Paper City Article

Bridge Over Trinity Waters

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:08:57 GMT

International star-chitect Santiago Calatrava has re-shaped our skyline %26mdash; in the large-scale, modernist way that the design genius is famous for %26mdash; with his sleek, white automotive bridge spanning from downtown to West Dallas. Next month, Calatrava%26rsquo;s Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opens for transport over the Trinity River, debuting with a three-day pedestrian frolic via a string of events during the weekend of March 2. Party-design whiz Todd Fiscus will direct two of the three out-of-this-world f%26ecirc;tes, so expect nothing less than a spectacle of grand fireworks, literally. On Friday, March 2, the ticketed Celebration Party for 2,000 guests will be held atop the bridge to benefit The Trinity Trust. A $200 tariff grants access to dinner, dancing and a performance by Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. On Saturday, March 2, the MHH will draw even more supporters, this time for a gratis Street Fair %26mdash; with all-day entertainment ranging from a live chalk art installation by artist Douglas Rouse to performances by Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights. Finally, early birds who rise at 6:50 am Sunday, March 4, can flutter to the Sunrise Blessing and Ribbon Cutting. We hear it will include plenty of pomp and circumstance %26mdash; think ceremonial rites performed by hundreds of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, plus music from the Orchestra of New Spain and the Street Corner Symphony. Talk about a civic commotion of charitable proportions. Tickets and information 214.740.1616; mhhbridgecelebration.com.

Image: An over-the-top overpass: the Santiago Calatrava%26ndash;designed Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Photo by Dana Driensky.

Force of Nature: The Joule Breaks Ground, Again

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:26:50 GMT

What does a $78 million makeover look like? Keep a keen eye on the Main Street downtown spot that%26rsquo;s home to The Joule hotel. While there may be cranes and forklifts in place there now, by this fall you%26rsquo;ll get the picture. The luxurious hotel that first opened its doors in 2008 in the iconic 1920s bank building is undergoing a sizeable revamp and expansion. And in true Joule fashion, not one cent will be spared on enlarging the hotel%26rsquo;s digs %26mdash; eventually, it will span almost the entire Main Street block. Internationally known designer Adam Tihany %26mdash; he of The Joule%26rsquo;s original environs and stylish interiors at the hotel Casa Manni Roma in Italy and the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva %26mdash; has signed back on to lead the fresh design concept. Be on the lookout for these A-list add-ons: a 2,500-square-foot expansion of The Joule%26rsquo;s current lobby; 31 new guest rooms, including two three-story penthouses, all elegantly furnished per Tihany%26rsquo;s rich, contemporary aesthetic; a 4,000-square-foot rooftop garden; a subterranean spa complete with an ice fountain, geothermal pool, steam room and sauna; and a second nosh spot from The Joule%26rsquo;s resident gourmand, Charlie Palmer. The best way to measure all this glamorous energy? In those delicious-sounding little units of energy called joules, of course. 1530 Main St., 800.325.3589; thejouledallas.com.

Image: Blockbuster: A rendering of The Joule%26rsquo;s multi-million-dollar expansion. Photo courtesy Headington Companies.

Tesla Houston

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:24:33 GMT

Keys to the Door: Manager Kirthi Narasimhan.

Electric Avenues: Oh, if Botticelli were with us today, designing automobiles — and thinking green — this would be his Venus. But Tesla’s sinuous Model S sedan comes with something no Venus ever did: an electric cord. Indeed, the newest Tesla has changed the way eco-minded aesthetes feel about electric sedans: no ugly stepsisters here. The about-to-launch beauty (first deliveries will happen mid-2012) gleams at Tesla Houston Galleria (the showroom is actually inside Galleria IV) the first Texas outpost for the California-based company, founded in 2003 by rogue Silicon Valley types who couldn’t tolerate unattractive green machines. Problem solved. Their Tesla Roadster (just a few are left to buy) was a hand-built, battery-powered racecar for the road, rocketing from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds, with a carbon-fiber body wrapped around a cabin meant for two. The impending four-door sedan more than doubles the fun, seating up to five underneath an optional full-glass roof and speeding them to 60 miles an hour in less than six ticks of the second hand. The largely aluminum sedan is fitted with a powerful Lithium-ion battery pack: Just plug your Tesla in anywhere, then, on a single charge, zoom around for up to 300 mellifluous miles. But don’t think it’s all high-speed hijinks in this stunner: The ultra-quiet interior — no engine noise — comes with a 17-inch touchscreen and all the necessaries. A limited-run Model S Signature edition adds premium leather, special badging and many perks. (A real Botticelli Venus not being one of them.) From $49,900; waiting-list reservation $5,000 (Model S) and $40,000 (Model S Signature); full details at teslamotors.com. Galleria IV, Level 1, 713.622.3393; teslamotors.com.

Image: The Tesla Model S sedan, now at Tesla Houston Galleria

A Family Affair You'll Want Made Public

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:43:49 GMT

As designing men go, try to top these two. They%26rsquo;re handsome. They%26rsquo;re pedigreed. They%26rsquo;re brothers. We introduced Corbin and Ross See to Dallas in July 2009, when we published a sumptuous, contemporary house that the aesthete siblings decorated for Jennifer and Tom Karol (its living room even landed on the cover). Now, the scions of Oklahoma City designer Carson See have collaborated with another icon who recognizes top talent when he sees it: David Sutherland. Pull up a tufted chair and peruse 1818 Bench Made Furniture, a collection of chairs, sofas and chaises that upend traditional shapes and conventions. The proportions are jaunty, the construction top-notch %26mdash; it%26rsquo;s all built by hand, tailored like the best men%26rsquo;s haberdashery. The brothers See certainly know craft and quality: Corbin%26rsquo;s C.V. includes time at Holly Hunt in Chicago; Ross%26rsquo; resume includes time with top decorator Mariette Himes Gomez. Watch these two: They%26rsquo;re going places. (And, like their furniture, they%26rsquo;re terribly easy on the eyes.) To the trade at David Sutherland Showroom; davidsutherlandshowroom.com/1818.

Images:

The men of 1818: Ross See,%26nbsp; left, and Corbin See

The Brady chair, sitting spryly on tapered mahogany legs with brass or nickel sabots

Museum Tower’s Design à Trois

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:55:17 GMT

Going up? Local designers Emily Summers, Ann Schooler and Marco French certainly are. Each of the interior-design masterminds has been given his or her own place at the under-construction Museum Tower in Downtown %26mdash; sans signing on the dotted line. While Summers, Schooler and French may not be taking up permanent residence at the much-anticipated tower, they will be wielding their decorating wands, each styling a show home inside the glass-encased, 42-story high-rise designed by Los Angeles architect Scott Johnson. Exact details are still under wraps for the trio of pied-%26agrave;-terres that will open early this year, but we can only envision three distinctly different design concepts. From Summers, we expect nothing less than a space inspired by art and architecture, with no end to restrained glam. As for Schooler, perhaps she%26rsquo;ll debut a decidedly Southern showpiece, filled with rich antiques and well-designed frills. And from French? We predict a contemporary condominium filled with his signature warm drama, yet imminently liveable. It%26rsquo;s true what they say: Good things do come in threes. Museum Tower Sales Gallery, 2112 Flora St., 214.954.1234; museumtowerdallas.com.

Image:%26nbsp; Work of art: a rendering of downtown%26rsquo;s new Museum Tower

Dig, Drag, Divine

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:55:20 GMT

They are the sexiest Franco-American pairing since Ana%26iuml;s Nin and Henry Miller. She%26rsquo;s Arkansas. He%26rsquo;s France. She was a cabaret dancer. He was a firefighter. But together, they are Martinie %26amp; Altom, a tiny architectural-salvage firm in Dallas. (They met in France, then came here to be a bit nearer to her kin in Arkansas %26mdash; but not too close.) However, don%26rsquo;t think peeling-paint doors and cracked-up glass block: Sydney Perkins and Mikael Martinie are hauling back incredible chunks of limestone, marble and granite in the form of mantels, window surrounds and sinks %26mdash; all from ancient houses and churches in France. These two do it all, from researching edifices that are being torn down to chipping out the pieces themselves. (Just look at the photo albums on their Facebook page.) The bounty is highly curated: andirons, stone crosses, iron gates, even handmade terracotta roof tiles, each one %26ldquo;signed%26rdquo; by its maker eons ago by dragging three fingers through the soft clay before firing, making a rather decorative fluted flourish on each tile. The pieces here are varied, from a pink-marble 1850s fireplace surround found in a garage in a winemaking village to a more modern surround of black-gray volcanic rock that would energize a sleek space, certainement. Ask Mikael and Sydney about each piece %26mdash; they have stories. (Not to mention the one about the firefighter who meets the cabaret dancer %26hellip;) 1500 N. Riverfront Blvd., 214.883.5862; martiniealtom.com.

