VIVA ITALIA
a celebration of Dallas’ love affair with Italy
By Aaron Barker and C.C. Corriveau
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Cantoni’s Ebony and Ivory bedroom collection is pure Italian. |
CONTEMPORARY
Milan is it for contemporary design, and Dallas now has a bevy of stores offering gorgeous Italian. Smink was first to bring it to the city, and for 12 years had the exclusive on B & B Italia—as well as Maxalto and Minotti. “The real art in Italian design,” says owner Jennifer Smink, “is the manner in which Italians mix new products with existing pieces. Their interiors are a stylized medley of family heirlooms and art intermixed with furniture ‘classics’ that date from the mid-’70s forward.“ Cantoni has a broad range of gorgeous Italian pieces, from the classic to the way-out-there. European Living has opened in the Design District. The products they carry are mostly Italian contemporary in style and range from kitchens to furniture for every room in the house. The showroom is open to the public, but it’s already doing a strong designer/architect trade. Snaidero—another Italian kitchen-design store—will also be opening in the Design District in June. Smink, 5370 W. Lovers Ln., Ste. 314. 214-350-0542; Cantoni, 4800 Alpha Rd. 972-934-9191; European Living, 1400 Turtle Creek Blvd., Ste. 100. 214-744-3876; Snaidero, 1616 Hi Line Dr., Ste. B. 214-977-9247.
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European Living brings dozens of new Italian designs to Dallas—straight from this year’s Milan show. |
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Look Out,
Central Expressway
This little beauty can even give the Euro-Italian look to a geek with
a pocket protector. Originally designed for the narrow streets of Rome, Vespa is more than a scooter—for some it’s a way of life. Ferrari of Dallas, 5498 La Sierra Dr. 214-363-1585.
ANTIQUES
ARCHITECTURE
Like anything else, Italian architecture is easy to corrupt, and only a few local architects—Cole Smith Jr., Richard Drummond Davis, Will Snyder, and Robbie Fusch among them—take an authentic approach to Italian design. Examples of excellence: Jerry and Gene Jones’ house on Armstrong Parkway by Cole Smith Sr.; 4721 Bordeaux Avenue, elaborated upon by Richard Drummond Davis; and, from the 1920s, the work of Hal Thompson, which you can see up and down Swiss Avenue. If you’re going to do Italian, do it correctly, or you’ll end up with someone’s idea of Italian. Like Walt Disney’s.
By Richard Drummond Davis
4300 Armstrong Pkwy.
1220 Washington Terrace, Fort Worth
4530 Woodfin Dr.
10620 Strait Ln.
3516 Beverly Dr.
4271 Bordeaux Ave.
By Will Snyder
10710 Inwood Rd.
3901 Glenwick Dr.
611 S. White Chapel Rd., Southlake
By Robbie Fusch
4703 Cherokee Trail
Recommended by Virginia McAlester
5205 Swiss Ave.
built in 1918, architect Hal Thompson
5314 Swiss Ave.
built in 1914, architect Hal Thompson
5736 Swiss Ave.
built in 1923, architect Bertram Hill
5907 Swiss Ave.
built in 1929, architect Bertram Hill
5439 Swiss Ave.
built in 1919, architect Hal Thompson
DESIGN THE RIGHT WAY
To get real Italian design, find a designer or decorator who has studied in Italy—no, hitchhiking through Europe in the ’60s doesn’t count. If you visit a decorator’s office and see piles of swatches and samples but no books on Italian design, turn around and walk out the door. Venturing into the realm of a specific architectural time and place without scholarship will only produce fakery.
Designers who are doing it right: Sherry Hayslip, Emily Summers, Margaret Chambers, and Lynn Sears.
GAMES
If you’re lucky and can afford it, you can hire Paul Fields of Lambert Landscape Company to design your very own boccie ball court, like this one in Preston Hollow. Otherwise, contact the Italian Club of Dallas (www.italianclubofdallas.org) for information on their boccie tournaments. Lambert Landscape Company, 6333 Denton Dr. 214-350-8350.
MID-CENTURY MODERN
Go to Collage 20th Century Classics. Abby Malowanczyk has a major clientele of mid-century purists and a stellar reputation among the cognoscenti. 1300 N. Industrial Blvd. 214-828-9888.
When Tuscan-born fashion editor Gianna Madrini moved from Italy to New York City, the leap was great, but it was nothing compared to her move to Dallas where, until 15 years ago, Chef Boyardee was about it. She lacks for nothing in the new Dallas where she’s now based (shuttling between her offices in Deep Ellum and NYC) and living with her husband Gregg Fussell, a builder. We visited her at home on Main Street, sipped Italian coffee, and took some serious notes.
MID-CENTURY CLASSICS
Collage is one of my favorite places for 20th-century pieces, such as my Gio Ponti chairs. We purchased most of our collection of handblown Italian lamps at Century Modern in Deep Ellum; they also carry Desimone pottery and Arte Luce floor lamps. Collage, 1300 N. Industrial Blvd. 214-828-9888; Century Modern, 2928 Main St. 214-651-9200.
CUSTOM-MADE
Lost Arts is a wonderful source for replicas; they made 17th-century Italian bookshelves for my ever-growing library. Santiago Peña made our dining table. It’s concrete and steel, inset with antique Italian tiles, and shaped like an ironing board. That table can withstand everything from spilt wine to people dancing on it. Lost Arts Preservation, 825 S. Trunk Ave. 214-565-1055; Santiago Peña Designs, 3015 Main St. 214-748-7619.
DINING IN
For fresh pasta and lobster ravioli, go directly to Civello’s Raviolismo on Peak Street. Jimmy’s on Bryan at Fitzhugh is by far the best market in town for cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano; Italian sausage; spicy Sicilian olives; and a good selection of fine Italian wines. For authentic Italian bread, I love the pane rustico from Empire Baking Co. Civello’s Raviolismo, 1318 N. Peak St. 214-827-2989; Jimmy’s Food Store, 4901 Bryan St. 214-823-6180; Empire Bakery Co., 5450 W. Lovers Ln. 214-350-0007 and other locations.
DINING OUT
Eccolo is my recommendation for a great Italian meal. Their mozzarella burratta is amazing; I also recommend the risotto. Ferre in the West Village is a great new addition; they serve a perfect cappuccino. For pizza it has to be Arcodoro/Pomodoro. Real Italian pizza is ultra thin and crispy, with flavorful ingredients like fresh mozzarella, basil, and spicy Italian sausage. No other place in Dallas even comes close. Eccolo, 4900 McKinney Ave. 214-521-3560; Ferre, 3699 McKinney Ave. 214-522-3888; Arcodoro/Pomodoro, 2708 Routh St. 214-871-1924.
SHOES
Stanley Korshak has, by far, the best shoe salon. (My favorite shoes—for men and women—are by Casare Paciotti.) For shoe emergencies, I go to Nickos on Lemmon Avenue. He’s a former shoe designer, and he used to live in Florence. Stanley Korshak, 500 Crescent Court, Ste. 100. 214-871-3630; Nickos, 3900 Lemmon Ave. 214-528-4449.
TOILETRIES
My husband loves Aqua di Parma and can’t live without their powder. You can find Aqua di Parma colognia, candles, and toiletries at Neiman Marcus downtown. Neiman Marcus, 1618 Main St. 214-741-6911.
TOWELS AND LINENS
Anything Frette! And nothing else. The Linen Gallery, 7001 Preston Rd., Ste. 100. 214-522-6700.
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