Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
65° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Publications

D Home Showhouse 2005

Take a room-by-room tour of our premier showhouse.
By D Magazine |

+++

     


Dear Reader,

A scant 11 months ago, the D Home Showhouse was just a conversation. I recall builders Mickey and Michael Munir sitting in our conference room, passing ideas back and forth as to how a magazine and a builder might create something remarkable for Dallas and, ultimately, for a very lucky homebuyer. Our intention was to do it with a deeply editorial, didactic bent: it wasn’t to be a super-model home, but an authentic showcase for the work of Dallas designers and Sharif & Munir. We couldn’t have created a more complex, exhausting, or thrilling scenario.

After a firm handshake, we established a few ground rules. The first addressed the pitfalls of building a 10,000-square-foot house by committee. If there were to be a committee, it would be populated with “good people.” That might sound quaint, or even corny, but I can say with conviction that the good-people rule was central to our success. No fast-talkers. No prima donnas. Only people who were the best at what they did – from brick suppliers to curtain hangers to photographers to designers and our official florist. And those who, in the most profound sense of the word, fell into the category of “nice.”  

From there, practicalities had to be addressed. Creative Director David Feld compiled a list of vendors and showrooms and designers who passed the test. Our ad sales staff  – Susan Neill, Christine Creek, and Anna Massey, led by Associate Publisher Chris Phelps – invited selected participants to invest in the project with both advertising and their talents. A building schedule was created. Meghan Richardson organized the initial phase of development, and D Home Editors Peggy Levinson and Virginia Bauer, along with Casey Armijo, saw the project to fruition. Marketing Director Mary Poe created an extraordinary media plan and began interviewing charities to work on selling tickets and training volunteers (ultimately to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a great cause). Vickie LaRoe was hired to consult on the logistics of our five-week tour. CBS 11 joined as a media partner. Colonial Bank became our lead sponsor, with Volvo of Richardson as our official car dealership.

While the logistics were mapped out like a military campaign, Mickey and Michael took me to see what was then a pile of brown dirt in a private cul-de-sac in North Dallas. We walked the property and they showed me initial plans by architect Richard Drummond Davis. They introduced me to Mike Davis, whom they had appointed senior project manager, and who, over the next several months, would midwife the project. The following week Paul Fields of Lambert Landscape Co. agreed to be the official landscape architect. Nancy A. Ross of Dallas Design Group, Interiors came on as the lead designer for the interior architecture and also as liaison to all of the other designers. I began to feel like George Bailey in the last scene of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” as an ever-widening stream of first-rate talent lined up to participate. And as the city’s finest showrooms and designers reserved rooms to decorate, the National Kidney Foundation of North Texas joined as sponsor for preview week. Children’s Medical Center Dallas enlisted as the lead sponsor for the showhouse, agreeing to train more than 100 volunteers to serve as docents.

Within months it was clear that this was not going to be a showhouse built by committee, or even the proverbial village, but by the city of Dallas itself.

As we put together this special supplement, D Home’s editorial staff is in awe (and, to be sure, exhausted). David Feld, along with Design Director Todd Johnson, Senior Editor Rebecca Sherman, acting Managing Editor Roger Brooks, Production Director Diane Dishman, and Pre-press Coordinator Chris Mulder have labored long and hard to present “the house that Dallas built” in its full magnificence. Hundreds of good people came together, and where there was once a pile of brown dirt, there now sits a 10,000-square-foot house filled with beautiful, intelligent, and witty design. When you tour the house, think of the passion that went into every seam, every rail, every slab of stone and length of wood.

If ever there was a labor of love, this is it.

Christine Allison
Editor and Publisher, D Home
 

+++

Builders & Architects

 Landscape architect
Paul Fields, ASLA,
Lambert Landscape Co.

Builder
Michael Munir, Sharif & Munir,
ASID, GMB

Builder
Mickey Munir, Sharif & Munir,
AIA, GMB

Architect
Richard Drummond Davis

The architecture of the D Home 2005 Showhouse was conceived on a trip Richard Drummond Davis took to Provence, where he was captivated by the particular charms of the lavender-growing region. From there, Paul Fields created a landscape design with vines, roses, and ancient pots, softening the hard edges of new construction with stone paths and wandering plant material. Builder Mickey Munir was the paterfamilias of the project; he can only be described as one of the great gentlemen of the industry. The showhouse was completed a month ahead of the tour, in immaculate condition, thanks to Michael Munir, who, with senior project manager Mike Davis worked tirelessly and relentlessly – as the subcontractors will testify – to pull all of the pieces together. Completing a house of this sophistication and complexity in itself was a great feat; that it was not only crafted beautifully, but finished on time, should go in a record book.

Our People

 Interior Architecture
Nancy A. Ross of Dallas Design Group, Interiors
D Home Creative Director
David Feld 

Creative people are not like any other, and Nancy Ross and David Feld prove this point. For one thing, they thought it would be funny to be photographed sitting on a grill. But they are also obsessive – in a good way. If showhouse walls could talk, they’d tell you about their multiple meetings just to discuss the color of the stain on the trusses, or the day Ross found just the right stair rail, threw it in the trunk of her car, and raced over to the D Home office to show David Feld. Then there’s the black toilet controversy (there are no longer black toilets in the showhouse). And there’s the meeting at the magazine where Ross presented her color palate to nothing less than applause. Thousands of little decisions (and battles) that go into a project like this, and the passion with which they are waged makes the difference between good and great. The greatness of this project lay in the willingness of Ross and Feld to discuss and re-discuss every decision. They treated the D Home 2005 Showhouse as if it were their own. They are not only still talking, they have become great friends.

D Home Showhouse Committee
Chris Phelps, Associate Publisher
Meghan Richardson, Project Manager
Peggy Levinson, Designer Liaison
Mary Poe, Marketing Director
 

The business of building a house for 20,000 people to tour is no small matter. In fact, it would have been impossible were it not for Chris Phelps, Meghan Richardson, Peggy Levinson, and Mary Poe. From advertising sales and client relationships to working with the builder to coordinating the designers to creating a media plan, the credit goes to these individuals and their staffs, with special thanks to Casey Armijo and Carren Ballenger. Most important, they helped Children’s Medical Center, Dallas and the National Kidney Foundation of North Texas raise money for their important causes.

The Designers

Donn C. Bindler, ASID
Donn Bindler combines 40 years of knowledge and passion for modern architectural and design styles into an aesthetic that emphasizes purity, harmony, and integrity. He works with a long-standing clientele designing commercial properties and homes from Dallas’ Place des Vosges to Baja, Mexico. Working in concert with architects, Bindler is involved from a project’s conception to its completion.

He has owned and operated two showrooms in the Dallas Design District representing contemporary furniture.

 

 Eric Prokesh
Eric Prokesh has been an independent designer for 18 years. His work has been recognized in books and publications such as House and Garden, Southern Accents, and House Beautiful. He has also been featured on HGTV’s “Homes Across America.” He makes use of frequent trips to Europe to visit museums and historic houses for inspiration and to add to his specially selected inventory of antiques. 
Ann Fox, TAID
In 1987, after a career in fashion merchandising and a stint at Ralph Lauren Home Collection, Ann Fox opened Room Service by Ann Fox. She introduced Dallas to what would become her signature style: American design meets feminine cottage charm sprinkled with European accents. Between private clients, her retail store, and burgeoning catalog division, Fox is a charter member of TAID, has been featured in national home magazines, and is a contributor to HGTV, The Food Channel, and Park Cites People
 
 John Phifer Marrs, ASID
John Marrs’ full-service interior design studio and retail shop offers complete turnkey designs from the initial consultation through the last and smallest detail. Specializing in high-end residential design, corporate offices, and executive suites, Marrs has been published in D Home, Traditional Home, Southern Accents, Better Homes and Gardens, Designers West, and Designer’s World. He has served as Texas Chapter President of the ASID. His retail shop contains antiques, furniture, art, linens, and tabletop, and more. 
Cathy Kincaid, Allied Member ASID
Cathy Kincaid is a classically schooled designer. She learned the art of mixing colors and fabrics from antique dealer and decorator Joseph Minton, then assisted the legendary John Astin Perkins, where she honed her skills and learned to make draperies and custom lampshades for clients. An allied member of ASID, Kincaid is one of Dallas’ busiest designers. She carefully balances her trademark style somewhere between The Best in English Interior Decoration by Colefax & Fowler and whimsical fabrics from Prada. Kincaid believes that “we need rules in design, but with a twist.”
 
 Joseph Minton, ASID
Joe Minton’s work has appeared in D Home, Architectural Digest, Southern Accents, Veranda, House Beautiful, Town + Country, Texas Homes, and The New York Times. He has been listed in “The AD100: An Exclusive Guide to the World’s Finest Interior Designers,” and “Town + Country’s Guide to the Top 55 Decorators in the U.S.” In 1996 he was given the prestigious ASID Designer of Distinction Award for lifetime achievement. 