Image: Salvage chic: Sydney Perkins and Mikael Martinie. Photo by George Fiala

John Dickinson Redux

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:47:11 GMT

For everyone who covets the late designer John Dickinson%26rsquo;s iconic plaster furnishings but has yet to snag the rare piece at auction, we have good news. David Sutherland, the gentleman who first represented the California designer in Texas, has acquired the rights from Dickinson%26rsquo;s estate to reproduce some of his most important pieces in a limited series. Starting this month with 12 and adding two more designs next summer, Sutherland is producing the small and medium African tables, the Footed table and the Hoofed table, which are recognizable by their paw and hoof feet, as well as the table with Rope Tie, the naturalist Tree Stump pedestal and the Twig lamp and mirrors. Dickinson%26rsquo;s white-plaster tables, lamps and even beds, many produced in the %26rsquo;70s, were quite fragile, but thanks to technical innovations, the Sutherland John Dickinson Collection will be reproduced with a lightweight glass-fiber-reinforced concrete that can withstand moisture, freezing conditions and rust, so most can be used outdoors as well. Exclusively to the trade at David Sutherland Showrooms.

The Ideson: A New Chapter

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:46:09 GMT

There%26rsquo;s nothing like a reborn building to ignite an interest in history. The Julia Ideson Library and its triumphant, just-unveiled $32 million redux wins our vote for being one of the most inspiring architectural and preservation stories of 2011. At the helm, Phoebe Tudor and her fellow co-chairs Minnette Boesel and the late Margaret Skidmore were tapped by former Mayor Bill White in 2006 to lead the public/private fund-raising charge, with the City of Houston donating $16 million to the ambitious five-year project, matched by individual, corporate and foundation gifts. Phase one was the renovation of the 1920s-era Julia Ideson Library, which for 50 years was the main downtown branch for the Houston Library System. Phase two was a new addition completed last month that saw the realization of the 1920s-era master plan devised by the Ideson%26rsquo;s original architect, Ralph Adams Cram of Boston (known for Rice University and St. John%26rsquo;s the Divine in New York), but thwarted by the Great Depression. The revived Ideson and its handsome Spanish-style expansion by Gensler architect Barry Moore, which melds seamlessly with the historic three-story structure at 500 McKinney, serves multiple purposes. The original building becomes a nexus for social f%26ecirc;tes, from weddings and receptions to fund-raisers, complete with a catering kitchen and its own events director, as well as an exhibition space where curator Danielle Burns has organized %26ldquo;Cabinet of Curiosities,%26rdquo; (through May 5), culled from the Ideson%26rsquo;s vast archives. Beautifully restored are the library%26rsquo;s signature details, as extolled by Miz Tudor: %26ldquo;The carved-wood coffered ceiling, the murals, the red-tile floors, those tall windows, the elegant stucco walls %26hellip;%26rdquo; Connecting Cram%26rsquo;s original building, the new wing %26mdash; on track for LEED certification %26mdash; is all about giving a climate-controlled place to history. It features a new Texas Room for the Ideson%26rsquo;s rich trove, including the fabled collections of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC), which encompass city directories, the Sanborn Maps that record buildings block-by-block from the post-Civil War period on, plus millions of tantalizing photographs of the built environment and daily life, ephemera and personal as well as civic documents. Kudos to the new Ideson standard-bearers for keeping these treasures where they belong, rather than shipping them off to some distant warehouse facility, so that Houston%26rsquo;s history can be accessible and celebrated.

Archive of the Avant-Garde

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:37:39 GMT

It%26rsquo;s been 10 years and multi-millions of dollars in the making, evidencing a big budget and single-minded focus on a world a continent away that few museums could muster %26mdash; and none ever before have attempted. So it%26rsquo;s no surprise that all eyes in the international art world will be on the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and logging onto icaadocs.mfah.org when the MFAH%26rsquo;s ground-breaking, truly game-changing digital Latin American archive launches Thursday, January 19. The landmark resource %26mdash; which, most significantly, will be free %26mdash; is a decade-long, ongoing scholarly initiative of the museum%26rsquo;s highly lauded Latin American department%26rsquo;s research arm, the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA). The project brought together 10 teams totaling more than 100 researchers in 16 cities, from Buenos Aires and Bogota to S%26atilde;o Paulo and Lima, to scan 10,000 rare documents including magazines, exhibition catalogs, treatises, pamphlets, photographs and other endangered ephemera. The goal: to preserve for posterity a history of the art of the Southern continent and its Latino neighbors. An upcoming series of 13 volumes will publish the teams%26rsquo; finds, with the first book%26rsquo;s release coinciding with the launch of the digital archive. %26ldquo;No editorial project of this scope currently exists or has ever been attempted in the field of Latin American art,%26rdquo; says Mari Carmen Ram%26iacute;rez, founder/curator of the MFAH%26rsquo;s department of Latin American art, which has received $50 million to date toward initiatives in 20th-century Latin American and Latino art, including the ICAA Documents project as well as building its collection. %26ldquo;It is not about new movements and artists that have been discovered so much as artists who have been reassessed %26hellip; The Documents Project will have a decisive impact on the long-term development of the field.%26rdquo; The project%26rsquo;s greatest champion was late MFAH director Peter Marzio, who called the endeavor %26ldquo;catalytic.%26rdquo; Ramirez recalls, %26ldquo;He envisioned students stumbling upon the archive while surfing the Internet ... and thereby discovering a brand-new world in Latin America that would shape the rest of their lives.%26rdquo; icaadocs.mfah.org.

Images:

Cover for the journal Azulejos (Mexico City), Vol. I, No. 2 (September, 1921). Image courtesy of Coll. Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliogr%26aacute;ficas, Mexico City.

Xul Solar%26rsquo;s Jefa (Patroness), 1923

The Auction Block

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:35:44 GMT

Morton Kuehnert hosts an auction of the Proctor family estate on Sunday, January 22. Judge Frederick C. Proctor, general counsel for the Gulf Oil Companies from 1905 to 1919, built his final home at 2950 Lazy Lane, next door to Bayou Bend, the home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg. The Proctor home, built by renowned architect Birdsall P. Briscoe, was dubbed Dogwoods by the next owners, Alice and Mike Hogg (Ima%26rsquo;s brother). To the dismay of many in the community, it was demolished in 2005 to make way for new construction. But the furniture, sterling, crystal, toys, books, paintings and personal items of the Proctor family live on %26mdash; and you can take home a piece of Houston history at Morton Kuehnert%26rsquo;s Fine Antiques and Decorative Art Auction, which will also feature hunt and safari trophies, decorative art and fine antiques from other prominent Houston and Austin estates. View the catalog online at auction.mortonkuehnert.com.

Image: Louis XV%26ndash;style clock suite; estimate $700 to $1,400

The Holiday Wish List

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:30:29 GMT

Santa, The Christmas Book from Neiman Marcus has just arrived. Any chance you could slip the NM-edition Hacker-Craft Speedboat onto your sleigh? Whether you%26rsquo;ve been naughty or nice, you%26rsquo;ll flip through the pages of this year%26rsquo;s book %26mdash; the 85th annual edition %26mdash; and dream big this holiday season. Besides the stunning Hacker-Craft boat ($250,000), we have our eye on Tom Burr%26rsquo;s sleek black table-tennis table ($45,000). Perhaps you dream of enough books to quell your attention for a lifetime. If so, consider French publisher Assouline%26rsquo;s custom-built library %26mdash; floor to ceiling, wall to wall, every detail expressive of this luxury firm%26rsquo;s aesthetic, with 250 books of your choosing, too ($125,000). And for those who would rather experience something than acquire it, consider a day trip to Stone Barn Farm just outside Manhattan, where six of you can dine at Blue Hill situated on this 80-acre self-sustaining farm where the animals are raised, fruit and vegetables harvested in a picturesque setting ($9,500). Or hop a private Jetway flight to Europe next May, and take in the continent%26rsquo;s most celebrated flower shows ($420,000). In the true spirit of giving, this year a small portion of each fantasy gift ($2,500 to $10,000) will be donated to charities nationwide. See more in the catalog, or download the Apple iPad app NM Editions.

Great Reads

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 06:57:20 GMT

Harper%26rsquo;s Bazaar: Greatest Hits (by Glenda Bailey, foreword Stephen Gan; Abrams, $65) is a lush and lovely look at great editorial%26nbsp; layouts covering Bailey and Gan%26rsquo;s decade at the helm, with all the gang: Agyness Deyn as Michael Jackson, Marc, Donatella, Alber, Karl and more.

