Finding a good Dallas wallpaper hanger, or upholsterer for that matter, is no easy feat. Our search began with mothers, friends, teachers—even the patients and staff at our dentists’ offices. Once we managed to compile a list, we researched the services, pricing, company history, and unique selling propositions of the most highly recommended. Then we contacted the Better Business Bureau to make certain these firms came up clean, with no complaints lodged. Finally, we checked references and asked ourselves if indeed these were people we’d want to do business with. If the answer was yes, they appear in the listing that follows.
WALLPAPER HANGER CONTRACTORS
Wallpaper is back! If anyone should know, it’s Thybony, the paint and wallpaper company with a pedigree that can be traced to 1886. Showroom Manager Jimi Franklin says all kinds of wallcoverings are selling well. Another indispensable trendspotter, designer Beverly Field, says, “Back? It’s never been out. It’s been in since the Ming Dynasty. Forget paint—you can drag it, rag it, or stipple it, and you still won’t have the look or the charm of wallpaper.” With wallpapers enjoying such encomiums, we went in search of the best professional wallpaper hangers in the Dallas area. Those we identified are specialists in the impossible: They install canvas over alligatored surfaces, correct crooked walls, hang paper or fabric in the most finicky fashion, and attend to an infinitude of details, all without mucking up your home.
Dan Parr
1923 Euclid Ave. 214-828-9645.
Described by one purveyor of fine wallcoverings as, “Prompt and clean—he comes prepared with all his tools, tables, and sponges; he just needs water, then he’s good to go.” This year Dan Parr celebrates his 21st year as a professional paperhanger. Previously, he taught school and worked summers assisting a wallpaper installer/interior designer who later became famous and from whom he learned tricks of the trade that a do-it-yourselfer wouldn’t know and couldn’t do. Now he puts up all types of residential wallcoverings from grasses to textiles to murals. He works on establishing a soothing rapport with clients, apprising them in advance of all phases of the job. Parr treats every room as an artistic work-in-progress and believes that without an understanding of art, pattern, design, and layout, the result can appear amateurish. “Preparation of walls is critical,” he says. “Even with the most expensive papers in the world, if the preparation is not perfect, the job won’t look good.” His clients taste runs toward the high-end classic and traditional. “What’s hot now?” we queried. Answer: “Fabrics and grasses that were popular in the ’70s and ’80s, especially Italian textiles and Italian and Asian grass cloths.” He charges $15 an hour for prep, $25 a roll for installation, and will give estimates over the phone.
David Wasson
3420 Hidalgo Dr. 214-357-2183.
One of Highland Park’s liveliest and most with-it residents swears by David Wasson. “Everyone I talk to seems to use him,” she says. Here’s what others are saying: “He’s absolutely the best,” “He’s professional when scheduling time to measure and installs quickly and without error,” and “He’s friendly but attends to business.” He specializes in high-end coverings that are difficult to work with. Consider the Gracie panels (available at George Cameron Nash), which are hand-painted on silk, linen, or paper. The panels are custom-drawn according to the size of the room and installed in such a way that they can be taken down and moved to another home—as well they should with a starting price around $2,000 a panel. He also removes layer upon layer of paper, linen, and burlap in 100-year-old murals and restores them. Another specialty is putting in Homasote panels to insulate music rooms. (More typically, they’re used to contain noise in teenagers bedrooms.) He works on a time-and-material basis, charging by the roll and estimating the amount of time it will take to install. On larger jobs he estimates the cost of each application.
Jerry Jackson Wallcovering
423 Parkhurst Dr. 214-327-5087 or 214-522-2285.
You’ll have to go through your designer to get to Jerry Jackson—he deals in made-to-measure papers, hand-painted fabrics, almost any type of wallcovering, and he’s been at it for 30 years. His trading area is the Park Cities and other affluent areas of Dallas, working with clients whose tastes run to such recondite installations as de Gournay wallcoverings. De Gournay (found at Walter Lee Culp Associates) makes sumptuous hand-painted papers with designs adapted from the grand houses of 18th- and 19th-century Europe. We’re talking classic chinoiserie, French 19th-century scenes, specialist metallic grounds, and custom color-ways. Imagine the complexity of hanging antique-finished bleached silk or hand-blocked printed paper manufactured in the style used 200 years ago in France. Jackson specializes in such difficult projects, and he charges according to the type of paper or fabric used.
