A Home Store of the Future
Austin-based TreeHouse has often been touted as the “Whole Foods of home improvement.” But with a quick tour around the 35,000-square-foot retail space at the corner of North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill Lane, you’ll soon realize there is a range of products, whether you’re dipping a toe in sustainable homewares or preparing for a full remodel.
CEO Jason Ballard’s passion for protecting the earth led to partnerships with some of the most innovative, eco-friendly lines in the home improvement market, such as Dunn-Edwards no-VOC paint, energy-saving Big Ass Fans, and Nebia’s water atomizing showerhead. It’s the first retailer to carry Whirlpool’s Zera food recycler and Tesla’s anticipated Powerwall. All products align with TreeHouse’s mission to provide homeowners a better experience and an elegant design while reducing their ecological footprint.
The store practices what it preaches—it occupies the most sustainable structure in Texas and the first energy-positive building in America. Designed by architect Lake|Flato to more closely resemble an oversized contemporary residence than a typical home improvement store, TreeHouse’s Dallas location is the first store to be fueled by Tesla’s Powerwall home battery.
The Dallas store also offers interior design and turnkey installation services. Shoppers can take advantage of the upstairs classroom, where sessions on topics range from solar power to native landscaping. Downstairs, a full-service kitchen plays host to some of Dallas’ top chefs, who give demonstrations with low-energy cookware and smart appliances.
“It is existentially urgent that we find a way to find shelter in this world without ruining it and ourselves,” Ballard says. “Our homes should be expressions of our highest and best selves, and that is ultimately what TreeHouse is here to do.” 8021 Walnut Hill Ln. 214-945-1040. tree.house
Show and Tell
For bathroom and kitchen remodelers, Kohler’s new Signature Store in Knox District is a one-stop, interactive dream, bringing the brand’s full breadth of products to Texas designers and homeowners.
Inside the McKinney Avenue space, shoppers can explore fully designed kitchen suites and spalike bathroom vignettes styled with pieces from Kohler, Kallista, Robern, Ann Sacks, Kohler Surfaces, and more. They can even see most products in action—from fully functioning showerheads to tricked-out tubs equipped with hidden speakers or bubble massage abilities. A wall of faucets in every finish cover the walls, along with stylish sinks and some seriously high-tech toilets, which feature heated and self-cleansing seats, hands-free lids, and a built-in light sensor.
Kohler also hopes the shop will serve as a gathering place for the Dallas design community, offering regular classes on trends and sustainability. Designers and architects who work remotely are invited to use Kohler’s front-of-shop workspace, which includes free Wi-Fi and a coffee bar, as their space for the day. 4640 McKinney Ave., Ste. 100. 469-301-7262. kohlersignaturestoredallas.com
Breaking Ground
Dallas-based Aria Stone Gallery has always been ahead of the curve. Founded by Vinny Tavares in 2013, the Design District showroom was one of the first stone retailers to display its pieces like works of art. Now, they’re showcasing those rare, hand-selected stones in another fresh format: an online marketplace. The first virtual stone storefront features transparent pricing and lets designers and homeowners easily filter by stone type, finish, thickness, color, and even country of origin. 1617 Hi Line Dr., Suite 310. 214 939 8000. ariastonegallery.com
Pretty and Pink
Situated in a restored two-story Greek Revival just off Swiss Avenue, designer Sarah Hargrave’s first store, The Collective, is a treat for vintage furniture lovers.
Inside, each room in the home has been transformed into carefully styled vignettes, filled with vintage furniture, custom textiles, furniture and rugs from local Parker & Hyde, potted succulents, and Turkish rugs washed in pink or lavender. The fresh, feminine space also provides the perfect showcase for Dallas artist Jenn Thatcher, whose abstract paintings often share the designer’s affinity for pastel hues.
But it’s possible the most attractive part of the shop is the price point, proving more affordable than many other selections of refurbished pieces. “There really aren’t any home stores like this in East Dallas,” Hargrave says. “There are a lot of young families here, so I felt like it needed to be attainable.”
Upstairs, her husband’s mortgage lending company, The Hargrave Group, offers clients completed examples of the designer’s work. Be sure and grab a Lakewood Succulent Design to go while you brainstorm. 5838 Live Oak St. 817-706-3470. thecollectivedallas.com
Playing the Hits
When Chris Tyndal and his wife, Pam, were looking to open a new location for the Alabama–based outdoor furnishing store Summer Classics, Dallas was first on their list. “I really focused on the Knox area,” Pam says. “When people furniture shop, they just want to drive to one destination.”
The showroom landed on Travis Street this spring, bringing the brand’s luxury outdoor furniture, as well as elegant lighting by Gabby. Built to last, the brand’s handmade collections feature teak, stainless steel, and N-dura’s UV-resistant resin wicker, along with Summer Classics’ noteworthy dream cushion. “It’s like a cushion within a cushion that’s also water resistant,” Pam says.
Though the Southern brand has been popular in Dallas for some time, the Majorca collection has been particularly successful here recently. “It’s oversized and has a more modern look, which is fitting for this city,” Pam adds.
4514 Travis St. 469-620-6853. summerclassics.com
First-Time Texans
Put this modern favorite on your shopping radar.
With so many loyal Dallas customers, Minneapolis-based Room & Board knew it was time to bring their modern, affordable, and largely American-made designs to Texas. The Knox District will welcome the brand’s nearly 12,000-square-foot showroom to McKinney Avenue at the end of this year. 4524 McKinney Ave. roomandboard.com
