . .

Valcucine's Logica kitchen

Probably one of the most high-tech kitchens I've experienced (seeing one in person is a treat), the Logica has a spectacularly-engineered, long cantilevered door, constructed of a single piece of glass that raises with a simple lift of the finger, revealing shelving, storage and plenty of workspaces and cubby holes. But the high tech aspects that I love the most are the removable electric outlets that can be popped off and easily relocated anywhere along the electrified strip (see below). But don't worry about the safety—I think an induction cooktop analogy works best here—meaning that you can touch the strip and not get shocked. I know, I tried it! I haven't seen this employed anywhere else yet, and I keep wondering why someone hasn't developed it for use in rooms, as well?

Valcucine's Arte kitchen

I thought I'd end with this image, since I love how this Arte kitchen can close up like a cabinet, and the outside glass is really a work of art that can be anything you want, by anyone. I'd love to see versions by Texas artists David Bates or Dan Rizzie, wouldn't you?

Niermann Weeks Collaboration with Laura Lee Clark, and a Party!

Lille Ceiling Fixture, $7,380

Love It!  Believe it or not, this delightful object is a ceiling light. It's part of the new collection from Niermann Weeks, the Maryland company that produces handcrafted lighting and furniture. Laura Lee Clark has partnered with Niermann Weeks in an exclusive collaboration to bring their works to Dallas in a big way—there's plenty of room to showcase it all in her new 5,000 square foot showroom at 1515 Slocum Street. 

You're invited to her grand opening party Thursday, May 16 from 6:00-9:00 PM. I hope you come—I will be there, of course (Texas Interiors is the media sponsor). Laura Lee's parties are known for being among the best in the Design District—she always has a well-stocked bar and great food, and it's where  the most interesting designers and their clients seem to gather. 

The President of Niermann Weeks, Justin Bennix, will be there to help give away a pair of fabulous Neirmann Weeks lamps. Hope you win!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from their newest collection:

Melbourne Chaise Longue, $6,430

Tissage Dining Table, $8,190

Marten Coffee Table, $8,530

Serpentine Bed, $14,920

Trocadero Fireplace Screen, $3,240

Kitchens, Baths, Limited Edition Gio Ponti, a Dixie Chick's Amazing Abode and More!

Spring 2013 edition of Modern Luxury Interiors Texas
Cover Photo by Stephen Karlish

Splish Splash . . .  The spring issue of Modern Luxury Interiors Texas celebrates our one-year anniversary with a wonderful feature on kitchens and baths, written by Executive Editor Connie Dufner. The cover story, photographed by Stephen Karlisch and written by Carla Jordan, just happens to have a gorgeous kitchen, but you'll love the rest of the house, too. It's the work of Dallas architect Jason Smith of SmithArc and Dallas interior designer Ashley Tripplehorn-Hunt. 

To read the terrific story and see more of Stephen's stellar photography, go here and flip through the digital edition. The kitchens and bath story begins on page 102. Here's a peek inside:

Bathroom by Waterworks, turn to page 105

Crystal bath and kitchen containers by Saint Louis, at Hermes; turn to page 103

Don't you just love the idea of storing leftovers in the fridge in these glamorous new containers? The tops come in a graphite gray color, too. What a great housewarming gift! 




Living with Geometry. . . 

Romeo Sozzi's Aziza armchair at Promemoria, turn to page 66

Read about how Promemoria designer Romeo Sozzi took some of the company's best-selling furniture and re-imagined them in a whole new way with optical illusions and geometry and angles. Here's a few pieces from the new collection that are my favorites. Turn to page 66 in the magazine for the story.

Two-toned velvet Bilou-Bilou chair, turn to page 66

Leather Scarlett table on hidden casters, turn to page 66

Signed and limited . . . 

Limited edition Gio Ponti collaboration with Molteni & C, at Smink

Gio Ponti is one of the most celebrated designers of modern time, so I loved working on this story about Molteni & C's collaboration with the Ponti family to produce a collection of signed and limited edition pieces—including those once in Ponti's own home. Smink in Dallas is one of only a handful of showrooms in the world to carry it, and one of three in the U.S. where you can buy it. Click here and turn to page 40 to read the story.

Gio Ponti limited edition table

Gio Ponti limited edition rug

Pitch Perfect . . . 

Dixie Chicks' Martie Mcguire at home
Photo by Colleen Duffley

This story is hands-down my very favorite this month. Photographer Colleen Duffley and I have worked together off and on for 15 years and when she brought me the idea of photographing her longtime friend and Dixie Chicks member, Martie Mcguire, at her cool Austin abode, I was thrilled. The photos are jaw-droppingly beautiful, as are the rooms. Senior contributing editor Helen Thompson, who wrote about Martie's sister Emily Robison years ago for Metropolitan Home, wrote a fabulous story to go with the stunning images. Mcguire loves interior design and she not only talks about how her house came together, but where she loves to shop. You'll hang on every word, I promise. Click here and turn to page 50 to read the story.

The breakfast room inside Martie Mcguire's Austin home is a contrast of shadow and light, with great views.
Photo by Coleen Duffley.

A peek inside Martie Mcguire's recording studio at home, which she designed herself
Photo by Colleen Duffley

8 Things

  1)

Eight things I Like Right Now . . . include Roche Bobois' new 2013 spring-summer collection of tables and chests that are innovative and beautiful and fresh, such as the Precious cocktail table, above, designed by Cederic Ragot. and the Iron Tree cocktail tables, made from handwoven wire on stainless steel, and the Colors Column chest of drawers by Fabrice Berrux, both below.


2)

Colors Column 

 3)

Iron Tree cocktail table 

4) Saint Louis' new crystal lighting pendants at Hermes 

Saint Louis crystal pendant, at Hermes

5) Real art at Smink

Timothy Hearsom painting at Smink

Not just sofa art, if you please.

6) Claus Pummer's new Design District showroom

Pummer in the Dallas Design District

German and European furniture design, with a heart. Open since early February, owner Claus Pummer is also a holistic sleep specialist, who consults.

6) Vessels for Octopuses, at Carl Moore Antiques

Each naturally figured terra cotta pot was submerged under the Mediterranean sea
and used as habitats for individual octopuses, at Carl Moore Antiques. Under $400

8) The return of Limousine Cloth

Gleam Weaver by Gretchen Bellinger

Gretchen Bellinger, who made Limousine Cloth famous in the '70s, is back in Dallas at E.C. Dicken

Steeling Beauty by Gretchen Bellinger