We love WASPs, prep, anything Ivy League. Two new books, Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style (by Jeffrey Banks and Doria de La Chapelle, foreword by Lilly Pulitzer; Rizzoli,%26nbsp; $45) and The Ivy League (Assouline, $65), follow last year%26rsquo;s cult reissue Take Ivy and True Prep, the update of The Official Preppy Handbook. Then there%26rsquo;s Tommy Hilfiger%26rsquo;s brilliant advertising campaign, Meet The Hilfigers %26hellip; Okay, so we%26rsquo;re not the only ones loving prep. Preppy is smart and glamorous and takes a historical approach to the fashion and lifestyle that defines the look. The Ivy League examines life inside the eight universities that are the most exclusive private clubs in the world, with a membership that never expires. It%26rsquo;s a peek into the character of each of the Ivys %26mdash; the important stuff like architecture, mode of dress, athletic rivalries and more.

We also love Martin Lawrence Bullard: Live, Love %26amp; Decorate (foreword by Sir Elton John; photography Tim Street-Porter; Rizzoli, $60). It%26rsquo;s bold and glamorous, has lacquer, mirrors, shagreen %26hellip; what%26rsquo;s not to love. Bullard, based in Los Angeles, showcases the homes of clients including Sir Elton, Cher (two properties) and Tamara Mellon, as well as his own home, which was once the domicile of Rudolph Valentino then Gloria Swanson. Stop the glamour!

The New Artisans: Handmade Designs for Contemporary Living (Olivier Dupon, Thames %26amp; Hudson, $45) is a charming manifesto that showcases work by more than 800 designers and makers who use craft rather than mass production to create stylish, covetable objects, including ceramics, furniture, glasswork, metalwork, lighting, paper and woodwork, jewelry and stationery, tableware and textiles. Dupon, the author, is based in France and writes the blog Dossier 37.

We love Marisa Berenson, so we%26rsquo;re excited about her new book, Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures (guest editor Steven Meisel, intro by Hamish Bowles %26mdash; wouldn%26rsquo;t you love to have been at those planning sessions? %26mdash; Rizzoli, $60). An It-girl of the %26lsquo;70s, according to YSL, Berenson has inspired grand photographers, stylists, fashion designers and editors for decades. Extra cred: She%26rsquo;s the granddaughter of Elsa Schiaparelli. Who knew. The volume%26rsquo;s lavish photography and intime conversation with Diane von Furstenberg %26mdash; oh, to have been a fly on the wall at their wine afternoons %26mdash; make this book a cocktail party of its own.

How sad all these beautifully, perfectly crumbled rooms in Cuba have been hidden away for so long. With travel to Cuba a dim possibility in the near future, we%26rsquo;re boning up on the opulence of colonial Spanish Creole aristocracy, the grand mansions, baroque palacios, coffee plantations and ingenios (sugar plantations). How are we doing this? Vicariously through photographer Michael Connors%26rsquo; amazing new book, The Splendor of Cuba: 450 years of Architecture and Interiors (Rizzoli, $85), which includes beautifully preserved examples of Mudejar craftsmanship and villas in their magnificent original state %26mdash; interiors and exteriors from Havana to Cienfuegos, rife with details of courtyards, balustrades, grilles and louvered doors, as well as a good look at Finca Vig%26iacute;a, the former residence of Ernest Hemingway. Hopefully,
we%26rsquo;ll soon be booking Cubana de Aviaci%26oacute;n.

In our mind%26rsquo;s eye, Jeffrey Bilhuber can do no wrong. And his new book is pretty, all right. The Way Home: Reflections on American Beauty (photographs William Abranowicz; Rizzoli, $60) is chockablock with inspiration from 12 recent projects, best described by Bilhuber himself: %26ldquo;%26hellip; these rooms happily reconcile high and low, rare and common, handsome and homely.%26rdquo;

I was born 100 years too late, and Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century (by Nicholas Foulkes; Assouline, $175) proves it. The most beautiful book ever created on this beautiful subject, Bals explores the nine grandest private costume parties of the 20th century, from the Romanov dynasty through Art Deco Paris and the jet-set %26rsquo;70s (Paul Poiret, Truman Capote, Cecil Beaton). With first-person memories from Jacqueline de Ribes, H%26eacute;l%26egrave;ne David-Weill and Marisa Berenson, it%26rsquo;s almost as good as being there. Almost.

Books available at Curate Pop-Up Book Shop in Uptown Park (on the courtyard next to Cafe Express), open November 1 through December 31, with more than 600 titles in the genres of design, architecture, fashion and pop culture, as well as vintage design books.

Restoration Hardware Baby %26 Child Gallery

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:58:41 GMT

Keys to the Door: Manager Jennifer McCracken.
Stocked Goods: Crystal chandeliers and 11-foot arches running the length of two corridors lead you into the Restoration Hardware Baby %26amp; Child Gallery, where many a wall is covered in button-tufted Belgian linen and industrial-accented with wood, rope and steel. It%26rsquo;s a worthy canvas for RH%26rsquo;s collections of children%26rsquo;s furniture, shown as installations and layered with antiques and signature pieces from the brand-new mama store next door (see pages 38 and 39). Howard Backan, Architectural Digest Top 100 architect, masterminded the space with RH chairman and co-CEO Gary Friedman, creating a mini Restoration Hardware with diminutive versions of many of the brand%26rsquo;s iconic pieces. Think kid-sized flatiron desks, an industrial cart reconceived as a platform bed and a tiny leather Kensington sofa. Expectant moms and dads will enjoy perusing the nursery necessities, from cribs and changing tables to drapes and bed linens, while long-time parents will appreciate the kid-friendly styles for bedrooms, playrooms and baths that won%26rsquo;t clash with the rest of a well-appointed home. Highland Village, 4018 Westheimer Road, 713.328.3130.

Formal Rooms

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:45:08 GMT

It%26rsquo;s a black-tie debut, celebrating Cantoni%26rsquo;s new luxury line, Dress Code. Made in Italy by Robi Malerba (a craftsman who has been working with Michael Wilkov, Cantoni%26rsquo;s energetic founder, for almost three decades), the subtle design details range from diagonally stitched leather seats on dining chairs to faux croc insets on bar units and shelves. Crafted with touches such as inlaid horn, coplanar doors, mirrored glass, and sleek lacquer and chrome accents, this is the sort of collection you can build a room around. And not to drop names, but the Malerba family has also created furniture for the likes of Harrod%26rsquo;s and other lauded retailers. Impressed? Thought so. 9889 Westheimer Road, 713.787.9494.

The Art of the Bath

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:41:01 GMT

Bryan Downey %26mdash; the man who took his famous great-great-uncle%26rsquo;s sculpture and pottery and made it modern again %26mdash; has replicated Waylande Gregory%26rsquo;s signature pottery adorned with gold and platinum stripes, dots, grids for use in the bath. The patterned tissue boxes, soap dispensers, cups and dishes coordinate glamorously with polished-nickel and chrome variations. From $145 to $350, launching this month at Longoria Collection.

Moving Day

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:34:20 GMT

Black Friday %26mdash; that notorious day after Thanksgiving when gobs of us mob stores from coast to coast %26mdash; marks the day when custom furniture retailer Quatrine moves from its current Rice Village locale to Highland Village. Taking up residence in the former Pierre Deux space, this 2,700-square-foot boutique will be home to a brand-new collection of furniture and accessories from the American-made firm, which can boast that everyone working in their midst has either an architecture or interior-design degree, servicing their design clientele and the rest of us quite knowledgeably. Famous for their washable slipcovered upholstery, which can be custom-designed to your specifications, they also handcraft wood pieces, from dining tables to consoles, in their California factory. Quatrine, 4003 Westheimer Road, Highland Village, 713.521.1915; quatrine.com.

Smokin' Hot

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:01:50 GMT

We adore the surreal mystery of Fornasetti %26mdash; a collage-auteur of the highest order, whose works transformed the 20th-century decorative arts scene. With Fornasetti Profumi (only the second season of the home-fragrance collection), Piero Fornasetti%26rsquo;s son Barnaba has collaborated with scent-meister Olivier Polge to create one fragrance, and one only, for the candles, incense, burning crystals and oils. But what a scent it is. Taken from the aromas of the house and gardens, it%26rsquo;s at once reminiscent of leather, burning firewood and ancient money, and dusty with notes of orris, cedarwood, thyme, lavender and labdanum. The ceramics for the fragrances, made in Italy by a company dating to the 1800s, are brilliant. There are trays of lips for the incense, one rouged pair holding the incense stick; a revolver with a smoking barrel; lidded candle pots with iconic cameos, hands, sardines and palazzo fa%26ccedil;ades; and bulbous scent spheres with keyholes, eyes or noses %26mdash; all to be repurposed as pencil pots, vases and change holders. $75 to $495, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

Images: Fornasetti Profumi.

Forty Five Ten’s Red-Hot Holiday(s)

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:26:01 GMT

The phrase %26ldquo;three%26rsquo;s a crowd%26rdquo; gets a whole new meaning this month. Forty Five Ten, the Knox-Henderson fashion haunt, has teamed with PaperCity and Belvedere Red %26mdash; the vodka that benefits the Global Fund to eliminate AIDS in Africa %26mdash; on a trio of in-store December f%26ecirc;tes, each from 6 to 9 pm, and a month-long program of giving that benefits, yes, a threesome of local charities. Here%26rsquo;s the scoop:

%26bull; Party Times: Thursday, December 1, home-decor artisan Jan Barboglio; beauty guru Edward Bess; The Woods jewelry designers Shawn Hecox and Samantha Hitchcock; and Paula Minnis, of the refugee-made jewelry and home-wares line Gaia %26mdash; all make appearances while DJ Lucy Wrubel spins.

