Interior Motives
Dishing the dirt on the Dallas design scene.
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| POSH PAPER: New-to-the-United-States Wimborne papers by Farrow & Ball of England are available at David Sutherland. Two designs based on 18th-century French documents use F&B’s incredible paints – 30 percent more pigment, super-rich color, one-coat coverage – and are so detailed you can actually feel the texture. Sutherland has yet to start carrying the paints, but let’s hope it hapens soon! |
’Tis the season when clever showrooms might consider handing out “happy pills” along with the Hershey’s Kisses. Everyone’s in a mad rush to finish projects before the holidays -clients start calling after Labor Day, says Kim Turner, allied member A.S.I.D, of K.T. Designs, busy herself finishing up a home in Rockwall for a major computer games creator. Cheryl Van Duyne, A.S.I.D., will likely be spending some of her holidays in the Turtle Creek area on her newest business venture: remodeling (more like gutting) her two spec condos, one a 4,000-square-foot penthouse at The Warrington that will be to-die-for when Cheryl signs off.
ON THE BOERDER:
Troy Aikman has hired architect Larry Boerder to design his future home at 4425 Highland Drive in HP. Down the street, designer and special-finish artist Jo Mattison and husband Billy should have their halls decked this holiday season: They just turned their entire Park Cities living room into a bar. “We got the idea sitting in the George V bar at the Four Seasons in Paris,” says Billy, “not so much for the décor but for the people watching.” Guests used to hang in their kitchen near the Limoncello and Glenlivet during parties; now the spirits have moved to the front, literally. Michael Stallings, talented brother of Sherry Hayslip, produced and designed the antique pine bar, made from turn-of-the-century wood, a thick onyx counter, hand-forged ironwork, and French Brittany-style carvings. Cheers!
Shhh….Joanie Wyll, A.S.I.D. has taken over the 15,800-square-foot challenge in North Dallas. Contractual clause prevents her from uttering a word on it yet. She didn’t, but she did say it will be fabulous when done…in about nine months. No doubt.
Football season is almost over, but Dallas designer Michael Capuano of Wilson & Associates has to fill approximately 1.2 football fields, or 65,000 square feet, in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. It’s a private Sheika’s pad, (don’t they call these megahomes “palaces”?), which he will likely load with Design Center treasures.
The U.A.E. project is not the young, attractive Italian’s first in the Mideast. He warmed up on a massive 50,000-square-foot, three-level Saudi Arabian residence when he first arrived at Wilson in 2000. Opulent and over-the-top? Try gold leaf on the entire curved back wall of a huge, Texas-sized bar. And Michael’s not even sure they can serve alcohol.
Baroque is not necessarily Michael’s style, his personal tastes running to neoclassic and mid-century modern. So what’s in Michael’s own 700-square-foot-home on Hood Street? Aggregate floors – his is an early Oglesby – mirrored backsplashes, and thrifty pieces including a consignment sofa he spotted for $50 then upholstered with silk that pal Julio Quinones found in the back of Pam Yates’ workroom; a headboard made from a piece of frosted glass that was once a desktop; and Lucite luggage stands topped with Pottery Barn ebony trays for nightstands. Favorite haunts: Therian of L.A., Ernesto Klun, I.D. Collection, George Cameron Nash – “top-notch quality if you can afford it” – and Craig Roberts, the best lighting designer in Dallas, according to Michael.
A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN. OKAY, A HOUSE:
One of Michael Capuano’s major Dallas design projects was a private home at 5323 Rock Cliff Place in Preston Hollow that he did under Marco French, formerly of Wilson & Associates. The restored mid-century modern Harwood K. Smith design was listed by David Nichols of David Griffin & Company and recently sold to Kelcy Warren who owns the estate behind it and has a 3,810-square-foot guesthouse in mind.
ROOM SERVICE 24/7:
Wouldn’t you love to have in-home, around-the-clock room service, especially during the holidays? Well, now you can: Ann Fox’s Lovers Lane store launched its first national catalog, Room Service Home, in September. Any minute now you will be getting the very first RSH holiday catalog loaded with Room Service linens (like her Bella Notte bedding line), lamps, furnishings, and personal gift picks. My fave: a six-piece pink crocodile-textured leather barware set (pieces also priced individually from $28-$85) for a rose-colored holiday. Might we see some pink flasks in mommies’ Prada bags come December 24?
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| POP FURNITURE: Obar’s swank Tokyo Pop patio furniture |
STARK MAD:
At Obar, that sizzlin’ new subterranean lounge on Main Street next to Neiman Marcus, the Tokyo Pop white patio furniture was purchased from HaRoo & HaRoo. The Philippe Starck mirror at the entry landing came from Scott + Cooner. Can’t figure out what that pattern is on the bar? Designer Larry Traxler (Wilson & Associates) must have been watching “ER”: It looks like DNA on one side, red corpuscles on the other.
MOVIN’ ON UP…NORTH:
The Cabbage Patch, 901 S. Jupiter Road in Garland, plans a move to Plano. As of this writing there has been a “hiccup” in the lease for a Preston and Parker Road location. We recommend two sugar cubes…for the landlord.
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HOTNOT
Meri-Kay Star, A.S.I.D.
HOT
Metallics are creeping into surfaces, like wallpapers and fabrics
NOT
Faux finishes on everything. One room is acceptable. Otherwise it’s “faux-verkill”!
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LOVER’S QUARREL: Partner moves out, steals his ex’s solo sofa cushion to render the 20-year mid-century modern piece useless – and (more) unattractive. Jilted lover finds foam, batting, and fabulous raw silk. Nips, tucks, and sells to chic Design Center showroom. Pauper sofa ends up in $2.5-million Highland Park living room.
