Every year, D Home recognizes the Best Designers in Dallas. These are the people working miracles, turning blank spaces (literally) into thoughtful, beautiful homes you’ll want to live in for years.
But how can you ensure that you’ll have a well-considered, beautifully detailed space? We talked to some of the top interior designers about why it’s so important to hire your designer early. Read on to see their reasonings, and the 2023 Best Designers list, below.
They can save you time, money, and headache when you’re building.
“By hiring a designer as part of the team of architect, builder, and landscape designer, you are able to prevent large changes along the way before they cost you money. It is simple to make a layout change [on paper] or suggest a larger room to fit the furniture you want. It is costly to move a wall or put a project on hold for major design changes.” — Denise McGaha, Denise McGaha Interiors
“Building a home is a huge undertaking and having the proper team in place from the beginning is paramount in making sure you have the best experience possible. Having your architect, interior designer, builder and even landscape architect, all working together from the beginning will make your bid process crystal clear with your builder, which will then make your build move more quickly and smoothly, with very minimal to no budget increases and surprises. Getting hit with change order after change order really takes the fun out of the process.” — Angeline Guido Hall, Angeline Guido Design
The same goes for if you’re buying.
“We’re able to help clients find the house that will give them the best value for their money and will be the right fit for their future dream home. A real estate agent can help find homes that check your lists, but an interior designer can show you how your current furniture and style fit with the home and, even better, how the home can be updated to truly become your own.” — Carolina Gentry, Pulp Design Studios
They’ll anticipate your every need, before it’s too late, and see it all through to the very end.
“We always draw the furniture plans before breaking ground. For example, if the clients want to seat 12 in their dining room, and the architect has only drawn the room large enough for 10, the architectural plans can be adjusted before they’re finalized. We also like to check the electrical plan with the furniture plan to make sure floor plugs are where they are needed and wall outlets don’t show dangling cords behind furniture.” — Margaret Chambers, Chambers Interiors & Associates
“As designers and specifiers, we pick up where the architect leaves off. We design with our clients’ preferences in mind, thinking on a micro level. We also help the clients plan with the end in mind so no detail gets left out and they don’t run out of steam or money to get their home perfectly completed.” — Juliana Oliveira, Beyond Interior Design
“BEFORE construction of a new build or renovation is the best time to hire an interior designer. We ask a lot of questions about how they live, do they cook at home often, entertain or need certain kinds of storage. Does anyone in their home have special needs or is this their retirement home? Would they like to have accessible design incorporated in the plans so they can age at home? As I work on the plans, I keep their desires and needs in mind and incorporate those requests in the overall design of the home. Space planning, furniture plans, cabinet design, lighting and more are all part of planning their new home. I also think of ways to display art collections and beautiful objects they may have.” — Cheryl Van Duyne, Cheryl Van Duyne Interior Design
Finally, a team approach lends cohesiveness.
“A dream team always includes the client, the architect, the contractor, and the interior designer. The architect is responsible for the structure and fundamental aesthetics. The contractor brings the architectural plans to life and is helpful with keeping budgets in check. The interior designer supports the client. She sees the home (the living aspect) from the homeowner’s point of view. The interior designer’s object is to see through their client’s eyes and envision the way their family will live in the structure with comfort, convenience and knock out beauty.” — Sherry Hayslip, Sherry Hayslip Interiors
“We tell clients [that waiting to hire their designer] is like electing to have surgery without the whole surgical team in place. Nobody wants the aesthetician to show up halfway through the surgery, right? As an interior designer, it’s limiting to jump in midprocess or, worse, after the fact.” — Dana Bass, Dana Bass Designs
“Hiring a designer early allows the architecture, interior finish-out, and furnishings to be integrated into a single cohesive concept, rather than later trying to marry separate pieces at a later date. There is a continuity that is impossible to achieve when the process is not a collaborative single thought.” — Philip Vanderford, Studio Thomas James
We couldn’t have said it better.