%26bull; Thursday, December 8, meet French perfumer Fr%26eacute;d%26eacute;ric Malle, fashion designer Yigal Azrouel and jewelry designer Jeanine Payer.

%26bull; Thursday, December 15, InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein signs his new book 100 Unforgettable Dresses; jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald debuts her objets for the home; and Julie Macklowe touts her new skincare line, VBeaute.

%26bull; Charitable Cheers: You%26rsquo;ve never shied from benevolent shopping; do it at Forty Five Ten for the entire month of December. First, make a $5 donation to The Family Place and, in return, you%26rsquo;ll get a Holiday Mix CD from DJ Lucy Wrubel. Next, should Fifi and Fido need a Merino wool sweater, shop the pet clothing of Mungo %26amp; Maud: Ten percent of sales benefit the animal-rescue organization DFW Rescue Me. Finally, spice things up chicly with a jar of $12 Jennifer Rubell Salsa and all of the proceeds will be given to Dallas Contemporary. Keep 4510 McKinney Avenue locked in on your sled%26rsquo;s GPS.

Image: The new Kimberly McDonald home collection, debuting at Forty Five Ten.

David Brown at Restoration Hardware

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:51:52 GMT

David Brown, long considered one of the most talented flower designers in the Southwest, has been invited by the powers that be at Restoration Hardware: The Gallery Highland Village to unveil his own branded shop-in-shop in the new Restoration, opening November 11. David Brown Flowers (the second in Houston, the original David Brown is located in Uptown Park), will occupy 1,200 square feet within this mammoth 25,000-square-foot retail experience. Perched on the third floor in the roof garden%26rsquo;s glass conservatory where much of the outdoor furniture and accessories are to be displayed, Brown curates a selection of cut stems and artfully crafted, ready-to-purchase arrangements and custom pieces in RH%26rsquo;s favored natural palette of white and green. The talented floral designer, who has more than 35 years%26rsquo; experience in the bloom biz, will source everything from buds and blossoms like hydrangea, roses, ranunculus and white amaryllis, as well as hearty succulents, English ivy topiaries, maidenhair ferns and fragrant potted rosemary. And, speaking of pots: All of Brown%26rsquo;s inspired designs will be fashioned in Restoration Hardware vessels, too %26mdash; perfect to send someone that very day, or plan ahead to decorate the tables at your next dinner soir%26eacute;e.

Bath Crystals of the Best Kind

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:50:15 GMT

Twist the handles of THG%26rsquo;s new taps, and you%26rsquo;re stroking miniature works of art: hand-cast crystals by French house Daum, extant 133 years and counting. Artist-executed using the ancient %26ldquo;lost wax%26rdquo; method %26mdash; molds are made one at time, filled with crystal fragments, fired, then broken, revealing the glass sculpture inside %26mdash; the flourishes adorn sleek THG fittings for sinks, showers, towels, soaps, even papiers pour la toilette. The one-of-a-kind handles (no two are alike, because of the handmade molds) are in six exotic motifs, from dragons to moons, flora to wild vegetation. We think they%26rsquo;re wildly civilized, no? To the trade at Elegant Additions.

Design Gurus

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:36:59 GMT

Peel proprietor Steven Hempel (that arbiter of all things limited edition and lust worthy) and graphic artist, cool chick and PaperCity designer Michelle Avi%26ntilde;a are teaming up with Michael Mandola to open Gift. Curated Shopping by Peel, a pop-up holiday shop in West Ave. Open November 15 through the holidays. Gift will stock well-designed luxury products playing to the five senses %26mdash; think luxury chocolates from K. Chocolatiers, Pamela Love jewelry, O%26rsquo;Clock watches and Thierry Lasry sunglasses, as well as design objets, tabletop wares and books. 2800 Kirby in West Ave.

Flor

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 06:04:45 GMT

Keys to the Door: Manager Clay Barker.
Stocked Goods: They had us at %26ldquo;Fuzzy Button.%26rdquo; Flor, the company famous for its cleverly named, mix-and-match carpet squares %26mdash; think peel-and-stick tiles, but with a much higher taste level %26mdash; used to be just an online thrill. (And catalog, too: We were among the first subscribers at its launch in 2003.) Virtual no more: There%26rsquo;s now a brick-and-mortar store in West Ave on Kirby Drive, where you can mix and match your way to carpeted nirvana. We%26rsquo;ve always loved the pixilated effects one can create with Flor%26rsquo;s nearly 20-inch tiles %26mdash; shuffle as many solid colors together as suits your fancy %26mdash; but there are stripes and patterns, too, from woodblock effects to wiggles and geometrics that channel Missoni and David Hicks. The textures are as myriad as the visuals: Some feel sweater-y, others like sheepskin, and there are wools, Berbers, ribs and loops, all quite sophisticated. Installation is a snap: Sticky dots hold the squares together underneath, and the whole assemblage sits comfortably atop concrete and wood floors %26mdash; easily removable, terribly changeable. In fact, the eco-friendly 1,800-square-foot Houston store hopes you bring back any tiles you%26rsquo;ve tired of, for subsequent recycling into new goodies. Just the thing for you fickle floor types, who feel like sisal one season, Aubusson the next. 2800 Kirby Dr. in West Ave, 713.522.0278; flor.com.

Image: Photo by James Edward Photography

Great Reads

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:41:10 GMT

On the 75th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright%26rsquo;s extraordinary Fallingwater residence, Rizzoli publishes a landmark volume, Fallingwater (edited by Lynda Waggoner, $60), with 328 pages, 250 photographs and new text covering the planning process for Fallingwater%26rsquo;s recent extensive renovation. With new photography by Christopher Little, this masterful architectural wonder is f%26ecirc;ted fabulously.

Design%26rsquo;s Newest Darling, in Print. Before you dive into your next home-decor project %26mdash; and we know you%26rsquo;re always just minutes away from that %26mdash; scoop up this tome for some inspiration: Design*Sponge at Home (Artisan Books, $35), the first book from Grace Bonney, founder of the popular blog Design*Sponge. Flip through a whopping 400 pages%26rsquo; worth of design inspiration, DIY projects, how-tos and splashy peeks into the abodes of creative types and beyond: Madewell%26rsquo;s head designer, an antiquarian in France, et al. The pages we dog-eared first were the eight devoted to a resource guide for everything from block-printed Indian textiles to salvaged glassware and tableware. We%26rsquo;re even in love with the book%26rsquo;s pulsating, coral-hued cover and its Cocteau-esque, gold-foil room illustration. Lauren Mang

How sad all these beautifully, perfectly crumbled rooms in Cuba have been hidden away for so long. With travel to Cuba a dim possibility in the near future, we%26rsquo;re boning up on the opulence of colonial Spanish Creole aristocracy, the grand mansions, baroque palacios, coffee plantations and ingenios (sugar plantations). How are we doing this? Vicariously through photographer Michael Connors%26rsquo; amazing new book, The Splendor of Cuba: 450 years of Architecture and Interiors (Rizzoli, $85), which includes beautifully preserved examples of Mudejar craftsmanship and villas in their magnificent original state %26mdash; interiors and exteriors from Havana to Cienfuegos, rife with details of courtyards, balustrades, grilles and louvered doors, as well as a good look at Finca Vig%26iacute;a, the former residence of Ernest Hemingway.%26nbsp; Hopefully, we%26rsquo;ll soon be booking Cubana de Aviaci%26oacute;n.

I was born 100 years too late, and Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century (by Nicholas Foulkes; Assouline, $175) proves it. The most beautiful book ever created on this beautiful subject, Bals explores the nine grandest private costume parties of the 20th century, from the Romanov dynasty through Art Deco Paris and the jet-set %26rsquo;70s (Paul Poiret, Truman Capote, Cecil Beaton). With first-person memories from Jacqueline de Ribes, H%26eacute;l%26egrave;ne David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson, it%26rsquo;s almost as good as being there. Almost.

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Image: Photography Maxine Helfman. Model Brandon Davidson for Kim Dawson Agency.

