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Martha Does Dallas
We asked the embattled domestic goddess a few questions during her recent trip to Dallas.
by Jessica Shapard
Martha’s Chair
Martha’s favorite piece in her new furniture line is the Irish Ringback chair, a reproduction of a 19th-century Hepplewhite wingback chair. She says only six originals still exist in the world “and, of course, she owns all six.
Martha’s Secret Tips
Preserve “or introduce” old-home character with restoration glass. Martha only uses restoration glass, which distorts things a bit, in the windows of her old home to give it that authentic feel.
Powder coat furniture for the kitchen or home office. Martha found a metal desk, shelving system, and tables for her kitchen at an old flea market, but the paint was in bad shape. She had her auto mechanic strip off the old paint and powder coat it with a brand new finish.
Use decorative dishes for feeding pets. With seven cats, two dogs, and 50 canaries, Martha feeds a lot of indoor pets each day. She serves her pets meals on antique Japanese dishes to avoid having unsightly metal bowls lying around.
I like the tall, rusty thing. Martha on Richard Serra’s Vortex, the statue that graces the front lawn of The Modern in Fort Worth. |
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| The Campaign living room. |
Martha’s Houses
I collect houses, Martha says of her five homes on the East Coast, from which she draws inspiration for the Martha Stewart Signature Collection, her new line of furniture, paint, and floor coverings available at Gabbert’s.
Turkey Hill, Westport, Connecticut. Situated on an old onion farm, this is Martha’s main residence and the studio for her CBS television show.
Lily Pond, eastern end of Long Island. Martha’s 19th-century, shingle-style cottage on the beach.
Bunshaft, Long Island. A contemporary 100-by-120-foot home built by architect Gordon Bunshaft. While it’s not the typical Martha style, the house serves as a testing ground for more modern design ideas.
Skylands, eastern coast of Maine. Skylands overlooks the ocean and is sited within a pine forest/marsh. Martha bought this property on a whim while on a weekend trip to the beach.
Cantitoe Corners, Bedford, New York. Martha’s newest acquisition, a farm complete with a herd of Hereford cows, is still under renovation.
Gabbert’s, 13342 Midway Rd. 972-233-3232; 6301 Oakmont Blvd., Fort Worth. 817-346-5600.
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Have You Heard…
Construction on the trendy Art House condominiums is underway again. In fact, we’ve heard that architect Lionel Morrison is moving in, and that he even used a cherry picker to survey the view from his new digs before building. What foresight. More news on Knox Street, Dallas own hoppin furniture district. First, blow a kiss goodbye to trendy sushi hut Fishbowl and veddy veddy traditional Thomasville. Next, say hello to Pottery Barn Kids, moving into the old Fishbowl spot. (Let’s hope the sea-urchin smell moves out before the bunk beds move in.) Restaurateur Susie Priore and founding chef Russell Hodges of Suze are opening Iris, a new restaurant featuring art by Frank Tolbert, Dan Rizzie, and other local artist friends. The subject of all of the art is irises, of course. Around the corner at Highland Park Village, Kelly Ford, wife of SMU benefactor Gerald Ford, is opening Madison, a sassy little linen boutique in half of the old Prada spot sometime this summer.
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Home Inspiration
Need design ideas for your abode? Visit these unconventional spots.
HOTEL ZAZA
The Shagadelic Suite at this hip, Uptown boutique hotel is 60s mod in a far-out, happenin way. Very groovy. 2332 Leonard St. 214-468-8399.
JIMMY CHOO
The sumptuous interior of this shoe store to the stars is akin to a 1940s French Boudoir. In lavender, no less. 79 Highland Park Village. 214-528-6801.
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The Local Look
What do you get when you blend contemporary decor with historical architecture and modern cuisine? Why, the new hot spot in town, of course. Co-owners Alice Cottrell and Tracy Miller have turned Deep Ellum’s LOCAL into a refined feast for the eyes, as well as the palate. The cafe is housed in the Boyd Hotel, which was built in 1908 and is the oldest standing hotel in Dallas. The mural that looms over patrons touts Cuardi, a 19-proof women’s tonic (nothing quite that stout on the wine list, unfortunately). A local designer herself, Alice’s mix of old and way-too-chic new impressed us so that we inquired how we could get the Local look at home. She graciously indulged our request after stuffing our stomachs with Tracy’s hazelnut-crusted halibut and homemade devil’s food cake. Talk about your local treasure.
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Get the Local Look
The owners of Local, the hottest table in Dallas, gave us the inside scoop on their fab furnishings and how you, too, can emulate their look.