Michelle Nussbaumer
Michelle Nussbaumer finds many paths to channel her boundless creative energy. Whether it is decorating the elaborate homes of her clients, promoting her exotic line of jewelry, or seeking out fine antiques for her chic shop, Ceylon et Cie, Nussbaumer reflects the style and culture of places she has traveled and lived—from Rome to Los Angeles to Switzerland.

Her designs have been featured in D Home, Southern Accents, House + Garden, Elle Decor, and The New York Times. Nussbaumer is working on projects in Cape Cod, New York, and Dallas. 

 

 Julio Quinones
Julio Quinones worked with some of the top Dallas designers at the start of his career, but it did not take long before he ventured out on his own. Quinones approaches design from a fresh, unexpected perspective. He favors the classics: French moderne, regency, and empire styles. He has an amazing ability to infuse classically inspired design with modern elements, creating elegant, sophisticated, livable spaces. He has a keen eye for finding the “right” elements and mixing old and new, found and manufactured. As Quinones says, “With the right eye, any space can be fabulous.” 

Richard Trimble, ASID
Focusing on residential and commercial design since 1976, Richard Trimble works in private residences in Dallas and San Antonio, as well as a dozen other cities in the United States and abroad. His work has been featured in D Home, Southern Accents, Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and House & Garden.

His company also designs office spaces, boardrooms, conference spaces, banks, and restaurants. 

 
 John Gregory
John Gregory has worked in the design business for more than 25 years. His eponymous showroom, which he opened with partner Elias Guerreo in 1998, sells authentic Art Deco, ’40s French, and mid-century modern furniture. He worked with decorator Eric Prokesh on the Showhouse’s great room and breakfast area. Says Gregory: “Eric is coming around to appreciate the modern era more. And I’m learning about period furniture and design. We’re both learning about how to mix the two together.”
Rick Rozas
Rick Rozas is a Louisiana-born superman on the Texas design scene. His early years found him playing with some of the big boys of the day: Bill Blass and Mark Hampton, who in turn inspired him to open his own door early on. Over the years, Rozas has created marvelously diverse interiors throughout the United States and Mexico. A versatile, energetic designer, Rozas’ signature style is marked by clean, simple lines, elegant details and a profound sense of calm.
 
 David Salem, ASID,
Lolly Lupton, Allied Member ASID

Salem & Associates is celebrating its 20th year of business with projects coast to coast and recent installations in Barcelona, Spain, and Las Vegas. Partners David Salem and Lolly Lupton have a rich love of all the elements used in interior design – antiques, architecture, color, art, decorative objects, and exotic collectibles, all of which figure into their distinctive installations.
Marilyn Rolnick Tonkon, ASID
In a profession she calls an art, not a science, Marilyn Rolnick Tonkon has been in the interior design world for 34 years. A charter board member of the Dallas chapter of ASID, a member of TAID, and holding a Texas State interior design license, Rolnick has won numerous awards. She has been featured in Spectacular Homes of Texas as well as national and local publications. Her projects can be found throughout Texas and the United States. 

 

+++

 

Welcome Home
D Home’s 2005 Showhouse debuts, beautifully.

Photography: Stephen Karlisch, Ira Montgomery, Dan Piassick, and Scott Womack
Styling: Leslie Murphy, Janet Rosell, and Rebecca Sherman
Text: Peggy Levinson and Rebecca Sherman 
Produced: David Feld

+++

 

Right this way…
First, you enter a courtyard of antique brick and rugged urns (and vines that shimmied their way up the stone walls in the merciless Texas sun). The Mediterranean landscaping gives the house a rich patina, even though it is just a few months old. But there is also a modern sensibility, a freshness, which makes the D Home 2005 Showhouse one of a kind.

Every house has a muse, and for the D Home 2005 Showhouse it was the farmhouse that architect Richard Drummond Davis discovered while in Provence. Graying apple-green shutters and a square tile trim around the window are details straight from the French countryside. Look up, and you’ll even see a triple-barrel tile eve – a rarity in the United States.

Yet all is not folksy and French in Davis’ interpretation.

Spacious windows – sans mullions – provide a modern counterpoint to the architecture and declare another intention: this will be a house of light. Just inside you will see a golden glimmer in the entry’s hand-painted walls. A soft and light-filled welcome any time of day.

Throughout the rest of the house the color palate is a soft gray-green, which in a generously windowed house of this size – nearly 10,000 square feet – reads as a neutral. Modern recessed lighting mixes with custom chandeliers; clean-edged stone abuts warm wooden floors. Even the stair rail is unexpected: a waxed wooden banister, with wrought iron that is whitewashed to keep the idea of light visible at every turn.

The climate inside is keyed to perfection, this because the showhouse has Lennox’s new top-of-the-line, split-zone residential air conditioning unit installed. Touch panels make atmospheric controls a breeze. And this, of course, is just the beginning.

In the pages that follow, don’t miss: Custom windows, Andersen Windows; antique door, Old World Entry; hand-finished soft green and gold walls in the entry, Patina Finishes; Benjamin Moore & Co. HC-95 Sag Harbor Gray wall color in common areas, Texas Paint & Wallpaper; wood floors throughout, Central Hardwoods; custom stair rail, Regency Railings; banister finish, Patina Finishes; custom and recessed lighting, Lee Lighting (including entry chandelier); HVAC unit, Lennox Industries; custom interior doors, JELD-WEN; exterior doors, Wilson Plywood & Door Co.; sheetrock and decorative ceilings, Marek Brothers Co.; custom trim, BMC West; glass and mirrors, Mammen Glass & Mirror; landscape, Lambert Landscape Co.; fencing, Southwest Fence & Deck; patterned concrete, Titan Concrete Concepts.

+++

Entry Hall
Come in. Take your shoes off. The floor is made of honed limestone and slate and is cool under your bare feet. Drop your keys and the mail on the highly polished, Italian marquetry table; check your hair in the 18th-century gilt mirror from Sweden. Joe’s in the library, and he’s poured a Scotch with a splash, like you like it. You’re home.

  
What’s Inside: Balaton Italian inlaid center table, 18th-century French Louis XIV mirror, East & Orient Co.; granite obelisk, Regency-style bench, John Gregory Studio; tole chandelier, Lee Lighting; 19th-century polychrome delft jars, 18th-century Chinese export bowls, Eric Prokesh; special finishes, Patina Finishes.

Designer: David Feld for D Home
Inspiration: The entry gives onto a great stairway, so it sets you up for expectation and excitement. It’s like waiting for the curtain to go up on a play – all these incredible spaces flow off the entry hall. You can see bits and pieces of great decoration out of the corner of your eye.
Challenge: In the original plans, the entry hall’s ceiling was two stories. We dropped the ceiling lower to make the room more proportionately pleasing. Feld wanted to avoid the “milk carton effect.” “You don’t want to feel as though the walls are closing in, while the ceiling soars up and up,” he says.
Colors: Feld had Patina paint the walls in silvery green with a luster tone finish. The color provides just enough interest to not be boring, but not so ornate as to distract. It’s simple. At night, the walls shimmer.
Philosophy: Entry halls are not living rooms and they are not dining rooms, says Feld. They are about practicality – it’s where you bring the dog in, take off your shoes, and shake out your umbrella. A large Italian marquetry table, placed dead center, does the trick. “People like to check themselves in the mirror before going out or upon entering, so we hung a beautiful 18th-century Swedish gilt mirror – art all by itself. Entry halls also establish tone and mood. “The first thing you want after you walk in after a long day is a sense of calm. That’s what lowering the ceilings provided,” says Feld.
Interesting Note: The floor is contemporary looking, made of zero grout, honed limestone, bordered in double lines of honed black slate. It’s a riff on the old black-and-white checkerboard floor.





 

Stair Hall
Great staircases deserve great entrances. A gorgeous woman in a Chanel gown for instance. So why clutter the drama with anything too contrived? An elegant Steinway, paired with an antique bench, is simple enough. (A stairwell’s acoustics are fabulous, by the way.) Handel’s “Water Music” is a fine accompaniment to entrances in swirling silk taffeta; women going up in a huff tend to require something melodramatic, say, from the soundtrack of an old Joan Crawford flick.

 
What’s Inside: Column sconces, Niermann Weeks, available through Allan Knight; Italian inlaid chest of drawers, Balaton and lion’s head bench, East & Orient Co.; grand piano, Steinway & Co.; chromogenic prints, Dornuth Doherty available through Gerald Peters Gallery; Stair rail finish, Patina Finishes. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.

 


 

Designer: David Feld for D Home
Inspiration: Richard Drummond Davis’ architecture. “It’s classic. The staircase is lyrical, and I was inspired to create a space around it by classic, great, Mediterranean architecture,” says Feld.