Anything But Flor’Dinary

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:29:02 GMT

They had us at %26ldquo;Fuzzy Button.%26rdquo; Flor, the company famous for its cleverly named, mix-and-match carpet squares %26mdash; think peel-and-stick tiles, but with a much higher taste level %26mdash; used to be just an online thrill. (And catalog, too: We were among the first subscribers at its launch, in 2003.) Virtual no more: There%26rsquo;s now a brick-and-mortar store (near neighbors Nest, Ligne Roset and Forty Five Ten) where you can mix and match your way to carpeted nirvana. We%26rsquo;ve always loved the pixilated effects one can create with Flor%26rsquo;s nearly 20-inch tiles %26mdash; shuffle as many solid colors together as suits your fancy %26mdash; but there are stripes and patterns, too, from woodblock effects to wiggles and geometrics that channel Missoni and David Hicks. The textures are as varied as the visuals: Some feel sweater-y, others like sheepskin, and there are wools, Berbers, ribs and loops, all quite sophisticated. Installation is a snap: Sticky dots hold the squares together underneath, and the whole assemblage sits comfortably atop concrete and wood floors %26mdash; easily removable, terribly changeable. In fact, the eco-friendly Dallas store (energy-savvy lighting, forest-friendly wood flooring, even paperless receipts) hopes you bring back any tiles you%26rsquo;ve tired of, for subsequent recycling into new goodies. Just the thing for you fickle floor types, who feel like sisal one season, Aubusson the next. (We shan%26rsquo;t point fingers.) 4528 McKinney Ave., Suite 104, 214.520.6363; flor.com.

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Image: We%26rsquo;re Flor%26rsquo;d: Offerings at Flor, now open in McKinney Avenue%26rsquo;s mini design district.

Dangle Some Decadence …

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:21:14 GMT

%26hellip; over a buffet, in your library, perhaps a solarium? We love the clean-yet-cluttered magnificence of Restoration Hardware%26rsquo;s new chandeliers %26mdash; a crash of ornate crystals within simple iron cages. One is an homage to an old-world gyroscope, its Saturn-like bands whirling around a faceted-crystal chandelier trapped inside. The other? A replica of an early-20th-century birdcage, its iron door resolutely slammed shut on a sparkly chandelier within, and all dangling from thick, aged marine rope. Either way, the modernist and the maximalist in you will be completely, utterly satiated. (And illuminated.) There will be maximal thrills galore, by the way, when Restoration Hardware unveils its high-concept Highland Village store in Houston later this fall %26mdash; an extravaganza second only to its new West Hollywood flagship, which boasts such extra perks as a tea shop, a floral-design studio and a design-centric newsstand. In the meantime, you%26rsquo;ll have to swing from these new chandeliers in your own high-concept abode. From $2,195 to $4,495, at Restoration Hardware; restorationhardware.com.

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Image: High-low luminaries: Restoration Hardware%26rsquo;s new iron-and-crystal chandelier

A Little Birdie Told Us

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:18:44 GMT

A cross between a design book and a birding book, The Birding Life: A Passion for Birds at Home and Afield (by Laurence and Carol Sama Sheehan, Kathryn George Precourt and photographer William Stites, Clarkson Potter, $50) is a beautiful and timely look at this slightly eccentric and certainly WASP-y passion. We adore the wit and the interior design elements, including chapters titled %26ldquo;Birdboy%26rsquo;s Urban Aerie,%26rdquo; %26ldquo;Diary of a Mad Birder,%26rdquo; %26ldquo;Enchanted Nests%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;The Eggs and Us.%26rdquo; Several birding-enthusiast Houstonians and properties crop up in the pages: the Texas ranch of Jan and Jack Cato, the poetic Heights home of artists Lisa Ludwig and Joseph Havel, gallerist Betty Moody, Houston Audubon Society%26rsquo;s High Island near Galveston, Area store-owner Don Connelly%26rsquo;s Hill Country farm and antiques dealer Kay O%26rsquo;Toole%26rsquo;s high-rise aerie. If you remember Houston Home %26amp; Garden magazine, you%26rsquo;ll recognize the authors and photographers. Carol Sama Sheehan was editor for many years, Kathryn George Precourt was design editor and Bill Stites was a staff photographer. Birding is a small world.

Redo, Revamp, Review

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:55:44 GMT

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Designer Chris Nguyen. Photo by Jill Hunter.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp; Designer Kristen Johnson. %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Renovating soon? If you%26rsquo;re short on ideas, especially ones fit for a high-rise living, tour the Houston House Salutes Emerging Designers show house, over two weekends %26mdash; September 23 through September 25, and September 30 through October 2. Houston House, a 1966, three-story luxury apartment building on the edge of downtown (the first of its kind built downtown), has wildcatter creds: Houston House was home to the famous Castille Club (Elvis, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck) and made a cameo in Urban Cowboy as home to the rich girl Travolta has a fling with. The work of architect Charles Goodman, the luxe rental high-rise is currently undergoing a $10 million redo by Kirksey Architects, with a chic new lobby, 24-hour fitness center, full-size basketball/volleyball court, media, club and conference rooms.%26nbsp; On the tour, four apartment interiors fashioned by Houston designers Chris Nguyen, Kristen Johnson, Richard Sanchez and Saba Jawda, as well as the lobby and renovated public rooms. Houston House, 1617 Fannin at Leeland; information 713.308.2000; show-and-tell details houstonhouseapts.com.

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Designer Saba%26nbsp; Jawda.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; Designer Richard Sanchez

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Fall Books

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:48:49 GMT

One of the most hotly awaited books for fall, Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent (introduction Cathy Horyn; contributions Cindy Sherman, Miuccia Prada, Jean-Paul Gaultier and more; Rizzoli, $100), follows the French muse and editrix through her fearless career spanning the early %26rsquo;90s through collaborations with photog Mario Testino, Tom Ford in his Gucci years and her stewardship of French Vogue. Karl Lagerfeld once said that if you close your eyes and imagine the ideal French woman, it would be Carine. This book is chic, chic, chic, with 250 magazine tear sheets and covers, plus personal ephemera.

One of my favorite Vogue columns (aside from the Letter from Anna Wintour) is %26ldquo;Nostalgia,%26rdquo; where celebrated public figures choose a photograph from Vogue%26rsquo;s archives, then write about the memory it evokes from the time in their lives when it was first published. In Nostalgia in Vogue (edited by Eva McSweeney; foreword by Anna Wintour (yay); Rizzoli, $55), 63 essays are reproduced from the memories of Patti Smith, Manolo Blahnik, Carly Simon, Anjelica Huston and more.

We covet John Currin and his mannerist paintings that draw upon cultural influences, such as Renaissance oil paintings, 1950s women%26rsquo;s-magazine ads and contemporary politics. In John Currin (essays by Wells Tower; interview with Currin by Angus Cook; Rizzoli in association with Gagosian Gallery, $100), the contemporary-tinged figurative paintings cover the past five years of female subjects, perfectly hovering between the beautiful and the grotesque.

Mr. Color himself, decorator Carleton Varney, channels Dorothy Draper in his love of grand scale and bright, snappy color combos. And he should channel Dorothy %26hellip; he was under her tutelage and is now head of the venerable Dorothy Draper and Company. In his newest book, Mr. Color: The Greenbrier and Other Decorating Adventures (Shannongrove Press, $95), Mr. Varney takes us through the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, which Dorothy originally did up and Varney has redone. Gorgeous photographs and fun beyond words.

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In a new retrospective monograph spanning more than three decades, contemporary artist Anish Kapoors%26rsquo; depicted works are both profoundly poetic and visually explosive. One of the most renowned sculptors working today, Kapoor captured the 1991 Turner Prize, was the creator of Monumenta 2011 for the Grand Palais in Paris and has represented Britain at both the Paris and Venice Biennales. Anish Kapoor (by Jean de Loisy and Homi Bhabha; Flammarion, $75) belongs on every art lover%26rsquo;s bookshelf.

An artists%26rsquo; book, Richard Prince: American Prayer (Rizzoli in association with Gagosian Gallery, $65), is a 600-page celebration of the artistry of book design, with unforgettable covers, arresting spines, must%26ndash;read passages and authors%26rsquo; personal inscriptions. Prince opens up his personal library (think Kerouac%26rsquo;s rolled manuscript for Big Sur, and editions of Lolita in multiple languages) and is also invited into the Bibliotheque nationale de France to select his favorite titles for this book and the accompanying exhibition in the French library. American Prayer offers a glimpse into the source material for many of Prince%26rsquo;s most well-known series.

We%26rsquo;ve long loved Oliver Messel, an eccentric and brilliant theatrical designer who also crafted rooms for Antony Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon, and Princess Margaret and that ilk. Messel was the most celebrated theatrical designer that England ever produced, and romanticism and wit were his hallmarks. In Oliver Messel: In the Theatre of Design (introduction Lord Snowdon; contributions by Carolina Herrera, Hamish Bowles and more; Rizzoli, $75), his nephew Thomas Messel, an eminent furniture designer, worked on the refurbishment of two of Messels%26rsquo; design projects: the Dorchester Hotel and Flaxley Abbey.

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In Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (by Lisa Immordino Vreeland; Abrams, $55), the famous fashion editrix%26rsquo;s pithy statements are chronicled, along with 50 years of her astonishing and vivid fashion pages, inspirations and other vestiges of her rich life.