“A professional designer will collaborate with you and guide you through the design, planning with the architect, and selecting the interior finishes and communicating them to your builder. The designer is your biggest advocate in the build process, and they ensure your vision is fully accomplished in your home taking into consideration all of the details and personalization to make your house a functional home for how you want to live.” — Shay Geyer, IBB Design Fine Furnishings
“The personality and lifestyle of a family should be reflected through the character of their home. A designer’s involvement in the early stages of a build, such as the selection of all finishes and light fixtures, is key for seamlessly navigating each step leading to a finely-tailored home.” — Trish Sheats, Trish Sheats Interior
The Best Designers in Dallas
A Well Dressed Home
Alexis Pearl Design
Alice Cottrell Interior Design
Allison Seidler Interiors
Amy Gibbs Interiors
Amy’s Interiors
Angeline Guido Design LLC
Anne Williams Design
Avrea and Company
Barbara J. Vessels Interiors, Inc.
Betty Lou Phillips Interiors
Beyond Interior Design
Bobbitt & Company Interior Design
BODRON/FRUIT
Brette Jacques Interiors, Inc.
Burkle Creative
Cadwallader Design
Cameron Drinkwater Interiors
Canon & Dean Design
Carrie Barron Interiors
Carrie Hatfield Interior Design
Cathy Kincaid Interiors
Chad Dorsey Design
Chambers Interiors & Associates
Charlotte Comer Interiors, Inc.
Chelsea Hargrave Interiors
Cheri Etchelecu Interior Design
Childress Interiors
Collins & Sweezey
Collins Interiors
Cheryl Van Duyne Interior Design
Dallas Design Group Interiors
Dana Bass Designs
Deborah Walker + Associates
Debra Stewart Interior Design
Deleo & Fletcher Design
Denise McGaha Interiors
Dona Rosene Interiors
Doniphan Moore Interiors
Dunbar Road Design
EJ Interiors
EJM Interior Design
Emily Summers Design Associates
Erin Sander Design
Fagan White Design
Gallerie Noir
Heidi Arwine Interiors
Hillary Littlejohn Studio Design
Holly Hickey Moore Interior Design
House of Amelia
IBB Design Fine Furnishings
Ike Isenhour Inc
J. Wiley Designs
Jan Jones LLC
Jan Showers & Associates
Janet Gridley
Jean Liu Design, LLC
Jenkins Interiors
Joanie Wyll & Associates Inc.
John Phifer Marrs Interiors
Joseph Minton, Inc.
Joshua Rice Design
Josie McCarthy Associates
Kara Adam Interiors
Kirsten Kelli
Kristen Fegale Interiors
Kristin Mullen Designs
Lark Interiors
Laura Lee Clark Interior Design, Inc.
Layered Dimensions Interior Design
Linda Fritschy Interior Design
Lindley Arthur Interiors
Lisa Henderson Interiors
Lynn Sears Interiors Inc.
Maddie Hughes Designs
MADRE Design
Maestri Studio
Mary Anne Smiley Interiors LLC
Mary Beth Wagner Interiors
Meredith Ellis Design
Meredith Steinhart Interior Design
Michelle Nussbaumer Design
Monica Wilcox Interiors
Morgan Farrow Interiors
Morrissey Home
Neal Stewart Design Assoc. Inc
Noel Pittman Design
Pam Kelley Design
Pamela Fitch Design
Paul Draper Design
Paul Duesing Partners
Peters Cates Design, Inc.
Pickering House Interiors
Pulp Design Studios
R. Brant Design
Richard Gordon Design
Richard Trimble & Assoc., Inc.
Rick Rozas Design
RN Interior Design, LLC
Robyn Menter Design Associates, Inc.
Roz Murphy Design
S.B. Long Interiors
Salem & Associates
Samantha Fisher Interiors
Schooler, Kellogg & Co
Sees Design
Seitz Design LTD
Shannon Bowers Designs
Shelby Wagner Design
Sherry Hayslip Interiors
Smith & Ragsdale Interior Design
Studio Thomas James
Studio White Interiors
SWOON, the Studio
Ten Plus Three
Tiffany McKinzie Interior Design Inc.
Tori Rubinson Interiors
Traci Connell Interiors
Traci White Designs
Tracy Hardenburg Designs
Trish Sheats Interior Design
Urbanology Designs
Wendy Konradi Interior Design
Williams Design Inc.
Yates Desygn
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