 

Challenge: Feld says the challenge is not to overcomplicate the space. “You have all that empty wall area crying out to hang something over it. Use restraint. We did use a pair of sculptural Russian neoclassic-style Niermann Weeks sconces. I scaled the basket chandelier for the second floor so that the upstairs rooms overlooking the chandelier would feel in proportion.”
Colors: Walls are painted a flat eucalyptus green.
Philosophy: “The stair hall is where you float down in a ball gown, so it should be dramatic. A handmade, wrought iron staircase does the trick. I left the windows deliberately bare. If they don’t need to be covered, don’t. We put wood floors in the stair hall instead of stone because wood is softer on your feet,” says Feld.
Interesting note: The Steinway baby grand piano was put there for acoustical reasons – the sound is really good in there.



Living Room

Blue-and-white porcelains, damask-print wallpaper, and draperies are the basis for a room that is refined, relaxed, and well-proportioned. Here, ikat throws and Chinese pagodas give it a bit of an ethnic vibe, while a grisaille wallpaper panel, hung effortlessly without frame, is simply to die for.

 
What’s Inside: Custom club chairs and sofa, Raphaello damask drapery and wallcovering, available from Cowtan & Tout; Hartman & Forbes window shades, Walter Lee Culp. Antique Aubusson pillows, needlepoint ottoman trunk, black tole pagodas, papier mache candlesticks, blue-and-white vases and lamps, Porphery lamp, chinoiserie table, crystal decanters and glassware, all available through Cathy Kincaid Interiors. Giltwood torchieres, giltwood brackets, East & Orient; Wilton area rug, Stark Carpets. French corner tables, blue-and-white Chinese plates, antique English pine console, faux bamboo etagere, 19th-century French wallpaper panel, Louis XV style armchairs, Chinoiserie lantern, all available through John Rosselli, New York.


Designer:
Cathy Kincaid Interiors
Showroom: Walter Lee Culp, various
Inspiration: Kincaid started with a blue-and-white damask fabric and matching paper from Cowtan & Tout. “It’s traditional with an ethnic twist. It could be Indian, Spanish Moorish, or I can even imagine Mexican cut paper in the design,” says Kincaid.
Colors: The blue-and-white palette is reinforced with platters, jars, and other porcelains, as well as ikat throws over chairs.
Challenge: Kincaid’s challenge was finding fabrics and wallcoverings in a limited amount of time. Kincaid went to John Rosselli in New York to buy antiques and reproduction furniture that reflect her style. The room already had an antique mirrored mantle wall. “Make sure a mirrored wall reflects something wonderful,” she says. “I found a 19th-century grisaille paper panel that gloriously accomplishes that.” Creating an ambience of easy elegance is achieved with the abundant use of the large-scale damask pattern on walls and windows. “Using a pattern everywhere actually is less busy than just pieces of it here and there. A large pattern brings the scale of the room to a comfortable level,” says Kincaid. She continued the eclectic theme using Chinese pagodas and Swedish candleholders on the mantle. French quarter-round tables curve out the irregular corners of the room, and a French provincial round table loaded with collections of books, creamware, and crystal glasses anchor the bay window. A contemporary Greek key pattern rug from Stark and a painted wood hall lantern from John Rosselli lighten the room. Matchstick blinds from Hartman & Forbes under the draperies create soft, diffused light.
Period: No particular period. Kincaid’s room is thoroughbred Anglo-American style at its best.

   

+++

Library
With hand-carved pine paneling and bookshelves, the library is muscular and strong, built like most men wish they were. But the room’s not so formidable that women won’t feel at home. In fact, we expect they’ll kick the guys out. Inspired by David Hicks’ color palette from the 1970s in chocolate brown, lime, and white.

 
What’s Inside: 19th-century Dutch brass chandelier, Slocum Stalls; 19th-century Louis XV armchairs, bronze coffee table, wood table with tapestry inset, Giaco end table with Sodalite top, Fino console table with travertine top, Chippendale-style sofa, yellow and blue Phoenix birds, zebra wool area rug, old Paris tea service, Bouilotte lamp, antique bronze cassoulets, 19th-century marble columns, antique French glazed terracotta stoves, Sheraton-style fire screen, stool with turtle fabric, custom lounge chairs in white wool, blue-and-white Chinese export plates, 18th-century prints, bronze restoration period mantel clock, all available through Joseph Minton Antiques.

Designers: Joseph Minton, Kevin Peavy
Showroom: Joseph Minton Antiques
Inspiration: The zebra-patterned wool rug in dark brown and white was Minton’s inspiration for the library. He uses this contemporary rug and boxy-white wool lounge chairs by the fireplace to bring a traditional 18th-century library into the 21st century. “Unlined white Irish linen gives a fresh touch to the windows,” says Minton. “The Roman shades are an old Colefax & Fowler trompe l’oeil pattern of Venetian blinds on glazed white chintz.”

 

Challenge: Minton’s challenge was to update a classic library using modern patterns and chic colors. He began with pine paneling, rather than the traditional dark oak or walnut, and further lightened the room with an abundant use of white. 
Colors: “I used this same color scheme in one of the first houses I did in the early 1970s with a David Hicks geometric pattern in lime, chocolate brown, and white,” says Minton. “It was fresh and edgy then, and after all these years, it”s the same today. That green did go out of style. I remember saying in the mid-1980s that lime green will come back. It is back, although a little softer in shade, and looking new and fresh again.”
Philosophy: “This room reflects my philosophy of design in that it is rooted in classic architectural design, but with unexpected and modern touches,” says Minton. 
Interesting Note: The law books are Minton’s own. After gaining his law degree, he was a city attorney for Fort Worth for four years and the trust officer for a bank for another four years. After doing his own office, the chairman of the bank asked him to decorate the top two floors of the bank, and Minton found his true calling.



Master suite
O. Oh. Oooooh! This is a sexy room, built around the theme of O. Take a look at the bedside tables with their oval cutouts, the glass bubble lamps, the bull’s-eye mirrors, and the spectacular sculptural chandelier with its intersecting circles. The semicircular sofa, covered in glittering beige silk shot with metallic-gold threads, is as glam as it gets.

 

 
What’s Inside: Sculpted bronze chandelier, custom acrylic and leather headboard, ceramic matte gold table lamp, 18th-century Louis XVI chair, Vietnamese drum table, sphere table lamps, modern painting, Ming stand with cushion and tea tray, through Allan Knight & Associates. Drapery fabric, Bart Halpern; custom-bedding fabrics through Allan Knight. Gilded bronze gueridon table, custom sofa in silk with silk velvet pillows, Christopher Norman through Allan Knight. Magni mirrors, Nancy Corzine; French club chair, Gabrielle desk chair, Niermann Weeks; Ellipse wall-hung nightstands, Axis Furniture; French lacquered table desk, Cote France, Allan Knight. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.

Designer: Julio Quinones
Showroom: Allan Knight & Assoc.
Inspiration: Quinones’ inspiration came from the architecture of the room – the barrel-vaulted ceiling and the semicircular window bay for which he designed a custom sofa. He continues the theme of circle shapes throughout. There are glass spherical bedside lamps, oval openings in the wall-hung bedside tables, and oval sconces from Niermann Weeks in the master bath. He also uses a Regency-style chair with a circular pattern on back and antique oxcart wheels. The grand interconnecting circle chandelier is French, by the jewelry designer Herve Van Der Straeten.
Challenge: Quinones wanted to create a master suite that would appeal to both men and women, so he used soft colors with a large-scale leather and acrylic headboard. He left the floors bare for a sense of serenity.
Colors: Quinones found the color inspiration from an antique silk panel in soft greens and pinks in Allan Knight’s showroom. This hangs in the hallway to the master suite, and a smaller piece is in the bath.
Philosophy: Quinones said from the beginning, “This will be a sexy room – I wouldn’t have it any other way!”
Period: Neoclassic Chinese, with a dash of the Starship Enterprise.

  


Master Bath
This bath is reminiscent of grand European hotel baths with all its slabs of white statuary marble. But it’s contemporized with a marble double shower for her and him, with a glass door on both sides. Although it’s not shown here, there’s even a full wet bar.

 

 
What’s Inside: Hers – Paris oval wall sconces, Sancerre chandelier, Niermann Weeks; Florentine side chair, Nancy Corzine; Burmese Buddha torso, acrylic counter stool, antique silk French Chinoiserie panel, all available through Allan Knight. His – mirrored planter boxes, Nancy Corzine; custom stainless steel sconces, Thai oxcart wheels on stands, all available through Allan Knight. Countertops, IMC; cabinet hardware, towel bars, Pierce Hardware; mirror, glass, Mammen Glass & Mirror, Inc.; plumbing fixtures, Morrison Supply Co.; towels, Yves De Lorme.