Jim Norris
2317 Diamond Oaks Dr., Garland. 214-235-2885.
Jim Norris has been a self-employed wallpaper hanger in Dallas-Fort Worth since 1977. He practices his craft the old-school way– “proper wall preparation, pre-determination of the position of seams, and careful placement of the pattern, both horizontally and vertically.” He learned the trade through an apprenticeship and from other contractors he worked for. Designers and private clients love his work because he’s a neatnik with a passion for detail. He hangs all kinds of specialty papers: hand-painted silk murals, burlap, linen, torn parchment, high-end silk-screen paper, and tempera-painted Gracie murals (available at George Cameron Nash). But more affordable, pre-pasted papers are also within his ken. Credit his many years of experience and customer loyalty to re-hanging engagements (sometimes thrice) at clients homes. His trading territory covers the greater Dallas area, but extends well beyond for special customers. He charges by the job, not by the roll, because of the variances in preparation, size of roll, and difficulty of installation.
Joe James
2206 Lynnbrook Ln., Garland. 469-585-8664.
A carpenter by trade, Joe James studied geology while playing football at Oklahoma State University. He started his wallpaper business in 1985 while still in school handling both residential and commercial work. His claim to fame is his dust free wall preparation techniques. He’s leapt such hurdles as putting up 46 rolls of wallpaper in a master bath with a 24-foot ceiling. Another feat: He hung commercial vinyl throughout the common areas of a major medical facility—while the building was occupied and while doctors were seeing patients. Those concerned about bringing outsiders into the home, take heart: James has been cleared to work in several top-secret facilities without an escort. His clients number in the thousands in the greater Dallas area and throughout Texas, but he’s free to work anywhere, providing details can be worked out. He charges by the job, not by the roll, but his prices are competitive.
Kevin Clinkenbeard Contracting
5227 Fairmount Dr., Grapevine. 214-478-3246.
This recommendation came via one of Dallas most exacting designers. Kevin Clinkenbeard’s father was in the painting and wallcoverings business in the Dallas area all of his adult life, so it was natural for him and his three brothers to follow suit. Clinkenbeard started working during summers in high school and was contracting by his early 20s –some 25 years ago. Most of his projects come through designers, builders, or remodeling contractors. He specializes in upper-end wallcoverings –custom papers, panels, grass cloths, weaves, and textile– for both residential and commercial projects. Services include wall and ceiling preparation, carpentry for trims and moldings, special paint finishes, and texturing, so they handle the whole wall shebang. He once had to hang a Ming Dynasty watercolored mural for a resident of The Mansion. It had been taken from Nureyev’s apartment in New York and was valued at $80,000. Another challenge was papering a stairwell that was six stories high. For prep work, he charges by the hour plus cost of materials; for wallcoverings, he charges by the roll, plus materials for installation.
Robert Turner Associates
4410 Walnut Hill Ln. 214-351-4870.
In 1969 Bobby Turner bought a house and lavished it with wallpaper that he hung himself. His friends suggested he wallpaper the John Edward Hughes showroom. He got the commission and did it up with the fancy mylars and foils, wild colors, and patterns that had just come on the scene. It was the first decorated showroom in the Design Center, and it opened with fanfare– and Phyllis George on hand– and became the place to shop. “My phone started ringing off the hook,” says Turner. Still, the idea of a fellow with two degrees under his belt becoming a paperhanger was anathema to him, until his best friend, Paul Knight, decided to quit the actuarial job he hated and join him. After discovering wall upholstery in California in 1971, Turner came back itching to apply the technique in Dallas. For his first upholstered room, he had his mother sew, while he stapled by hand –no staple machine, no hot-glue gun, just Elmer’s glue and pushpins. Turner’s base continued to grow until he was working with almost all of the best designers in Dallas. Now he’s got 14 people on his staff and this month alone will work in Idaho, Montana, Aspen, and Sarasota. He’s diversified into doing silver closets, fabric interiors of cabinets, and other specialized projects. He charges by the job because each differs drastically. Instead of rolls, he works with Gracie panels, de Gournay papers, and the exquisite Zuber wood block-printed wallpapers and furnishing fabrics that must be hung with rubber gloves: There’s only one of each, so heaven forbid it get mussed.