The timing couldn%26rsquo;t be better for Oberto Gili%26rsquo;s Home Sweet Home: Sumptuous and Bohemian Interiors (text Susanna Salk; Rizzoli, $85). Gili%26rsquo;s photographs (House %26amp; Garden, Vogue) are romantic and poetically rich with personal taste. This lush tome is filled with personal spaces %26mdash; apartments lined with books and treasures, an ancient castello filled with generations of antiques. In addition to his own home in Piedmont, 35 homes and artist%26rsquo;s studios are depicted in rich and glorious detail, including those of Isabella Rossellini, Anish Kapoor, Renzo Mongiardino and Muriel Brandolini.

We never get tired of (or seem to run out of) grand, eccentric English country houses. In this batch, English Country House Interiors (by Jeremy Musson; foreword Sir Roy Strong; Rizzoli, $60), we are granted unparalleled access to Wilton, Chatsworth (j%26rsquo;adore the Duchess of Devonshire) and Castle Howard. Photog Paul Barker%26rsquo;s stunning new color photographs depict the furnishings, fabrics, plasterwork and table settings we so long to emulate.

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What Lies Beneath

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:31:41 GMT

Proud papa Matt Camron has brought his progeny, Sarah Esfahani into the rug fold. As new creative director for his brand, which started in Houston and now spans six additional cities, his exuberant 27-year-old daughter is bringing more vibrancy underfoot in the guise of the new flat-woven wool collection by Matt Camron. The rugs are available in more than 200 shades with what%26rsquo;s called abrash, a natural color variation that occurs because each piece is woven with hand-spun wool that%26rsquo;s been hand-dyed. The focus is on bold and versatile graphic patterns in vivid hues. You can even custom-match one of these hand-knotted rugs to a fabric or paint chip in a variety of sizes. In-stock pieces from $2,900 for an 8-by-10-foot rug, at Matt Camron Rugs and Tapestries.

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Image: Sarah Esfahani for Matt Camron Rugs.

Modernist Mecca

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:15:32 GMT

Wondering what%26rsquo;s become of the former Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams space on Kirby near Richmond? The location recently transitioned into a concept called Internum that carries several Italian furniture lines in addition to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Internum, which also has locations in Miami and Mexico City, carries Minotti, Poltrona Frau, Cappellini, Kenzo Maison and Flexform. Stay tuned as owner Arturo Lagunes reveals more Italian acquisitions in the coming months.

Dangle Some Decadence …

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:33:36 GMT

Dangle some decadence over a buffet, in your library, perhaps a solarium? We love the clean-yet-cluttered magnificence of Restoration Hardware%26rsquo;s new chandeliers %26mdash; a crash of ornate crystals within simple iron cages. One is an homage to an old-world gyroscope, its Saturn-like bands whirling around a faceted-crystal chandelier trapped inside. The other? A replica of an early-20th-century birdcage, its iron door resolutely slammed shut on a sparkly chandelier within, and all dangling from thick, aged marine rope. Either way, the modernist and the maximalist in you will be completely, utterly satiated. (And illuminated.) There will be maximal thrills galore, by the way, when Restoration Hardware unveils its high-concept Highland Village Gallery store later this fall %26mdash; an extravaganza second only to its new West Hollywood flagship, which boasts such extra perks as a tea shop, a floral-design studio and a design-centric newsstand. In the meantime, you%26rsquo;ll have to swing from these new chandeliers in your own high-concept abode. From $2,195 to $4,495, at Restoration Hardware; restorationhardware.com.

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Image: High-low luminaries: Restoration Hardware%26rsquo;s new iron-and-crystal chandelier.

One Big Birthday + Architect Furniture That Veers Toward Art

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:07:45 GMT

Russell Buchanan has certainly mastered thrilling angles and unorthodox compositions %26mdash; just walk in to any of the Dallas architect%26rsquo;s houses. Did you know, though, that he applies those same aesthetic wiles to furniture? For 25 years, Buchanan has designed and built chairs, benches, tables, stools and screens with a definitive edge. Douglas fir, maple, steel, iron, aluminum, glass, Dacron polyester: The materials in Buchanan%26rsquo;s furniture are as humble and expressive as those in his structures. The pieces swing from the serene to the surreal, riffing on canoe hulls, tuxedos, bats, tusks, even Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld. We love it %26mdash; and you can see it all with us on Thursday, October 27, when Collage 20th Century Classics touches off the first exhibition of Buchanan%26rsquo;s furniture as a complete body of work. Tied to this special occasion? Another 25-year milestone: Collage owners Abby and Wlodek Malowanczyk%26rsquo;s 25th year in business, which means 2.5 decades of museum-worthy mid-century furniture %26mdash; perhaps even before you could wax rhapsodic about Wegner, Juhl, Kjaerholm, Aulenti, et al. Exhibition October 27 to November 30; opening reception October 27, 6 to 9 pm, RSVP to 214.828.9888 or info@collageclassics.com. Collage 20th Century Classics, 1300 N. Riverfront Blvd. More information collageclassics.com, buchananarchitecture.com.

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Image: Architect Russell Buchanan%26rsquo;s rolling Grasshopper screen, built in 1993 of heat-shrunk Dacron polyester and maple

Bath Crystals of the Best Kind

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:53:54 GMT

Twist the handles of THG%26rsquo;s new taps, left, and you%26rsquo;re stroking miniature works of art: hand-cast crystals by French house Daum, extant 133 years and counting. Artist-executed using the ancient %26ldquo;lost wax%26rdquo; method %26mdash; molds are made one at time, filled with crystal fragments, fired, then broken, revealing the glass sculpture inside %26mdash; the flourishes adorn sleek THG fittings for sinks, showers, towels, soaps, even papiers pour la toilette. The one-of-a-kind handles (no two are alike, because of the handmade molds) are in six exotic motifs, from dragons to moons, flora to wild vegetation. We think they%26rsquo;re wildly civilized, no? Through Elegant Additions, Hidell Hardware Co., Pierce Decorative Hardware and Plumbing, Renaissance Tile %26amp; Bath, TKO Associates.

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Image: French finery: THG bath fittings with Daum crystal handles%26nbsp;

Move Over, Yul Ulu

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:50:26 GMT

Not since Auntie Mame tugged on strings of crystals to send her potential in-laws bouncing up and down on hydraulic benches (from fictitious Denmark designer %26ldquo;Yul Ulu,%26rdquo; no less) have beaded room dividers been so fun. For modern-day Mames, artist Tracy Glover has devised handblown glass orbs, onions, lozenges and teardrops that can be strung on nickel or brass chains, or pulled taut on stainless-steel cables. (You could even dangle them as window treatments, or as pendant lighting.) Wildly colorful and entirely custom, they%26rsquo;re just the things for giving your own No. 3 Beekman Place a fabulously bohemian lift. Made to order through Casa di Lino, 4026 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.252.0404; casadilino.com; tracygloverstudio.com.

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Image: Strings with zing: Glass-bead room dividers by Tracy Glover

Oops, She Did It Again

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:46:09 GMT

(And no, we don’t mean who you think.) Say the word “again” in certain circles and chances are Leslie Pritchard comes to mind. Pritchard, you know, is the woman behind two crowd-pleasing consignment shops, both packed with refurbished and one-of-a-kind vintage furniture and accessories. There’s Again %26amp; Again, the can’t-miss pink bungalow at the corner of Bonita and Henderson avenues, and now Again on Howell Street in the Design District, where Pritchard has relocated and renamed her former Again Design Studio, which was just down Henderson from the bungalow. The former studio was a showcase of Pritchard’s top-tier furniture, compared to the funkier finds at Again %26amp; Again, and, she says, “our designers and customers made it clear we needed to be in the Design District.” So it was hello, Howell, where Pritchard has adopted a 14,000-square-foot, loft-like space with ample parking, natural light galore and quick access off of Riverfront Boulevard. Here, everything is under one roof: the amped-up inventory of mid-century modern, antique and Hollywood regency furniture; consigned offerings from the likes of B%26amp;B Italia, Roche Bobois and Edward Wormley; an in-house upholstery shop with plenty of space to display and sell fabrics and provide design consultations; and a meeting area, which can be reserved for designer-client powwows. “Our aim,” Pritchard says, “is to be a good friend and total resource for all those interested in repurposing, recycling, reinventing and re-loving 20th-century furniture.” Count us in. Again, 141 Howell St., 214.746.6300; againandagain.com.

Image: The airier Again, in its new Design District locale. Photo by Margaret Wolf.