 

Designer: Nancy A. Ross, Julio Quinones
Showroom: Allan Knight Assoc.
Inspiration: “The Nancy Corzine chair was my inspiration,” says Quinones. “I love its classic look, with the legs wrapped in white linen. So I designed a background in white marble for the bath to showcase the chair.”
Colors: “The walls are painted a serene green, the same color as the master bedroom. It’s important to have the same wall colors throughout,” says Quinones. “The cabinets on the woman’s side of the bath were painted white to be more feminine. I left the cabinets on the man’s side in mahogany with a java stain. Men love to see wood. But if you are going to use mahogany, don’t use a red stain. That’s out.”
Challenge: The main challenge was to find lighting fixtures that would complement the space. We had a pair of Adam-style sconces made for a cohesive look.
interesting detail: The glass on the cabinet doors are reverse painted the same color as the walls. It’s an inexpensive way to have a high-end look.

  

+++

Butler’s Pantry
You don’t need a staff of servants to appreciate, or make ample use of, a room like this.

 

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Showroom: The Copper Lamp
Inspiration: Ross was inspired to make maximum use of an awkward space under the stairwell, which she turned into a butler’s pantry. “It’s some of my favorite cabinet designs in the house,” she says.
Color: All white wood cabinetry and marble, for a clean, practical look
Challenge: Sloping walls under the stairwell made it a challenge to design cabinets that fit. Ross designed a tall cabinet with glass doors in one area where space allowed and installed shelving where the walls sloped.
Note: Artful lighting in the pantry allows for maximum visibility while showing off your sparkling silver, china, and crystal. Regency details, such as the “X” design on the cabinet doors, give the room a polished look.


Wine Room
Bacchus is willing. The easily accessed, temperature-controlled wine room (it’s right off the kitchen) holds hundreds of bottles of wine in a space that, with its stone floors, reminds us of an old castle.
 

  What’s Inside: 18th-century Italian chair, modern bronze sculptured wine stand, Dallas Design Group, Interiors; black-and-white print, Gerald Peters Gallery; decanter and glasses, The Copper Lamp; floor, IMC; special finish, Patina Finishes. 


 

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Showroom: Vineyard Wine Cellars
Inspiration: Renaissance cathedral architecture.
Challenge: “The challenge was to take the space and give it symmetry,” says Ross, who designed a full-groined ceiling leading to a barrel vault, which is reflected in the floor’s design, made of sliced river rock and limestone.
Colors: Neutral stone
Note: The furnishings in the wine room include an 18th-century Italian chair with a contemporary bronze sculptured wine stand. A bust of Bacchus overlooks the area.



Downstairs Guest Suite

Contemporary and cool, this room takes its cues from the best of the boutique hotels. An oversized floor lamp lends a theatrical quality worthy of Philippe Starck, while a pair of Egg Chairs plays off The Standard Hotel’s mid-century modern decor. Beds are boring. But take the bolsters off this sectional, and it easily converts into sleeping quarters.

 
What’s Inside: Chaise by Philippe Starck for Cassina, fabric by Maharam, Super Archimoon lamp by Philippe Starck for Flos, black lacquer box tables by de Sede, Egg chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, glass and stainless table by Paul Kjerholm. Porada media center, chandelier by Moooi, poliform closet, all available through Scott+Cooner. Artwork available through Conduit Gallery.

Designer: Rick Rozas
Showroom: Scott + Cooner
Inspiration: The starting point for Rozas was the Egg Chair from Arne Jacobsen. “Everyone loves this chair, but no one knows where to find it. Lloyd Scott and I wanted to feature it as the inspiration for the room,” says Rozas.
Colors: Charcoal, chocolate brown, and red.
Specific challenges: “European delivery times,” says Rozas. “We ordered everything by the beginning of March and still don’t have it in as of August 1.”
Period: “Today. I want to portray a complete guest retreat – how to live in one room, because people are downsizing to a more manageable living area now,” says Rozas.
Philosophy: “I believe that big houses have peaked. Like the post-industrial revolution era of the late 1800s, when huge mansions sprang up as a touchstone of new found wealth, so we are on the other side of the tech revolution that created the mega-mansions of the late 1900s,” says Rozas. He believes in clean, modern, functional luxury.
Don’t miss: The bathroom light is a unique combination of ornate chandelier and simple mylar paper. Also, the waterproof bathroom rug is made of climbing rope.

   

+++

The Great Room
Traditionally, one might have broken this 500-square-foot room into several small seating areas to minimize its vastness. Instead, two high-backed sofas were used to create a dramatic focus that makes the room feel downright cozy.

  
What’s Inside: 1930s style gilt iron chandelier, Elias Guerrero; Francesco Patriarco photograph, Goss Galleries; antiqued and painted mirror, Jeanne Sanders; 18th century French walnut armchairs, Eric Prokesh; Japanese ikat design Himilayan rug, Odegard; silk pillows by Jim Thomson available through Walter Lee Culp. Granite topped tamarind tree consoles, cerused oak, and cowhide bench, 1935 armoire by Michel Duffet; 1920’s French neo-classic plaster frieze, Louis XIII-style cherry and parchment cocktail table, custom sofas, quartz crystal logs, all available through John Gregory Studio. Antique silver and porcelain, Copper Lamp. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.

Designers: John Gregory, Eric Prokesh
Showroom: John Gregory Studio; Elias Guerrero, lighting
Inspiration: Prokesh and Gregory began a design collaboration to show a layered style of design elements from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Challenge: The designers’ big challenge was the proportions of the room. “The two-and-one-half story height is the largest proportion,” says Prokesh. “We wanted to bring the level down to human scale, but keep it grand.” The great room is a pass-through room with few walls, so they kept the scale of the furniture large. “We filled the void with a custom chandelier designed by Elias Guerrero,” says Gregory. “Although it is massive, it appears light and airy, as if it floats in the room.” Guerrero also designed huge regency-style iron grids to break down the expanse of the windows.
Colors: Browns, violets, and whites. “By far, the most dramatic color in the room is white,” says Prokesh. “We spiked the colors with a bold turquoise leather in the adjacent breakfast area,” says Gregory.
Philosophy: “We take what we need from the past and give it a fresh modern context,” says Prokesh. Gregory uses a rare 1930s French cabinet from Michel Dufet by the fireplace. The sofas are inspired by John Saladino from the 1980s; the granite-topped tamarind trunk consoles have the organic feel of John Dickinson’s work from the 1970s. “Strip everything away to its fundamental elements,” says Gregory. 
Don’t miss: Moroccan quartz crystals that illuminate the fireplace.

 



The Kitchen

This is a great entertaining kitchen, where the cook (that would be you) can be appreciated from many angles. Amenities include state-of-the-art appliances and a Venetian glass chandelier.

 What’s Inside: Wood-Mode cabinetry, The Kitchen Source; Wolf range, Jarrell Appliance Gallery; custom bar stools, nickel and glass 1940s-style table, Italian bronze and travertine table, Elias Guerrero; Italian chairs in lime green leather, 1940s oak and leather dining chairs, antique Murano glass chandelier, John Gregory Studio, majolica plates and ceramic platters, Global Views; granite countertops, IMC; backsplash, Ann Sacks Tile & Stone. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Showroom: Kitchen Source for Woodmode
Inspiration: “A 1920s display cabinet from a London shop inspired the cabinetry,” says Ross.
Challenge: Blending the kitchen with the great room was the biggest challenge. Traditional Cabinets paired with a Zen-weave Ann Sacks tile backsplash created a modern edge.
Colors: Olive, lime green, sable brown – all colors from the 1930s
Period: 1930s and 1970s
Design philosophy: Ross designed the kitchen cabinets with John Gregory and Eric Prokesh’s style in mind, since the kitchen is open to the great room.
Interesting notes: Instead of pot rack over the kitchen’s island, Gregory and Prokesh used a Murano chandelier. The majolica plates above the window nook are hung as a Dale Chihuly-style sculpture.

  



Breakfast Room
Who knew breakfast could be glamorous? Increase your morning style quotient dramatically with colorful Murano glass and sleek French ’40s Moderne furnishings.

 

  What’s Inside: 1930s-style macassar wood buffet, 1940s green Murano glass lamps, turquoise leather oak dining chairs, silver punch bowl, plate, vase, John Gregory Studio; 1930s-style silver sunburst mirror, nickel and glass dining table, Elias Guerrero; glass and ceramic accessories, Global Views; vintage wedgewood, The Copper Lamp. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.

 


Designer:
Eric Prokesh
Showroom: John Gregory Studios
Inspiration: Modern 1940s style of the great room, which opens up onto the breakfast area
Challenge: The challenge was to make the room flow into the kitchen, but keep it humorous, even lighthearted. Prokesh kept the style from the great room flowing, with mirrored accents and silver pieces. A pair of pale-green lamps rest on a 1930s-style macassar buffet.
Colors: Turquoise. All the lime green in the kitchen and window nook becomes neutral, says Gregory, so he punched the breakfast room up with vivid turquoise on the 1940s oak chairs.



