Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
46° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Home & Garden

Advice From Dallas’ Best Interior Designers

This year’s winners on what they’re loving in home design. (And we share a few of our favorite things, too.)
By |
Image

Best is a great word—just ask the 99 professionals included in our annual ranking of the top interior designers in Dallas. Best represents the elite, in this case, of the local design community. Best is a badge to wear with honor. But what best has in distinction, it lacks in specifics. It doesn’t tell you much about what these designers prioritize, what they covet, how they think. So we posed five questions to our winning designers that would shed a little more light on their tastes and preferences, how they work within a range of price points (which, we should point out, do not necessarily reflect realistic dollar amounts they work with), and where they shop when they’re looking for a steal. We think you’ll find their answers as interesting and wide-ranging as the designers themselves. 


Image


1. If you could buy any home-design item for yourself right now, what would it be?  


A Steinway baby grand piano.
– Mary Anne Smiley 


Some fabulous  Ann Sacks tile!
– Kay Genua 


Six yards of Beacon Hill Mon Cheri Aqua to recover an 18th-century French Régence Canapé.
– Eric Prokesh


An original Giacometti cocktail table—a mere trifle at $800,000!
– Sherry Hayslip


A framed collection of Hermès scarves.
– Margaret Chambers


A Picasso.
– Leslie Jenkins


I just had a client’s closet fitted with unlacquered brass shelving and rods. I cannot resist the urge much longer to complete mine.
– Philip Thomas Vanderford 


A spectacular 18th-century Louis XV mirror from Ernesto Klun. It’s one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen.
– Barry Williams


The Miele sheet presser! It is awesome.
– Jan Jones


A Wolf convection steam oven. It is to food what Tom Ford is to clothes.
David Salem


Art is always my first love and first choice. It defines who you are and can be your wisest investment.
– Stephen Dunn


Something iconic, like maybe a womb chair and ottoman or an egg chair in leather.
– Allen Kirsch


Image


2. Name a specific home-decor item under $500 you love. 


Table linens. Nothing perks your day up more than eating at a beautifully appointed table. 
– Cheryl Van Duyne 


White leather tufted Hassock-style ottomans from Pier 1—less than $50 each. 
– Mary Anne Smiley 


Live plants! Their impact [can be] just as great as the furnishings and art.
– Philip Thomas Vanderford


Restoration Hardware’s Italian Fiore duvet cover. Italian made. Beautiful, Fortuny-like pattern. Two easy-to-work-with colors.
– Eric Prokesh


Fake white orchids from Robert-Lawrence Designs. They are fabulously real and always add sophistication to a room.
– Barbara Vessels


$500! You’ve got to be kidding! Maybe flowers. 
– Allen Kirsch


Trim. It is a sign of thought and thoroughness of a design.
– Vanessa Redman


A reprint of a vintage Condé Nast photograph from Vogue magazine.
– Michelle Nussbaumer


The outdoor Spun chairs designed by Thomas Heatherwick. The uncontrollable laughter they provide is priceless.
– Jen Mauldin


Cashmere blankets.
– Elizabeth White


Image


3. What’s your favorite store/resource for low-cost items that look great?  


I’ve gotten some great-looking things at Target. We all love to find something that looks like twice as much as it costs.
– Jan Showers


The Container Store. Organized homes make everything look better!
– Cheryl Van Duyne


I love CB2. I think they have great, affordable design in many categories for the home.
– Susan Bednar Long


The Nasher Sculpture Center store and many other museum stores usually have high-quality design at affordable prices.
– David Cadwallader


Z Gallerie. Inexpensive options for an instant gratification of “glamy wow.”
– Rhonda Vandiver-White 


Tuesday Morning. They have great deals on luxury bedding and towels.
– Emily Summers


Lula B’s. I always find a piece or two here.
– Mike Mousel


West Elm. They have some of the best designs at any price point. They’re also a company with a conscience.
– Lisa Martensen


Zara Home usually has great accessories and some cool bedding and tabletop pieces.
– Kyle Knight


Image


4. If a client came to you with $25,000, what would you do with it?  


I would update the space they relax in every evening. It is important to reward yourself at the end of every day with a space that comforts you and makes you smile. 
– Debra Stewart


The master bedroom!
– Amy Berry 


I would spend it on a statement piece that immediately makes a huge visual impact.
– Suzan Davidson


Urge my client to purchase a fabulous rug.
– Charlotte Taylor


I always encourage a client to spend the first portion of their budget getting the architectural bones perfected. Then the stage is set for great furnishings and art.
– Philip Thomas Vanderford


I would design custom window treatments and add accent lighting. These two items can finish a space like putting on lipstick and wearing a great pair of shoes can complete your look.
– Cristie Schlosser


I’d rather see a client focus on one area or room and do it well. For the designer and client alike, it makes a real difference to be able to see the impact of the investment.
– Cameron Drinkwater


Create an entryway that reflects my client’s personality while kicking it up a couple of notches. It’s the first and last thing they see in the house, so it needs to be wonderful and create a sense of homecoming. 
– Alana Villanueva


Image


5. If they had $50,000? 


Lighting, lighting, lighting. Crisp, clean light makes you look better, and that’s easily worth $50,000—not to mention your art comes to life. 
– David Salem


With $50,000, you can tackle a nice master bath redo. It’s funny how fast $50,000 can go.
– Russ Peters


Work on architectural frustrations, whether it be lighting, crown molding, hardware, or a wall that desperately needs millwork. Make the commitment to right the architectural wrongs of a space.
– Vanessa Redman


With any budget, I always feel that finishing a room is more satisfying than spreading your budget throughout the house.
– Susan Bednar Long


Start with the basics, focusing on quality of the product over trend. Make those few investment purchases—good things with great style—then add a few really good things (perhaps in a grander scale) for even bigger impact.
– Sherry Hayslip 


Image


For even more from the Best Designers, go to dhome.dmagazine.com.

Credits

Related Articles

Image
Travel

Is Fort Worth Really ‘The New Austin’?

The Times of London tells us it's now the coolest city in Texas.
Image
Dallas 500

Meet the Dallas 500: Chakri Gottemukkala, o9 Solutions

The o9 solutions leader talks about garnering a $3.7 billion valuation, growing 10x over the next few years, and how the company is innovating.
Image
Local News

An Early Look at 2026 FIFA World Cup Logistics

The World Cup matches will be held in Arlington, but Dallas will be home to a great deal of team and fan experiences. We're getting an early look at what that will look like.
Advertisement