Tony Kuzmanich
5015 Parkland Ave. 214-528-7855.
In 1972, Tony Kuzmanich was managing a fabric showroom in Dallas, where he wished to put in a desk with a counter around it. When the boss said it was too expensive, Tony showed him it could be accomplished for a mere $100: $60 in wood, $40 for the Formica top. Then he ordered fabric, upholstered the counter, and –voila!– clients and designers started coming his way. Soon he was a self-employed wall upholsterer. “What’s that,” you say? Essentially, he attaches padding to the wall, stretches fabric over it, and finishes off the edges and corners with gimp or felt welts. He works with cottons, toiles (“my favorite”), and silk– the trickiest to install. Silk has no stability, so it must be backed with cotton mesh before it can be used effectively. He’s put up fabrics from 99 cents a yard to some celestially priced at $575 a yard. One gathered ceiling in a diamond-shaped room required no fewer than 570 yards! Kuzmanich says the biggest trend in wall upholstery is the home theater. Waxing nostalgic, he says, “They’re usually done in a way that’s reminiscent of the big draperies and stage proscenium of Dallas old Capitol Theater.”
Wallart Wallcoverings
2300 Kathryn Ln., Plano. 972-365-5181 or 214-547-1917.
From grass cloth to moiré-ed vinyl, Jason Hixson will hang it: He simply loves the demands of high-end specialty fabrics and wallpapers –the more delicate, the better in his mind. Ever hear of anaglyphics? We hadn’t either, until we learned from Hixson that they are wallpapers embossed in low-relief. A second-generation wallpaper professional, he’s been dressing Dallas walls for 23 years. Hixson spends a great deal of time preparing the surfaces before installation, rebuilding them if necessary. “The final outcome is only as good as each step taken,” he says. He is also mindful of clients homes and belongings, making a point not to intrude on busy lifestyles. He works with designers, contractors, and the general public. Because of the number of variables involved, pricing is by-the-job, including complementary on-site estimates.
UPHOLSTERERS
Childress Custom Upholstery Mart
2517 Ferris St. 214-565-0900.
Childress Fabrics
8760 Seventh St., Frisco. 469-633-1180.
Still a family-owned business after almost 50 years in Dallas, Childress is run by mother Barbara and her five children. They build furniture and do every kind of upholstery, from sofas and chairs to draperies to bedding: They’ll customize your sleigh bed with an upholstered headboard, if the mood strikes you. Much of their work is on behalf of designers, but they also work directly with the public. Nancy Childress tells us bright colors are hot, as are faux-fur pillows, faux-suede sofas, and leather hides for chairs. Part of the fun here is browsing the massive number of stocked fabrics –10,000 and growing– at the Childress Upholstery Mart. They also carry drapery hardware and passementeries including cording, flanges, and flat trims imported from France and other countries the world over. Fabrics are bought (or ordered for you) directly from mills, with considerable savings.
David Cuellar
1340 Plowman St. 214-948-3230.
David Cuellar received a stellar education in his craft; he worked under master upholsterer Julian Vargas for 13 years. In 1991, he went into business for himself to create his own designs and custom-made furniture using poplar wood. (He considers it the optimal wood for frames on upholstered furniture; other woods break with stapling.) Cuellar works primarily with designers who select the fabrics and specify the details –tufting, springs, and fillings of down or different grades of foam. Fabrics are hand-cut and meticulously applied to chairs, sofas, or loveseats. He charges by the number of hours a job will take.
Daubitz & Son Upholstery
914 Pollard St. 214-748-3551.
Daubitz & Son Upholstery is celebrating its golden anniversary this year; it’s not surprising that this company now serves the children and the children’s children of its original clients. In 1955, Charles Daubitz started working for McClure Furniture and Upholstery on Oak Lawn, but then business slacked off. He’d been doing work on the side for designers, so he left McClure and hung out his own shingle. Ninety percent of his business comes from referrals. He works with designers, making repairs and alterations to upholstered furniture. He builds new, overstuffed furniture and reupholsters antique pieces, but doesn’t “mess with draperies.” He also makes headboards, custom-designed sofas and chairs, and works with every kind of fabric, especially high-end textiles from Clarence House, Brunschwig & Fils, and Schumacher. The do-over at Brook Hollow Country Club is courtesy of Monsieur Daubitz.
Fabrics & Frames Fine Custom Furniture and Reupholstery
13645 Welch Rd., Farmers Branch. 972-385-4097.
www.fabricsandframes.com.