Dining Room
Great dining rooms are like great theater, and this one puts on one of the best shows in town, with colors that redhead Kate Hepburn would have gone mad for (and looked smashing in): copper, gold, and persimmon. And what better way to play up an octagonal room filled with windows than with draperies stitched from individual strips of Thai silk and finished at the top in overscaled smocking?

  What’s Inside: Black lacquer Klismos chairs, Regency-style mahogany and rosewood dining table, Etruscan vase pattern antique ironstone, antique prints of Roman portraits, vintage Kittinger console, silver punch bowl with quartz crystal arrangement, antique flatware and crystal, all available through John Phifer Marrs. Murano glass chandelier, Thomas Grant Chandeliers; Veneziano wall finish by Plasters of Italy for Patina Finishes; poached pears atop apricot-tinted meringue courtesy of Derek Vanlandingham. Wood flooring provided by Central Hardwoods.  

Designer: John Phifer Marrs, Inc., Mark Fletcher, Carmela Baca-James, Derek Vanlandingham
Showroom: John Phifer Marrs Interiors & Antiques
Inspiration: Marrs has a 100-piece collection of late 19th-century English ironstone inspired by Etruscan vases. The neo-classic pattern and autumnal colors in the china are the foundation for the room.
Colors: The copper luster in the border of the china inspired Marrs and his team. “We selected an authentic Italian plaster called ’Stucco Veneziano.’ The plaster was custom tinted to a persimmon color and enhanced with traces of copper mica, accenting the china,” says Marrs. The custom-striped draperies are actually copper, gold, and moss silk panels sewn together, with a complex smocked finish on the top that echoes a border in the china.
Challenge: The octagonal shape of the room dictated furniture placement and scale. Also, the Marrs design team created the illusion of a domed ceiling in the room.
Philosophy: “A dining room should be a bit more theatrical than other rooms in a house; flattering to its guests, conducive to interesting and lively conversation, and offering several lighting options for use during various seasons and times of the day,” says Marrs.
Period: “We want to reflect an era of grand, older homes, filled with inherited furniture, a grandmother’s collection of china and silver, and an atmosphere offering a sense that each generation has added its own personal touch and style to the room,” says Marrs.

  

+++

Loggia
Outdoor rooms are all the rage. This one beats any we’ve seen, with its airy expansiveness and spectacular view of the pool, garden, and wooded acreage beyond. Colors are monochromatic in green, naturally – celery, moss, fern, leaf, and deep hues of forest. If the colors don’t keep you cool, the cross breeze between the archways and the French doors will do the trick.

 

What’s Inside: Oceana coffee table, Imari end table, stone fruit basket urns, Hughes light fixture, Twig dining chairs, Melrose pedestal base, Espirit dining table, Concord sofa and armchairs, all available through Murray’s Iron Works. River Rock area rug, Blackstone Rugs; glazed ceramic urns, Renaissance Collection; all fabrics from Perennials through David Sutherland Showroom.

Designer: Richard Trimble and Assoc.
Team: Abe Studer, Patricia Trimble, Ginger Schoepp, and Corinthia Runge
Showroom: Murray’s Iron Works
Inspiration: Trimble wanted to transform the large outdoor loggia into a traditional indoor living and dining area. “I was inspired by the eclectic architecture of the house to create an outdoor living space using traditional furniture with clean lines,” he says.
Colors: The green Perennials fabric that Trimble uses evokes the color of the grass and gardens, and blends well with the earthy colors of the iron furniture.
Challenge: Trimble’s challenge was to make a large, lofty area cozy and intimate. He achieves this with the use of a huge lantern in the living area that brings the focus of the eye down and with grass-green sheers that make the area romantic and intimate.
Philosophy: “I always try to interpret my clients’ needs using my design knowledge to help them create the living environment that they desire,” says Trimble.

  


Pool & Rear Exterior

The loggia opens out to a vanishing-edge pool and is bounded by a vast wooded property that will never be developed. While numerous varieties of stone and brick were used, everything was whitewashed – or selected in light colors – to avoid the unfortunate patchwork effect. The result: a facade that has architectural integrity and a calming presence.

 Landscape architecture, Lambert Landscape Co.; spa and swimming pool, Mastercraft Pools; concrete, Titan Concrete Concepts; cut stone and masonry labor, AMB Stone and Masonry; outdoor furniture, Murray’s Ironworks; Chicago antique brick, Packer Brick Inc.; fencing, Southwest Fence & Deck; outdoor air conditioning, IntelliCool. 
 


Pool:
The swimming pool and spa shimmer in opalescent green, just the right foil for the bone-colored travertine and antique brick. At night, lights sparkling, the pool is a show in and of itself.
Water: No Mediterranean-style house is complete without a water feature. The showhouse not only has fountains, but a spa off the master suite and a swimming pool. A bank of three waterfalls connects the spa to the pool; the water then flows into a spillway, creating the wonderful sound of rushing water.
Rear exterior: The back of the house has a courtyard feel, even though it opens to a vast preserve filled with trees, vines, and wildflowers. A forest, in Dallas no less! Note the arches, the cerused trusses, and the three-tier red tile around the perimeter of the roof.
 



Art in the Showhouse
The galleries that are showhouse participants are as diverse as the styles of the various designers. We are lucky to have some of the world’s finest artists display in the home.

 

From the Gerald Peters Gallery, there are two rare drawings by American Modernist Max Weber. The drawings were most likely done by Weber during his studies with Henri Matisse. Weber was both a contemporary and friend of Matisse, as well as artists Henri Rousseau, Pablo Picasso, and Gertrude Stein.

 

Also from the Gerald Peters Gallery, photographs by Texas native Dornith Doherty from her 2005 series “Temporal Screens, Images from Kyoto.”
 
From David Dike Fine Art, we display a collection of works by the Dallas Nine and one of their pupils. The Dallas Nine were a group of artists (and there were more than nine as the group expanded and contracted over time) that were active in Dallas in the ’30s and ’40s. The core group of artists consisted of Jerry Bywaters, Otis M. Dozier, Perry Nichols, William Lester, Everett Spruce, Thomas M. Stell, Jr, Harry P. Carnohan, Alexandre Hogue, and John Douglass. We have chosen to add a work by contemporary artist David Bates, as he has always credited this group as an influence on his own work.
From Galerie Kornye there is a David Spence bronze of a standing nude. Spence works primarily in bronze, and his technique mirrors that of great sculptors from Rodin to Maillol. Spence imbues his work with a seemingly converse sense of movement and line combined with solidity that is rare to find today.  
 
From John Nieto, a group of vivid abstract paintings that embody his bold use of color, but are absent his usual subject matter – abstracted images of Native Americans. Nieto is considered a foremost interpreter of the American Southwest, heralded for both his muscular style and vivid color palette.

+++

Upstairs Sitting Room
How do you make a real room out of a space with just one wall? Very carefully. Every inch counts, including the balcony railing, where a pair of life-sized cloisonne lambs help give definition to an impromptu area. Large, handsome pieces anchor it all down, while a window seat opens things up.

  What’s Inside: 19th-century bronze elephant, Italian table desk with marble top, Louis XIV French arm chairs in embossed leather, all from Kravet, 19th-century wingback chair, French gothic polychrome pedestals, French majolica vases, 19th-century Italian walnut collector’s cabinet, 19th-century French school oil painting, cloisonne clock, all available through Gary Elam Antiques. Chinese export cloisonne sheep, Tsang’s Oriental Imports; drapery fabric, striped velvet, Byzantine cut velvet on ottoman, all from Kravet Fabrics; carpet, Clifton Carpets. 


Designers:
David Salem, Lolly Lupton
Showroom: Gary Elam Antiques
Inspiration: Elam made a specific buying trip to Montpelier, France, to find the right pieces for the showhouse. He already had his inspiration in a pair of antique French gothic gilt and polychrome pedestals that flank the window and create symmetry in the room. He found two Louis IV-style chairs, a pair of 19th-century French majolica vases with raised flowers in the Barbatine style, and a collector’s cabinet.
Colors: The polychrome pedestals achieve their soft, faded colors from years of being painted and repainted in layers of oil, acrylic, and gilt paint. The pinks, greens, rust, and blue-green of the majolica vases continue with the geometric Kravet fabric on the desk chair and tapestry ottoman. The Casablanca designer Alberto Pinto inspired a pair of life-sized cloisonne lambs.
Challenge: The challenge was to create a room with just one wall and a balcony. “We used large, handsome pieces to anchor the area and sculpture by the balcony to incorporate the passage area and create a room,” says Salem.
Philosophy: Salem and his partner Lolly Lupton flanked the windows with pairs of pedestals, vases, cachepots, and chairs to create impact. “Each piece is sculptural and could stand alone,” says Lupton.
Period: No period statement here; this room reflects a worldly, sophisticated traveler.
Don’t miss: “The mid-19th-century walnut cabinet with burlwood drawer fronts is known as a collector’s cabinet, but it was frequently used to store bone relics of loved ones,” says Elam.