Local’s guests bask in a warm, sexy glow cast by two linen-shade chandeliers. Fixtures by Murray’s Ironworks, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste. 630. 214-742-5111.
There’s no bar to cool your Prada heels at, but cute, mod, and best of all functional stools greet guests waiting for a much-sought-after table. The stools, by New York-based Arvid, are covered in black, cream, and camel mohair from Zax and a festive floral piece from the 20th Century collection by Alexander Girard. Stool by Arvid, www.arvidinc.com. Coverings by Maharam, 1400 Turtle Creek Blvd., Ste. 119. 214-741-1567.
The art at Local is a joyous and eclectic mix. San Francisco-based artist Rex Ray used fashion magazines to create the colorful collages that dot Local’s walls. Each piece is mounted on birch plywood. Rex also does album covers for artists such as David Bowie and Beck “tr’s cool. (Left) Alice turned this fork-and-knife wallpaper by London-based Tracy Kendall into whimsical art for Local’s private dining area. Rex Ray, www.rexray.com. Tracy Kendall, www.tracykendall.com. Local, 2936 Elm St., Ste. A. 214-752-7500.
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Happy Birthday
| JULY Ben Breard 7/4 Bill Powdrill 7/5 Mark Rose 7/5 Laura Villasenor 7/12 Gregg LeMaster 7/16 Brian Roughton 7/18 Milton Kent 7/22 Charles Clifton 7/29 Nick Hamblen 7/30 Jimmy Manheim 7/30 Dori Thornhill 7/30 Lisa Kitterman 7/31 | AUGUST Sherry Hayslip 8/4 Gary Martin 8/5 David Quadrini 8/8 Tony Altermann 8/10 Thomas Grant 8/15 Mark Nash 8/18 Carlos Gutierrez 8/19 Todd Festi 8/21 Jeff Records 8/21 Charlie Givens 8/22 Lindley Welch 8/23 Claudia Reese 8/27 Michael Davis 8/30 Randy Smith 8/31 Ken Reiser 8/31 |
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Things We Love
The new Bodum shop on Knox Street is a caffeine fiend’s dream come true. Stocked with carafes, pots, and beans galore “not to mention a speedy coffee bar, naturally “it was love at first sip. But our palpitating hearts belong to Bodum’s Santos coffee maker. Using the science of electric vacuum brewing (which we still don’t understand), the Santos makes one robust pot of coffee. Plus, its opaque, colorful choices (blue, clear, and, our favorite, tangerine) make it an oh-so-stylish joy to wake up and smell the java. Yes, even on Saturday. Bodum, 3103 Knox St. 214-522-0800.
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Nasher Novelties
Mary Bloom is the woman behind the scenes at the new Nasher Sculpture Center, due to open this October. Co-founder of the legendary home boutique Translations, Mary is now the chief consultant and buyer for the museum’s gift shop. Mary envisions the store as a reflection of the aesthetic excellence and superb quality of the Nasher collection, a place where museum-goers can purchase meaningful pieces of functional art. The selection will include flatware by Renzo Piano, architectural glassworks by Dallas native Alison Berger (pictured here), streamlined ceramics from Splat, Nasher coffee mugs designed by Jonathan Adler, and an array of coloring books and educational toys for children. “Chloe Harris
The Store at Nasher Sculpture Center, 8080 North Central Expwy., St. 830. 214-891-8570. www.nashersculpturecenter.org.
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We’re doing fine, but tract houses are selling like shoes.
Luxury homebuilder Michael Munir of Sharif-Munir on the Dallas real estate market.
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French Kiss
Lighten up your dcor this summer by draping beds and tables with vintage French linens from the Fitting Room. Owner Bea Harper stocks a wide array of hand-embroidered bedsheets, pillowcases, napkins, and tablecloths. Bea’s supplier, Hedda Dowd of Paper Harvest, finds the linens in the French countryside, where they are restored to mint condition before being shipped to America. These linens are perfect”and some are from the 1920s, Hedda says. Prices range from $265 for 12 large napkins to $800 for a flat sheet and pair of pillow shams. “Alisse Wobser
The Fitting Room, 4111 Lomo Alto Dr. 214-520-3600.
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Ken Knight’s Book Club
You’re sure to be awed by the expansive scale of this photographic and illustrative treat (310 images, 270 in full color) covering the most spectacular cathedrals across the nations of the former Holy Roman Empire: France, England, Spain, Italy, and Germany. If the book leaves you craving a closer look, check out Highland Park Methodist Church, adjacent to the SMU campus. Great Cathedrals by Bernhard Schutz ($85)