In addition to selling fabrics and custom-made furniture (“to last a lifetime”), Fabrics & Frames Fine Custom Furniture provides upholstery and reupholstery services. Designer and Manager Andy Fischman explains that the firm goes beyond the ordinary. For instance, when reupholstering, they strip the furniture down to the bare frame and then analyze what steps need to be taken –whether, for instance, the frame needs to be rebuilt. “We don’t just ’peanut butter’ it,” she says, meaning they don’t spread fabric over existing fabric, as some shops do. They make certain that upholstery fabrics are pulled tightly, that the pattern matches (the way a good dress would be tailored) down to the boxing in sofas and chairs, and that the stuffing is even “no lumps or bumps. (If layers are uneven, nails or staples will be felt.) They also offer a wide selection of fabrics by the yard and a large assortment of braided cords, fringes, and tassels. The business was started in 1978 by Jim and Linda DeCuir and is continued today by son Jamie and daughter-in-law, Lauren. They will provide estimates for custom or repair work.
Valentine’s
107 Manufacturing Dr. 214-741-3113.
Bob Valentine and wife Vicki opened for business 20 years ago. He started with Kraylor and other custom shops before going out on his own; Vicki joined him a year later. Together they make beautiful music (and upholstery): She has an eye for design and color and handles all quotes and bids. He handles construction, building and rebuilding, and sketches design ideas for the customer. He does everything except draperies: outdoor cushions, pillows, table covers, reupholstery, restyling, and custom furniture. Vicki makes sure each piece looks good and sits well before it leaves the shop. They charge by the job because each is unique. They cater to the trade, but will accommodate retail customers.
Vargas Upholstery
3001 Quebec, Ste. 109. 214-905-8606.
Julian Vargas entered the upholstery business in Waco, when he was 16, and is still going strong after 40 years. He started at a time of transition from Old World to modern techniques and learned both. For instance, he still tacks fabric onto upholstery, a practice learned as an apprentice when upholsterers used different sizes of tacks held in the mouth (thus the expression “spitting tacks”). The advantage here is that fabric will stay just where you put it –you can staple it down afterward to do a really good job. He upholsters furniture and builds sofas, loveseats, chairs, and ottomans. When given dimensions, he can tailor-make a piece of furniture from a picture, photo, or drawing. He works 90 percent of the time with designers, so fabrics tend to be upmarket –Stroheim & Romann, Scalamandr, and Brunschwig & Fils. He charges according to how long the job will take and how many extras are needed.
Willie B. Rogers & Associates
3333 Hansboro St., Ste. 104. 214-330-1620.
Willie Rogers, one of the city’s most deft upholsterers, hasn’t advertised in 29 years, and he hasn’t needed to: Word-of-mouth keeps him busy. He left college to work for Burton Dixie some 40 years ago, and learned his trade working on mattresses and other sleep products such as hide-a-beds. A specialist in high-end and antique reupholstery, he also rebuilds furniture, customizing it to accommodate today’s needs. Ninety percent of his customers use designers. He makes house calls to measure, tells the designer the amount of yardage to order, then picks up the furniture. His basic rate for a six-cushion sofa is $650, a recliner runs $450, a club chair $345, but there are additional charges for extra springs, more down, etc. His motto: “If I’m pleased with the piece, I know I will please the customer.”
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MORE HOME SOURCES
BEST PAINTERS
Baxter Painting
4010 Shenandoah St. 214-528-6744.
For a great, old-time-quality paint job, go here. “We show up when we say we will, do what we say we will, and finish when we say we will,” says proprietor Tim Baxter. He started painting houses to put himself through college. Twenty-seven years later he owns a full-fledged enterprise with 50 employees and a reputation one top contractor called “awesome.” They serve builders and individual clients, predominantly in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow, but work as far north as Bent Tree. The company charges for time and material, but will also work on a budgeted project basis.
C.V. Painting
8208 Rincon, Frisco. 972-307-8816.
A member of the Better Business Bureau, owner Cesar Valasquez plies his residential painting trade primarily in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Valasquez oversees all aspects of his projects, supervising and working with his team of a dozen, long-time employees. The company is bonded and insured and does everything from power washing to priming, scraping, sanding, caulking, and bondo –the myriad steps of preparation that precede the actual painting. Only top-of-the-line products are used, and faux and special finishes can be ordered. They charge $4-$6 per square foot, depending on complexity. (An average two-story house in Park Cities runs $5,500-$6,500 for the entire exterior.)