  


The Lounge

Easily one of the most challenging rooms to decorate in the house – a pass-through between the upper terrace, home theater, and the staircase – this wonky space becomes hot property, dressed to kill in ’70s inspired chic. Remember the Reagan White House, with its country club furniture and lemon-drop yellow? It’s all here, only lots more fun.

  What’s Inside: 1940s-style painted screen by Philippe Breton; Icelandic rugs, moderne 1960s Chinese coffee table, selenite specimen lamps, white flowered vases, ostrich skin Parson table, 1940s French salon mirror, French Regency-style chairs in Suzy Wong fabric, 1940s Hollywood Regency slipper chairs, Pauline iron chairs, 1940s seris-schene buffet, all available through Ceylon et Cie. French Deco sconces by Decapage Designs, Helsinki cigarette table available through ID Collection; carpet, Clifton Carpets. 

Designer: Michelle Nussbaumer
Showroom: Ceylon et Cie
Inspiration: Michelle Nussbaumer’s inspiration was her new fabric called “Suzy Wong,” a graphic black-and-white print of a contemporized Chinese chrysanthemum pattern.
Colors: Nussbaumer uses black and white in her fabrics and furniture with pops of bright yellow. “I like graphic interiors that create an impact with the use of strong color,” says Nussbaumer.
Challenge: Nussbaumer’s challenge in the lounge was to create a room in a pass-through space with doors into the home theater, to the upstairs terrace, and archways open to the great room below. She had a screen painted by the French artist Philippe Breton to create a virtual wall and used white furniture and Venetian mirrors to define the space. She accessorized the bar with crystal from Cartier and Tiffany’s and added more flowers.
Philosophy: Nussbaumer’s design philosophy is influenced by French 1940s style and the glamour of the 1960s and 1970s. Her room is clean, sophisticated, and stylish.
Period: 1970s country club – retro-Reagan chic.

  



Lounge Powder Bath
Experience great Feng Shui in this Japanese garden-inspired powder room.

  What’s Inside: Bamboo glass tile, custom concrete countertop and sink, Zen-weave floor tile, Ann Sacks; towels, Yves DeLorme; door by JELD-WEN. 

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Showroom: Ann Sacks
Inspiration: Modern Japanese gardens inspired the tile flooring, which is designed in two colors of limestone to look like grass and rock.
Challenge: The powder room is tucked behind the lounge area in an awkward space. Ross wanted to create a feeling of symmetry. She accomplished this by designing a semicircular niche to accommodate the custom concrete countertop and sink.
Colors: Olive, tortoise, stone, and golden browns.
Don’t miss: The niche showcases Ann Sacks’ bamboo glass tile in shades of tortoise and golden brown, which continues the Zen-like theme of a Japanese garden.

+++

Bedroom for a Young Lady
This room takes its cue from the colors and objects of the seashore. Painted the palest Caribbean blue and layered in hues of sand, shell pink, and more variations on sea blues, you can almost smell the salt air.

  
What’s Inside: Sea-blue nightstands, slip covered Theresa chair, mother-of-pearl lamp, Portfolio oval-back side chair, writing desk, library bookcase. Bella notte bedding, custom seashell cornice, floral etchings, silver candlestick lamps, French iron bed, Olivia storage ottoman, Florentine chandelier, coral and seashell accessories, all available through Room Service; carpet, Clifton Carpets.

Designer: Ann Fox
Team: Robin Lowery
Showroom: Room Service by Ann Fox
Inspiration: “This room belongs to a woman in her mid-20s who’s working in New York and home to visit her parents,” says Fox, describing the imaginary client for whom she designed this room. “She loved going to the beach with her family as a child, and her room reflects this with the seaside colors and use of seashells as decoration throughout the room.”
Colors: “The icy palette is calming, soothing, and relaxing,” says Fox. “Color is central to my design. I can walk into an empty room and feel the sense of what the color story should be based on the region, light source, and owner of the house.”
Challenge: Fox wanted to create a guestroom that was feminine without being juvenile and efficient without sacrificing comfort. The beaded Florentine chandelier and bordered curtains add a dash of elegance, and the writing desk is fully outfitted as a workspace.
Philosophy: Fox’s style is pure American, with touches from travels in England and Europe. She enjoys mixing “flea market finds” with fine antiques. “Sometimes a $100 piece can look just as spectacular as a $1,000 piece,” she says. She was among the first to bring the now popular cottage feminine look to the Southwest.
Period: Current – a well-loved, lived-in American home.

  


Home Theater
Grab some popcorn and revel in the retro-glam surroundings of this home theater, with its embossed red wallcoverings and sparkling gold panels. The leather seats recline, making it all the more comfy to watch King Kong wreak havoc.

 
What’s Inside: Custom lighting, wallcovering, acoustic mesh paneling, all designed by Theo Kalomirakis; Cosmopolitan leather seating in cabernet color, United Leather Co. for Jones Walker. Electronics, HomeTronics; custom theater door, Wilson Plywood & Door, Inc.; ceiling, Marek Brothers, Co.; door hardware, P.E. Guerin.

 

Designer: Theo Kalomirakis
Showroom: HomeTronics
Inspiration: “I am always inspired to create a theater that instantly transports you to another place or time and all the drama that should accompany the viewing of a great movie,” says Kalomirakis.
Colors: Shades of oxblood and burgundy
Design philosophy: For a classic theater, Kalomirakis generated drama using harmonic shapes, wall panels with textures, and spot shine inside the ceiling coves.
Challenge: “To achieve the right sound, the bass must be regulated,” says Greg Margolis of HomeTronics. “We used 13 California Audio-Tech speakers in a Dolby 7.2 digital sound system. The speakers are placed to correspond with the seating.”



Upstairs Guest Bedroom

This guestroom is a virtual lesson in eclecticism, where different eras, patterns, and prints cohabitate comfortably. In this case, English Regency mixes with Georgian and Edwardian. A Fortuny influenced pattern stenciled on the walls looks dynamite with checks and chintz.

 
What’s Inside: Four poster bed, faux tortoise bench, Piedmont settee by Las Palmas. George III mahogany commodes, French Empire-style mahogany arm chairs, Queen Anne-style chinoiserie bookcase, Chippendale-style tripod table by Burton-Ching, Ltd. Oberon mirror, Italian candlestick lamps by Minton-Spidell, all available through E.C. Dicken. Oil paintings, Banks Fine Art; root garden seat, Newport Collection; wall stenciling, Shaun-Christopher Designs. All drapery and bed fabrics available through Brunschwig & Fils; carpet, Clifton Carpets.

 

Designer: Marilyn Rolnick Design
Team: Richard Gordon
Showroom: E.C. Dicken, Inc.
Inspiration: “Guestrooms should be as lovely and comfortable as a master bedroom and have the amenities of a fine hotel, but the warmth of a private home,” says Rolnick. “The room is built around the magnificent chinoiserie secretary and the fabulous four-poster bed.”

 

Colors: “What in the world could I do to the walls to get them to be subtle, yet smashing?” says Rolnick. “I work with a wonderful artist, Shaun Christopher, and we came up the gorgeous tobacco-toned finish, with a Fortuny-like stencil pattern, which was then glazed.” The Brunschwig & Fils duvet cover fabric and matching wallpaper for the bath relate dramatically to the existing bath marble.
Challenge: Rolnick’s specific challenge in the room was the small step-out wall near the entry. Placing the opened secretary on this wall creates balance in the room and opens the recessed wall for extra seating.
Philosophy: “My philosophy is making beautiful things comfortable and having those things come together to make a room warm and livable with quality, comfort, continuity, and a little humor,” such as the unexpected tribal figure in the niche by the bathtub, which Rolnick refers to as “the man in our lives.”
Period: English Regency, with Georgian and Edwardian influence, and a dash of Asia and Italy.

+++

Library Powder Bath
This powder bath is the perfect accompaniment to the pine-paneled library, with its masculine colors and tailored design.

 What’s Inside: Chinoiserie demilune cabinet, 19th-century neoclassic trumeau mirror, Pittet Co.; intablature medallion collection, East & Orient Co.; Max Weber drawing, Gerald Peters Gallery; Le Meridien sconces, Crow Chandelier Co.; towels, Yves DeLorme; plumbing fixtures, Morrison Supply.

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Inspiration: Ross was inspired by the library’s fine, knotty pine millwork.
Colors: Masculine tones of black and tan
Challenge: Because the powder bath is small, Ross wanted to create the illusion of more space. She designed a closed pediment and multiple-panel door cabinet made from knotty pine which hangs above the toliet. The room is classically furnished with a chinoiserie demilune cabinet, a 19th-century neoclassic trumeau, a medallion collection from East & Orient Co., and Max Weber drawings from Gerald Peters Gallery.



