Set the Mood
Photographer and textile designer Martyn Thompson’s abstract-meets-moody aesthetic graces a new collection of Tibetan knot rugs for Perennials. Thompson designed each one with a photograph from his archives in mind. For instance, “Dream” is inspired by a photo of a swimming pool at the La Colombe d’Or in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, which was taken when he was on a job for Le Monde D’Hermès. “The gentle, blue-green hues of the original were abstracted and recolored in Photoshop,” he explains. The collection is available at David Sutherland.
Picture Perfect
Dallas native Gray Malin is known for his aerial photography depicting glamorous beach scenes in Positano, Cinque Terre, and Nantucket. He’s got a local fan club as well as a celeb following: Reese Witherspoon is one such collector. But the fine-art photographer is constantly redefining his lifestyle brand, from launching coffee-table books and stationery to, most recently, wallpaper. Malin has teamed up with Chicago-based Mitchell Black to launch a collection of four wallcoverings in colorful patterns aptly named “Pinstripe Umbrellas,” “Ocean Waves,” “The Sunbathers,” and “Riviera Stripe.” Stand far away, and the papers take on a graphic stripe or polka-dot affect. But as you lean in closer, you can see the tiny sunbathers and umbrellas that make up each row. Three finishes are available in removable peel and stick, traditional pre-pasted wallpaper, and commercial-grade textured vinyl. Pricing starts at $112 per roll.
Malin may live in Los Angeles and travel the world, but Dallas will always feel like home. Aside from popping into Neiman Marcus’ downtown flagship to take in a bit of shopping, here are his other must-stops when he’s back in town.
St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange in Highland Park: “Not only do they carry the best assortment of Gray Malin home decor product, but my mother volunteers there as well, which makes it an extra special place for me and my family.”
Dallas Arts District: “I love visiting the Dallas Museum of Art and walking around the vibrant Arts District of downtown Dallas. Since it opened, the Nasher Sculpture Center is also such a unique place to explore. The beautiful gardens never cease to amaze me.”
Forty Five Ten: “Shopping there is almost like going to a museum of clothing.”
Mi Cocina: “No trip to Dallas is complete without multiple trips to Mi Cocina—my absolute favorite spot since I was a toddler.”
Barry’s Bootcamp: “Gotta work off all those Mi Cocina mambo taxis.”
Pioneer Plaza: “I always love seeing the sculpture of the cattle drive [by artist Robert Summers] running in front of the convention center—definitely fun for out-of-towners.”
Dream Team
Dallas designer Denise McGaha has launched a collection of wallpaper, textiles, and pillows with Kelly O’Neal, owner of local to-the-trade decor line Design Legacy. McGaha has been a customer of O’Neal’s for years, and the two came to know each other. “We discussed working together, and a collection was born,” McGaha says. Expect graphic prints, rich hues, and painterly patterns, all of which can be designed with a traditional or modern slant. “Everything I do can be mixed and matched, and that’s the goal,” she says. “My designs are collected yet classic.” Find nine patterns in the collection with each in more than three colorways. The fabrics can be printed on bone cotton or natural linen.
A New Domain
Aspen native Jamie Olsen-Ali has been somewhat of an under-the-radar Dallas architect for more than 15 years, designing commercial and residential spaces throughout the city (including one of her most prominent homes, an urban Preston Hollow farmhouse featured on the 2014 AIA Dallas Tour of Homes). But with many clients looking to build second homes in Colorado, it only made sense for her to partner with longtime Aspen architect Richard Mullen to form architecture and interiors firm DEMESNE (pronounced də’mān). The two met while obtaining graduate degrees in architecture at the University of Texas at Austin and have a symbiotic design style. With dual locations in Dallas and Aspen, they can specifically cater to the large number of Texans who retreat to Colorado—as well as to their lifestyle and aesthetic. “We are all over the board in styles—we have done traditional English country homes, super-modern homes, and everything in between,” Mullen says. They also take a holistic approach to design, contemplating the furnishings at a project’s onset. “For us, an exact size of chair goes in every single room we design, and it’s thought through from the beginning,” says Olsen-Ali. That means the end result is seamless.