Dan Pedigo & Resurrection Art Group
4130 Commerce St., Ste. 101. 214-828-0690.
This is the place where fine finishes meet fine art. As sculptor and painter Dan Pedigo says, “Mastering the art of decorative painting and murals has crossed over into and changed my fine art.” We’ll attest that his artwork has been refined by such commissions as stenciling arabesques on walls, copying medieval tapestries onto chimneys, creating murals that incorporate portraits of family members, and painting scenes on domes from scaffolding à la Michelangelo. Doubtless one day some clients will lay claim to having a Pedigo on their wall or ceiling. Charges depend on the intricacy of design, number of colors, and quantity of glazes, but an estimate is provided based on the square footage of the surface to be covered.
David Lyles Decorative Painting
514 Summit Dr., Richardson. 972-240-0051.
The Lyles have been creating fine paint finishes for four generations, and they supervise the basic painting work before applying their traditional formal and country European paint finishes. Their trading area includes Plano, Southlake, Colleyville, and Fort Worth in addition to the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and North Dallas. Besides color-washing, marbling, mottling, trompe l’oeil, and frescoes, they offer hand-designed flourishes that are unique to the client, not simply “stencils out of a book.” They also restore murals, finishes, and gilding. David Lyles says, “We price on a sliding scale: the more volume, the lower the day rate. Charges are the same for everyone, whether there’s a Rolls or a Toyota in the driveway.”
Holton Collection
1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste 600M. 214-752-7300.
www.holtonarts.com.
If you’re looking for something truly unique for your walls, you’re looking for the Holton Collection (formerly Holton & Associates and Holton Art; the two concerns merged earlier this year). Owned and operated by Richard Holton and Lori Herring, Holton Collection produces faux finishes, murals on canvas, and hand-painted-to-order fabrics. But that’s not all. The studio has also developed two proprietary lines of wallpaper, including a line of hand-painted silks that gives you incredible design freedom. Pick your background color, choose a motif from 15 hand-painted designs, and you have a whole new take on wall art. As you can imagine, rates vary by project.
J.C. & Barry Martin Painting Contractors
2607 Bomar Ave. 214-353-0720.
By the late 1970s, the business that J.C. Martin started 20 years earlier evolved into J.C. & Barry Martin Painting Contractors, to include son Barry’s name on the shingle. Theirs is a full-service painting company offering everything from taping and bedding, to texturizing, specialty finishes, and wall coverings. Though they’ve done a number of large commercial projects over the years, the bulk of their business is in Park Cities and North Dallas houses. The Martins charge either by the hour or on a contractual basis, whichever method the customer is most comfortable with.
Jerry Long Painting
378 Birch Ln., Richardson. 214-232-9450.
Jerry Long was a tournament bowler by the time he was 17, when a summer job painting high-rises took him away from the alley and gave him a good foundation as a residential and commercial painter. In business for 21 years, his service area covers Dallas and the suburbs as far north as Van Alstyne and as far south as Ovilla. In addition to basic painting, he does glazing, antiquing, and color washes. Long says the most significant factors in the cost of a job are the prep work and the paint grade, which can double or triple in price, depending on the quality the customer desires.
Paul Jackson Painting Co.
252 E. First St., Lancaster. 972-228-9175.
www.pjpaint.com.
A third-generation painter, Paul Jackson learned his craft at his father’s knee. These experts do level-five finishes. “What’s that?” we queried. “We make your house look like a new car body,” he said. Just ask one of their customers in the Park Cities or North Dallas, where they’ve been painting residential exteriors and interiors since 1975. One client asked for her walls to look like those of the Crescent Court Hotel. Jackson’s magicians chose the matching color, added some aggregate to the paint, drew mortar lines and –presto!– instant stone. The company charges by the job for time and material.
Susan Abbey Designs
9126 Raeford Dr. 214-343-1874.
When Neiman Marcus is on your client list, you must be doing something right. Freelancer Susan Abbey does all of the bread-and-butter finishes –washes, combing, sponging– but her joy lies in murals and marbleizing. “There’s more demand for murals in children’s rooms than anything else,” she told us, but she’s also done bars, dining rooms, entryways, and master baths. Susan does both residential and commercial work in Coppell, Frisco, Plano, The Park Cities, and Dallas proper. She charges by the job, providing clients with an estimate upfront.
Studio H Design
4910 Don Dr. 214-956-8256.
www.studiohdesign.com.