Kitchen Powder Bath
The lime-green console of this bath is beautiful, made even more so by the grass cloth wall covering and the green- and bamboo-colored glass tiling.

  
What’s Inside: Lime green lava stone console and hardware, Kohler, available through Morrison Supply; swirl vases, Global Views; mirrors, Mammen Glass; door hardware, towel bars, Pierce Hardware; door, JELD-WEN; towels, Yves DeLorme. Flooring by Walker Zanger, IMC, Stone Quarry.

 

Designer: Nancy A. Ross
Team: Nicole Griffin, Priscilla Ortiz, Dallas Design Group, Interiors
Inspiration: The vaulted architecture of this bath was inspired by the house’s many arches and barrel-vaulted rooms.
Colors: A Kohler console has a lime green lava stone top and an intricate pattern of various Italian marbles on the floor. The walls and ceiling are covered in grass cloth.
Challenge: To keep the bathroom from feeling too small, Ross installed a custom-made arched mirror behind the sink, which reflects the hallway outside.



Card Room
Ante up folks, a high-stakes poker game is about to begin. This octagonal card room, located on the second floor, is surrounded by windows, sunlight, and trees. It’s like a secret clubhouse for grownups. Makes losing your shirt, or that ranch deed you just tossed in the kitty, more tolerable.

 
What’s Inside: Louis XIII side chairs, Italian walnut poker table, Orion Antiques; three-leaf clover dishes, linen napkins, Porthault; crystal shot glasses, Tiecoon; marble lion, crystal highball glasses, antique terrestrial globe, East & Orient Co.; faux bamboo pagoda lantern, John Rosselli; drapery fabric, Bergamo through ID Collection; carpet, Clifton Carpets.


Designer: Cathy Kincaid
Showroom: Various
Inspiration: The starting point for Kincaid was the Indian-pattern curtain fabric from Bergamo in colors of brown, gold, and red. “The warm colors of the drapery soften the angularity of the room and the octagonal Italian-style walnut poker table used with leather Louis XIII chairs,” says Kincaid.
Color: Warm colors, with tan walls and touches of red in the drapery, paisley chair fabric, and painted faux bamboo tole lantern from John Rosselli.
Challenge: Kincaid wanted to keep a traditional card room with a massive felt-topped table and leather chairs from looking too masculine. She uses delicate three leaf clover dishes, linen napkins from Porthault, and poker accessories from TieCoon. She adds a whimsical touch with a vintage poker ashtray painted with dogs.
Style: Kincaid creates an elegant room with Italian empire-style etageres and a 19th-century-style lion’s head bench from the Balaton collection at East & Orient Co. An oriental rug from Stark and the French reproduction game chairs complete the stylish, eclectic room.
Romantic note: A gilt bronze clock, circa 1840, from Strasbourg, France, has the following inscription, “Love without commitment is the mistress of cruelty.”



The Upper Terrace
As exotic and serene as a temple in Bali or Thailand, the upstairs terrace has a spectacular view over a wooded preserve through the stone-trimmed arched openings. Furnished with washed teak furniture upholstered in chocolates, corals, and creams combined with Asian artifacts, it’s a perfect retreat for after dinner cigars, cognac, and conversation.

 
What’s Inside: Loggia knole-style sofa, Regence outdoor chairs, Concord table base, all from Niermann Weeks and available through Allan Knight. Root end table; tribal design table lamps; Burmese family totem; Burmese altar panel; carved wooden monk; Shanxi altar base cocktail table; African floor map;  French cast iron basket table; chandelier with crystals, tortoise shells, and good luck figures, king’s ceremonial stool, all available through Allan Knight.


Designer:
Donn Bindler, ASID
Showroom: Allan Knight & Assoc.
Inspiration: Donn Bindler saw this particular color scheme in Chicago. He was taken with the washed teak tone of the Niermann Weeks furniture used with the browns, pinks, and cream of the fabric. “Outdoor fabrics have come so far, they are no longer the awnings of America,” says Bindler.
Colors: Bindler found the dusty brown and pink to be soothing and tranquil. “It is a unique combination because of the softness of the colors, but it reminds me of Texas,” he says. He continues the colors with lamps, roses, and other flowering plants.

 

Challenge: “Designing for outdoor living areas in Texas is a challenge. Because of the climate here, there are just certain times you can use them,” says Bindler. For this reason, he created an outdoor sitting room that could just as easily be inside.
Philosophy: Bindler uses Eastern artifacts from Allan Knight’s showroom for architectural pieces (as in the Burmese wall hanging and the Thai bookstand pedestal, the furniture in the ceremonial stool from Ghana, and the Chinese altar-base cocktail table). An African mat covers the floor. Bindler’s style is contemporary, but he says, “Working in small towns in Texas as I do, one cannot afford the luxury of being too modern. I like to do a room that is not forced.”
Look up: The custom chandelier is made of calcite crystals, Chinese good-luck figures, and turtle shells as candleholders.



Elevator

All aboard. Not just for strained backs and weak hips, Baxter’s elevator is a luxurious ride between floors, paneled in the same knotty pine as the library.

  
What’s Inside: Elevator, Baxter & Associates, LLC.

 

+++

Everything’s Coming Up Roses
Choosing our Showhouse’s signature flower wasn’t hard, and neither is displaying the rose’s classic beauty.
by Meghan Richardson

 

When choosing a flower to best complement the 2005 Showhouse, we found the answer was clear – it had to be the rose. In home design today, Americans have wholeheartedly embraced and perfected the idea of the ornate and elaborate, but we often forget about the beauty and simplicity of the classics. There are few images as timeless or as stunning as the rose. But you can’t just slap down a rose bouquet and call it a day – it takes style and elegance to pull of the perfect design. With this in mind, we called on Apples to Zinnias’ owner Karen Akin to discuss how to create the perfect rose arrangement.

How to Choose
First things first: given the thousands of varieties of roses, how does one go about choosing the perfect rose? Akin says to check for bruising around the tops of the blooms (caused by shipping) and be aware of petal count. After that, the choice is up to the individual eye, but here are some of Apples to Zinnias’ suggestions. First, understand the difference between buying flowers from a grocery vs. a flower shop. The roses at a florist haven’t been sitting in a warehouse or grocery for days. Each rose has been hand-selected from the grower and inspected for quality instead of picked in mass groupings of color. This makes for a quicker turnaround and a fresher flower. Secondly, when selecting your blooms, don’t be fooled by the more open rose. Certain variations of roses open more prematurely than others, such as the rouge baiser, but they still last as long as the others.

What about color? The latest trends are lime green (ask for jade) and juicy orange, such as miracle (shown here), says Akin. The hot pink and the fun circus rose, a smaller yellow rose blooming with a red-orange center, are also popular. Of course, you can never go wrong with the classic romantic red rose (which is what keeps nervous young gentlemen staggering back into the flower shop year after year around February 14). Suggestions here include the Charlotte or the classy rose, two of A to Z’s favorites. Finally, if you’re feeling like more of a purist, choose the most pristine of the white roses, escimo.

Maintenance
You’ve made your purchase, so what comes next? Always start by giving flowers a fresh cut before arranging; you can determine where to make the cut by holding the stem parallel to the vase to determine the desired height. Cut the stems individually at a 45-degree angle, preferably underwater. If you’re wary of trying to make the underwater cut, have the water ready and waiting. Don’t wait too long to get your freshly cut flowers to water; exposure to the air will greatly decrease their lifespan.

Another trick – trim foliage and thorns from the bottom to create an optimal and clean environment. The cleaner the water, the longer the arrangement will last. Akin and senior designer Larry Kaese believe that a well-attended arrangement should last between five and six days. But if the water is changed frequently, the arrangement has the potential to last much longer. Above all else – change the water. Changing the water in an arrangement every two to four days is more important than using any type of flower food or preservative.

Finally, to freshen drooping roses, simply give them a fresh cut, roll them in newspaper (all the way down the stem for a sturdy base) so that the blooms are supported as the water travels to the rescue, and put them back in the water. If you’re more of the instant-gratification type, place fresh flowers in warm water to bring them to their full potential faster. Kaese says this works because the heat of the water speeds up the absorption process. Just as the pores in your hands soak up warm water faster than cold, warm water soaks into a flower’s stems quicker. One catch, though – once the blooms are fully opened, you do not want to place them in warm water any longer; it will only rush the dying process.

Arranging
Once you are prepared to make your cuts and ready to arrange, Akin suggests using two primary colors and one accent flower. The end result is a focused look (such as the one shown here with a curly willow grid). The two best options: a standard rose arrangement (using only roses) or, for a more modern arrangement, complement roses with bold blooms (try Casablanca lilies, orchids, or hydrangea). Either way, you can’t go wrong.