Postmodern Traditions

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:36:34 GMT

Keys to the Door: Co-owners Mehdi Abedi, PhD, and Lisa Slappey, PhD.
Stocked Goods: It%26rsquo;s hard to find people as scholarly on the subject of rugs as Lisa Slappey and Medhi Abedi, owners of Pride of Persia, which specializes in new and old oriental rugs. (Armed with at least one doctoral degree apiece, the duo even teaches a class on Persian rugs at Rice%26rsquo;s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.) Now they%26rsquo;ve opened another rug showroom, just a stone%26rsquo;s throw from Pride of Persia: Postmodern Traditions, stocking contemporary, custom hand-woven rugs. Their inventory includes Tibetan-style Nepalese rugs of wool and silk, pieces from the Tibet Rug Company and contemporary Persian Kashkooli and Loribaft Gebbeh rugs %26mdash; the choices abound. Look through the piles of options, we bet you%26rsquo;ll find one to design an entire room around. Houston Design Center, 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 169, 713.522.7870.

The Fair-est of Them All

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:32:06 GMT

For this month%26rsquo;s fashion feature, we tapped into the grandest fall trend: the enchanting, ethereal 1930s. Lucky for us, the perfect place to capture it all was right here: The Hall of State inside Fair Park, the famous exhibition site of 1936, and the world%26rsquo;s largest collection of Deco buildings. We set up shop at the impressive edifice %26mdash; constructed from Texas limestone %26mdash; and photographed our bob-haired beauties posing betwixt bronzed doors and bold chandeliers. They channeled, in fact, the glamorous portraitist Tamara de Lempicka, who painted Deco-era scenes, set against geometric backgrounds. See it all, beginning on page 26. For your own Deco moment, go see The Hall of State %26mdash; especially when The Dallas Historical Society unveils its latest exhibit, %26ldquo;TEXAS!,%26rdquo; which honors the state%26rsquo;s 175th anniversary, with a glimpse into its heritage via objects gathered from El Paso to Beaumont and everywhere in between: think Davy Crockett%26rsquo;s pipe and pistol or a gown worn by the Grand Duchess of Texas during the 1940 Galveston Mardi Gras. It begins September 30; visit dallashistory.org.

Curious, Isn't It?

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:10:09 GMT

Read our pages long enough, and you%26rsquo;ll soon realize we have a fondness for Victorian-inspired cabinets of curiosities. We don%26rsquo;t discriminate in size, either. Take this Lilliputian glass-and-metal box with five tiny compartments of equal size, each cradling a fragile found bird%26rsquo;s nest. (Yes, yet another naturalist piece of ephemera we could wax on and on about.) Share our obsessions? Good! $450, at Objects Lost and Found, 2815 Ferndale St., 713.523.8496; objectshouston.com.

Design Tomes

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:43:09 GMT

Ever wanted to peek into the lairs of craftsmen and artists George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Russel Wright, Henry Varnum Poor and more, to see from where the decades of inspiration welled? I have %26mdash; and I did. You can, too, in Artists%26rsquo; Handmade Houses (photography Don Freeman, text Michael Owen Gotkin; Abrams, $60), a collection of 13 meticulously detailed houses designed and built by the artists themselves %26mdash; some lovingly restored, some open to the public as National Historic Landmarks and, sadly, others that have fallen into disrepair.

You had us at the term %26ldquo;Pompadour decor.%26rdquo; The author-photography team that brought us The New Eighteenth-Century Style and The New French D%26eacute;cor has delivered 29 newly photographed homes bursting with repurposed treasures, Pop Art and industrial design distilled into a delicious mix. The New Eighteenth-Century Home (by Mich%26egrave;le Lalande, photography Gilles Trillard; Abrams, $40) is dashing Versailles and posh Pompidou, indeed.

I love a lilst. Rizzoli%26rsquo;s The Art Lovers%26rsquo; Guide: London (by Sam Phillips; $19.95) and The Art Lovers%26rsquo; Guide: New York (by Morgan Falconer; $19.95) are subtitled The Guidebook For Those Who Want to Experience the Finest Art in London/New York by Collection, Artist, Movement, or Theme. That about covers it.

Who hasn%26rsquo;t been to Maxim%26rsquo;s? The new book Maxim%26rsquo;s: Mirror of Parisian Life (preface Pierre Cardin; Assouline, $85) follows the mythic restaurant and hot spot from its 3 rue Royale locale in 1893 to the Art Nouveau masterpiece it is today, under the tutelage and ownership of Pierre Cardin. Not to be missed: the celeb paparazzi shots and %26mdash; are you ready? %26mdash; recipes for the famed Quail Confit, Fruit Charlotte and more.

Aside from having one of the most poetic and beautiful covers of the season, Marcel Wanders: Interiors (Rizzoli, $60) is the first large-format monograph for this dazzling designer of fairytale-esque buildings and interiors (think Mondrian South Beach, Morgans boutique hotels). He is also the co-founder and artistic director of international design label Moooi and has designed for Droog, Cappellini and more. If you%26rsquo;ve been to Moss in NYC, you%26rsquo;ve seen his Knotted Chair, Crochet Chair, New Antiques, Carved Chair and Delft Blue.

Above, we had %26ldquo;Pompadour decor,%26rdquo; and here we have %26ldquo;peacock revolution.%26rdquo; It%26rsquo;s a trend, for sure. The Day of the Peacock: Style For Men 1963%26ndash;1973 (by Geoffrey Aquilina Ross; V%26amp;A Publishing, $45) focuses on the Swinging %26rsquo;60s London scene, illustrated with booty from the fabulous V%26amp;A archives: photographs, outfits and ephemera from such dashing icons as Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter (outfitter to Mick Jagger, Elton John and the Beatles), Patrick Lichfield, David Bailey, Vidal Sassoon and shops including Granny Takes a Trip and Blades.

Author/photographer S%26eacute;bastien Siraudeau%26rsquo;s French Seaside Style (Flammarion, $34.95) is as brilliant as his first three books. Sea-washed and imaginative, the rooms are filled with stripes, driftwood colorations and details such as vials of sand labeled with date and location. Charming and inspired.

We%26rsquo;ve always had a thing for modernist photographer Julius Shulman, his razor-sharp photographs and his complete loyalty to his oeuvre. Julius Shulman Los Angeles: The Birth of a Modern Metropolis (by Sam Lubell and Douglas Woods, foreword Judy McKee; Rizzoli, $60) reveals new, never-before-seen images accompanying iconic photographs of the pioneering work of architects Richard Neutra and Charles Eames, among others. This 240-page book was originally scheduled to be published with Shulman%26rsquo;s collaboration, before his death, to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby of the award-winning firm Barber Osgerby design furniture, lighting and household objects for names such as Cappellini, Vitra, Sony, Stella McCartney and Coca-Cola. The Design Work of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby (Rizzoli, $75) is the first monograph on their work.

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Walls Gone Wild

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:23:28 GMT

It%26rsquo;s a bit like papering your living room in Prada, or doing your sofa cushions in Christian Lacroix. Swiss textile house Jakob Schlaepfer, suppliers of incredible fabrics to the aforementioned fashion houses, plus Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs, too, just recently %26mdash; the company was founded in 1904 %26mdash; turned its attention to wallpapers and fabrics for the manse. You should see what the good folks at Cory Pope %26amp; Associates are unfurling from Schlaepfer%26rsquo;s D%26eacute;cor line: Pollock, whose abstract sequins flip to and fro as you brush your fingers across them, and Remus, whose trippy profusions of flowers, clouds, branches, birds and butterflies could blow all those 1800s Chinese wallpapers right back into the history books. To the trade at Cory Pope %26amp; Associates.

Image: Gardens on a roll: Papers and panels from Jakob Schlaepfer.

Go With the Glow

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:53:49 GMT

Just the thing for lighting up the place. The style-savvy Alexandra Von Furstenberg %26mdash; she was the creative director for her famous former mother-in-law, Diane, and she is one of those wildly glamorous Miller sisters; her sibs are Pia Getty and Marie-Chantal, the Crown Princess of Greece %26mdash; turns acrylic into angular, architectural tables and desks. There are two collections in our midst: Fearless, infused with neon hues, and Voltage, Von Furstenberg%26rsquo;s smokier, darker side. This particular table is aptly called Radiant, for the cut of a diamond %26mdash; and, in gleaming yellow, could certainly give your lemon-drop martinis an appropriate perch. To the trade at Dahlgren Duck %26amp; Associates, 1617 Hi Line Dr., 972.478.5991; dahlgrenduck.com.

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Image: Hello, yellow: Alexandra Von Furstenberg%26rsquo;s acrylic tables, now at Dahlgren Duck %26amp; Associates.