Del Hermanovski met his future wife and design partner Marlowe when he hired her to work in Texas Ranger Rafael Palmeiro’s house, and the two have been creating beautiful hand-painted murals and frescoes ever since. Their style ranges from cutting-edge to classical, even incorporating Ming Dynasty flair into their work for P.F. Chang restaurants nationwide. While they boast a crowd of big-name clientele (including Martha Stewart and Ray Nasher) and projects as encompassing as the Potter’s House (Reverend T.D. Jakes 5,000-seat house of worship), they’ll also create discrete projects for residences. Pricing is either by the job or by the square foot.
Terrence Sweeney Design
1615 Dragon St. 214-651-7101.
www.terrencesweeneydesign.com.
If you want your painter to bring more to the table than the standard dropcloth, bucket, and paint, consider Terrence Sweeney Design. Sweeney is a multifaceted designer best known for his furniture and specialty finishes, but the firm also does basic interior finishes. Bringing the artist’s eye to bear on a painting project, Sweeney and his team will help you avoid the maddening process of poring over paint fans, selecting a color, then bemoaning the result applied on an ocean of wall. Specialty techniques include patinas, faux marble, gold leafing, lacquers, trompe l’oeil, and chinoiserie, among others. Sweeney’s rates are on a project basis.
Tommy Eoff Painting
19440 FM 548, Terrell. 972-524-5485.
Tommy Eoff has been painting houses in Dallas and its suburbs for almost 30 years. One satisfied customer described him as “a very sweet man who takes the time to do it right.” He does exteriors, interiors, and special finishes, including staining and glazing. Eoff’s country French looks appear authentic because he applies layers of different colored paint, then distresses them. The process is also used to make built-in kitchen cabinets look like aged, stand-alone pieces. He charges either by the job or by the hour, depending on the scope of the work.
William Shepherd Paint Contractor
1909 Copper St., Garland. 972-487-9868.
To see some dazzling decorative finishes in place, make a beeline to the William Shepherd showroom-slash-studio. This old-line firm offers full-service paint contracting from sheetrock to basic paint to specialized textures. Owner Bill Shepherd, who’s been called “the best painter in the world,” became familiar with color and decorative elements working as an illustrator in the Air Force. Shepherd formed his own company in 1969. Ever since, he and some 25 employees have been coloring the exteriors and interiors of better homes in the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and North Dallas. His secret weapon: son-in-law Troy Oswald, an artisan who is expert at fancy finishes such as Venetian plaster and marmorino. They bid out jobs, provide free estimates, and also work on a time and material basis, charging $28.50 an hour and cost of material plus 15 percent.
BEST ELECTRICIANS
Amp-Tech Systems
5646 Milton St. 972-672-1808.
Head honcho Lynn LeFlore has been electrifying homes and offices since 1968, after finishing his union apprenticeship. He worked for another electrical company for some 10 years before striking out on his own. LeFlore mastered his trade setting up global satellite links on oil rigs. His firm’s forte is infrastructure: wiring for computers and computer networks, installing cameras and wires for security systems, and putting in telephone lines, including those for intra-home calling. Amp-Tech Systems trading area is “anywhere within a 75-mile radius of Dallas.” Estimates are free, but prices are a bargain at a flat $35 an hour for electrical, data, or phone line installation.
Austral Electrical
1519 Reiger. 214-824-1806.
Proprietor and master electrician Reg Miller hails from Down Under. He came to Texas 25 years ago to visit his sister, got a green card, and never returned to the Outback. He completed his electrical apprenticeship in England and then decided to work for himself. He does some commercial but mostly high-end residential work, with three electricians working under him. His specialty is “fancy lighting” –low voltage, rope lights, pin spots, that kind of thing. He’s been working on the home of one famous singer/songwriter (and perfectionist) for nine years. Miller works all over Dallas and charges for time and material at $60 an hour.
Calcom Lighting Company
P.O. Box 796487. 972-931-7999.
Principal and master electrician Bob Milford was passing his grandfather tools by the time he was 10, but then, Grandpa was an electrical engineer for the Empire State Building! When Grandpa retired to “buy cigars and get out of the house,” Milford took over his Verona, NJ, business. (He was just 16 and had to hire a driver because he wasn’t old enough to get his license). A stint in Los Angeles followed, where he took on a partner. Then Milford moved to Dallas to establish a new niche, “froufrou lighting.” Calcom diagnoses your home lighting problems: “You have nice art. Too bad you can’t see it.” Milford charges by the project; on a 4,000-square-foot house, the bill will run between $3,000-$8,000. Their service area is up and down the Tollway –Frisco, Plano, Park Cities, Rockwall, as well as Arlington.