Floor Plans

 

DOWNSTAIRS

 


UPSTAIRS

 

Showhouse by the Numbers

907 construction workers
2,300 welds
14.2 tons of steel
88 tons of natural stone
5,509 square feet of exterior cut stone
23,000 staples
4,500 square feet of wood flooring
410 square yards of carpet
63 yards of wallpaper
389 knobs/pulls
150 buckets of stucco
860 square feet of granite
57,898 linear feet of wiring
15 sinks
9 toilets
29 fixtures

4 tubs
19 appliances
83 windows
72 doors
2765 square feet of glass
66 feet of kitchen glass
5,900 plants/trees
145 can lights
18,300 linear feet of trim
50,138 board feet of drywall
122,000 screws
253,000 nails
2,059 feet of piers
536 yards of concrete
280 square feet of pool tile
410 square feet of stone coping

30,000 gallons of pool water
30,740 bricks
97 switches
542 light bulbs
46 sconces
72 door knobs
102 pieces of railing
614 gallons of paint
696 tubes of caulk
31 tons of air conditioning
18,000 roof tiles
123 fire sprinkler heads
3,265 square feet of interior marble and stone
434 checks written to suppliers

 



Design Elements
Soft hues, textured fabrics, and innovative materials inside the D Home 2005 Showhouse.

    
Master bedroom sofa fabric and silk velvet pillows from Christopher Norman, custom-designed by Julio Quinones for Allan Knight.

Overscaled smocking treatment in silk dining room curtains, custom-designed by John Phifer Marrs, Inc.

Wallpaper in upstairs guest bath Yunnan, color cinnabar from Brunschwig & Fils.Upstairs guest bedroom hand-stenciled wallpaper in Fortuny pattern over antique glazed finish by Shaun-Christopher Design.


 

   
Custom handmade cornice with seaglass tiles and seashells from Room Service by Ann Fox.Cushions for outdoor furniture by Murray’s Ironworks are covered in Perennial Fabrics Origami, color pine from David Sutherland Showroom.Downstairs guest bathroom rug is made of mountain climber’s rope by Paola Lenti for Scott + Cooner.

     
Kitchen backsplash in Zen-weave by Ann Sacks Tile & Stone; Verde Fantastico granite behind stove by IMC.Custom-designed knotty pine paneling for library by Nancy A. Ross, produced by Wilson Plywood & Door, Inc.P.E. Guerin silver patina knob on door to master suite with ribbed, reversed-painted glass insets.Outdoor air conditioning evaporative cooler by IntelliCool, LLC.Custom-designed sconce in stainless steel for master bath by Julio Quinones for Allan Knight & Assoc.

    
Interior door stops from Pierce Decorative Hardware & Plumbing.“Rebecca” rail from Regency Railings, finished by Patina, with mahogany banister.Mosquito wand, high-pressure pump with citronella by IntelliCool.Dual motor axial fan design in mahogany and copper by IntelliCool.

     
Cedar garage door and patterned concrete from Titan Concrete Concepts in motor court.Cut stone from AMB Stone & Masonry, with wandering groundcover, designed by Lambert Landscape Co.Fontaine Artesienne, hand-carved limestone trough from Provence, France, from Pittet.Grecian clay pot from Pittet Architecturals & Antiques.Outside gate in cedar and iron by Southwest Fence & Deck Co.

    
Refurbished antique door from Northern Italy in 200-year-old Iroka wood with lion knocker from Old World Doors.Waterfall feature off of swimming pool with ebony stones by Mastercraft Pools.Cerused, limed beams of California Fir, designed by Richard Drummond Davis and produced by Southwest Fence & Deck Co.Herringbone pattern of Chicago Antique brick from Packer Brick.

+++

Special Thanks
Our showhouse designers would like to personally thank the following individuals and companies for lending a hand.

John Phifer Marrs: Mark Fletcher, Carmela James, Derek Vanlandingham, Patrick Rogers, Thomas Grant Chandeliers, C.L. “Sam” Webb, Patina Finishes/Plasters of Italy

Rick Rozas: Conduit Gallery

Scott+Cooner: Conduit Gallery; Rufus Felix; Poltrona Frau; Paola Lenti; Moooi; Cassina; Maharam fabric; Alias; Giorgetti; Flos; Ingo Maurer; Poliform; Silent Gliss; TKO Associates, Inc.; Porada; de Sede; Fritz Hansen, Maharam fabric; Bang & Loufsen; Yves DeLorme

David Feld: East & Orient Co., Niermann Weeks, Gerald Peters Gallery

Eric Prokesh & Assoc.: Elias Guerrero Chandeliers, Walter Lee Culp & Assoc., Odegard Rugs, Goss Galleries

Donn Bindler: Niermann Weeks, Alaxi Textiles, Allan Knight & Assoc.

Julio Quinones: Niermann Weeks, Axis Furniture, Nancy Corzine, Cote France, Bart Halpern, Cowden Bell, Dogwood, Christopher Norman, Pam Yeats – House of Design, Nick Brock Antiques, East & Orient Co., Perry Pate – Dunn and Brown Contemporary, Allan Knight & Assoc.

Nancy A. Ross: Ann Sacks Tile & Stone, Galerie Kornye, John Gregory Studios, Z Galleries, Global Views, Pittet Co. Fine Antiques, Gerald Peters Gallery, IMC Marble Co., Uncommon Market, Allan Knight & Assoc., Emser Tile, Walker Zanger, American Tile Supply, Master Tile, Stone Quarry, Crandale Galleries, Brendan Bass Showroom

David Salem & Lolly Lupton: Roberts & Co., Kravet Fabrics, Brunschwig & Fils, Straight Stitch, All About Windows, Tsang’s Oriental Imports, Abrash Decorative Rug Gallery, Vinyard Frame Design, Rutherfords

Joseph Minton: Langhorne Carpet Co; Kisabeth Furniture; Crow Chandelier; Joseph Minton Antiques; Slocum Stalls; Minton-Corley Collection (through Ellouise Abbott); Clarence House, Inc.; Coraggio Textiles; Donghia Furniture/Textiles

Cathy Kincaid : (Living Room) – Christopher Wilcox, Los Angeles; Dwite Montgomery; Interior Design Services; Stark Carpet; John Rosselli, Intl., New York; Robert Turner; Charles Birdsong; Porthault; SCS Construction; Walter Lee Culp; Cowan & Tout; Joseph Minton Antiques. (Card Room) – Interior Design Services, Stark Carpet, Charles Birdsong, ID Collection, Bergamo, East & Orient Co., SCS Construction, Orion Antiques, Porthault, Tiecoon

Room Service by Ann Fox: Robin Lowery

Richard Trimble: Perennials Outdoor Fabrics; Blackstone Carpets, Inc.; Euro Tile; Interior Design Services, Plano; Renaissance Collection; Nice Moves; Plantkeepers; Nicholson-Hardie; Country French Interiors; The Mews

Ceylon et Cie: Angela Simmons; CAM Moving & Storage; Cartier, Inc.; Dan Brashear; E.R. Upholstery; Gerardo Sanchez; ID Collection; Laura Pickens; Michelle Queen; Nice Moves; Philippe Breton, Paris; Tiffany & Co.; Vinyard Frame Designs

Marilyn Rolnick: Banks Fine Art; Bausman & Co.; Brunschwig & Fils, New York; Burton-Ching, Ltd., San Francisco; Carl Akins Co., Big Sandy, Texas; Conrad Imports Inc., San Francisco; Crandale Galleries; Editions, Houston; Gaby’s Shoppe; Griffon; Las Palmas Collection, Los Angeles; Lawrence & Scott, Seattle; Livingston Furniture Design, Hutchinson, Kansas; Matt Cameron Rugs; Minton-Spidell, Inc., Los Angeles; New Era Upholstery by Ken Allatt, Plano; Newport Collection Antiques; Renaissance Collection; Robert Turner & Assoc.; Schezi, Ltd.; Shaun Christopher Marshall, Shaun Christopher Designs; Jimmy Saunders; Signature Installation; Straight Stitch by Donna Burley, Carrollton

D Home: Christopher Whanger, Andrew McShane, AFM Co.



Home for the Night
The D Home 2005 Showhouse is a jewel at night, nestled in trees softly illuminated by Lentz Landscape Lighting. More than 900 construction workers labored on this house, along with myriad designers, craftspeople, artisans, and high-tech engineers. No wonder it glows.

 

 

Related Articles

Image
Politics & Government

Q&A: Senate Hopeful Colin Allred Says November Election Is ‘Larger Than Our Own Problems’

The congressman has experience beating an entrenched and well-funded incumbent. Will that translate to a statewide win for the Democrats for the first time since 1994?
Image
Hot Properties

Hot Property: This Preston Hollow Modern Has Limestone as Old as Dinosaurs

Designed by Todd Hamilton, the mansion features lots of organic elements, including a shell stone only found in Texas.
Advertisement