Design Buzz

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:33:55 GMT

Scalamandre, the luxe fabric line known for its sumptuous silks and trimmings, is coming to Houston. Watch for it to take up residence at The Houston Design Center (7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 103) this September, in the forefront of the center. The opening coincides with Scalamandre%26rsquo;s debut of a new collection of fabrics and trimmings, which are all in stock and ready-to-ship, according to new showroom manager Bill Dunn. Meanwhile, fashion designer Steven Stolman %26mdash; whose creations were de rigueur in beach enclaves from Florida all up the Eastern seaboard %26mdash; has signed on as president of the 82-year-old firm %26hellip; Later this month or early October, Flor opens in West Ave. Sound familiar? Flor, the company famous for its cleverly named, mix-and-match carpet squares %26mdash; think peel-and-stick tiles, but with a much higher taste level %26mdash; used to be just an online thrill. We%26rsquo;ve always loved the pixilated effects one can create with Flor%26rsquo;s nearly 20-inch tiles %26mdash; shuffle as many solid colors together as suits your fancy %26mdash; but there are stripes and patterns, too, from woodblock effects to wiggles and geometrics that channel Missoni and David Hicks, as well as wools, Berbers, ribs and loops, all quite sophisticated.

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Image: Flor in West Ave.

Havana Habitats

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:40:45 GMT

For a peek into the under-known domestic life of today%26rsquo;s Cuban carriage class, make tracks to Houston Center for Photography, where Havana lensman Adri%26aacute;n Fern%26aacute;ndez is highlighted in an intimate exhibition that marks his American debut. Concurrently showing in a significant international photo biennial %26mdash;%26nbsp; opening this month at Mus%26eacute;e du Quai Branly, Paris %26mdash; Fern%26aacute;ndez appears headed for the limelight. His conceptual, compelling take on life in the fabled capital present two types of images. Black-and-white shots of the exteriors of the last mansions of the Cuban aristocracy reveal glimpses of modernist facades hidden behind fences, barricades or excessive foliage. He also snaps these casas%26rsquo; opulent, often lurid interiors, rendering time-warp trappings of %26rsquo;60s- and %26rsquo;70s-era wallpapers and decorating schemes in a hyper-saturated color inkjet portfolio. Curated by Havana-based Christina Vives, Fern%26aacute;ndez was %26ldquo;discovered%26rdquo; by HCP director Bevin Bering Dubrowski on a recent trip to Cuba with a group from The Menil Collection. %26ldquo;Adri%26aacute;n Fern%26aacute;ndez:%26nbsp;Life Style,%26rdquo; September 9 %26ndash;%26nbsp;November 6, at Houston Center for Photography; hcponline.org.

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Image: Adri%26aacute;n Fern%26aacute;ndez%26rsquo;s Untitled No. 24, 2008 %26ndash; 2011, at Houston Center for Photography

Spinning a Yarn

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:12:33 GMT

Magda Sayeg, the mad(knit)cap artist behind the crafty gang known as Knitta, is going Down Under. Remember how Knitta stealthily tagged signposts, park benches and door handles throughout Houston awhile back? (Sayeg also guest-curated a recent Etsy collaboration in Houston late last month at West Elm.) Now Knitta%26rsquo;s global domination is all sewn up: Look for its muse and founder to move onto yet another continent. Yes, Magda%26rsquo;s heading to Australia to do an installation for one of the city%26rsquo;s historic laneways, beginning at the end of this month. Concurrently, she%26rsquo;s doing her second installation in Brooklyn, care of an invite from the New York%26rsquo;s Department of Transportation. (Look for a long fence beneath the Williamsburg bridge to be Knitta-ized.) Finally, through Sunday, October 9, you can vote for Sayeg%26rsquo;s installation in Grand Rapids, Michigan %26mdash; an homage to a red Herman Miller chair %26mdash; to win the illustrious Art Prize, as the winners are selected by popular vote. Show your support at artprize.org.

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Image: %26ldquo;Knitta Please,%26rdquo; 2009, at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, Australia

Very PaperCity

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:46:04 GMT

We may have been called many things, but %26ldquo;apathetic%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;indecisive%26rdquo; have never been charged. We%26rsquo;re passionate about what we like and dismissive of what we don%26rsquo;t. And there%26rsquo;s a lot to be fervent about in the worlds of design, food, art and fashion. So here is our first (and now annual) Editor%26rsquo;s Picks %26hellip; of what we simply can%26rsquo;t live without (today) %26mdash; meaning, it%26rsquo;s Very PC.

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Holly Moore, Editor in Chief, Houston and Dallas

I so love anything surreal, like this Cole %26amp; Son Fornesetti wallpaper, Tema e Variazioni. To the trade at Lee Jofa.

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Eye portrait by Houston artist Brenda Holmes Gilbert, commission only. From $1,300, at Sloan/Hall. IMAGE: Photo by Jenny Antill.

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A memory of late designer Herbert Wells%26rsquo; estate sale with select items from his collections of mochaware, English drabware, furniture, and lighting. Wells%26rsquo; estate sale is August 19 through 27 at Antiques of River Oaks.

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I can%26rsquo;t wait for fall books on Oliver Messel: In the Theatre of Design (October, Rizzoli, $75); Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent (October, Rizzoli, $100); and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (October, Abrams, $55). Pre-order by e-mail at curatebooks@papercitymag.com.

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This Sevan Dove Ring packs a power punch with delicate carved doves seen beneath a doorknocker blue topaz, sapphires and diamonds. $9,235 at Judith Ann Jewels.

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I can%26rsquo;t miss Thursday nights at Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers when they have %26ldquo;Antiques and Interiors%26rdquo; on the podium. Let%26rsquo;s just say: treasures galore. Preview 10 am until the
7 pm gavel-down time.

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The reincarnation of Bernardo Vintage Couture Jingle Bell sandals (1965). $295, at Tootsies.

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Design genius Van Day Truex%26rsquo;s Dyonisos decanter for Baccarat. Simply brilliant. $610, at Baccarat and Neiman Marcus.

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I am obsessed with ibride%26rsquo;s 19th-century-style hidden bookcases faced with portraits of Les Dandys Baudelaire-era gents. The four shelves are invisible from the front but accessible from the side. I am having a dinner party with (from left) Rastignac, Bel-Ami and Rodolphe, 66 by 48 by 14 centimeters. $858, through Grange Hall, Dallas; ibride.fr.

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I want squatter%26rsquo;s right to the Emerson House from Brinca Dada, %26mdash; but it%26rsquo;s only 30 by 21 by 18 inches, Lilliputian-sized for Bauhaus babes. $299, at Events; brincadada.com.

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Nymphenburg wafer-thin porcelain vessels and vases are as delicate as paper. I get chills. Lightscape designed by Ruth Gurvitch in glazed white or hand-painted with misty Asian scenes. $129 to $3,349, at Sloan/Hall.

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Laurann Claridge, Features Editor %26ndash; Home Design, Food and Beauty Guru

Head to Catalina Coffee, 2201 Washington, where Amaya Roasted Coffee brews its fresh beans with integrity, in small batches. IMAGE: Photo by Jack Thompson.

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I can%26rsquo;t get enough Lucite in my life, so I need Alexandra Von Furstenberg%26rsquo;s emerald charm bowl for my baubles. $395, at Area.

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A Bient%26ocirc;t at 2501 River Oaks Boulevard is like crack for the accessory-crazed. I love these stackable lizard bracelets to wear in multiples.

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Hien Lam%26rsquo;s new sprawling showroom on West Alabama is perfect for when you want a well-built sofa, chair or ottoman crafted with all kinds of style options.

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Alexander McQueen corset-like belt. Chastity? I don%26rsquo;t think so. $590, at Tootsies.

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Heidi Schulze%26rsquo;s Cell Youth Actif serum takes a few years off your face and gives you juicier, clearer-looking skin, fast. $120, at Solution for Hair and Makeup.

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House of Mam%26rsquo;s, a funky retrofitted light-blue trailer in an empty lot at Rutland and 20th Street in the Heights, serves up New Orleans%26ndash;style snoballs. I%26rsquo;m crazy for the sour cherry flavor topped with a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk.

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Beauty for Real%26rsquo;s Get Glowing Cheek Tint and Luminizer is a luscious bronzing formulation that goes on as smooth as silk and gives you a luminescent, lit-from-within look. $29, at Fa%26ccedil;ade; beautyforreal.com.

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An armful of beautiful bracelets designed by Katy Briscoe. Price upon request, at Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Darling, You%26rsquo;re No C.Z. Guest. Fake it with faux boxwood that makes you do a double-take. From $125, at David Brown. IMAGE: Photo by Jack Thompson.

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Kate Allen Stukenberg, Fashion Editor

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Darjeeling cookie jar by Jonathan Adler for my wall of white dishes. $150, at Blue Leaf, Kuhl-Linscomb.

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Garrett Leight, son of sunglasses master Oliver Peoples, has released a limited collection of striking sun shades. Hampton $340, at Mortar.

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I covet Madeline Weinrib%26rsquo;s cotton flat-weave carpets. $1,350 for an 8 x 10, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

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A French frock for the 60th Annual Consular Ball honoring France on November 19, chaired by Melissa King, Philamena Baird and moi. J%26rsquo;adore this Giambattista Valli gown, price upon request, at Tootsies.

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Vivienne Westwood Anglomania for Melissa baby shoes in jelly plastic. $72, at Lenny et Cia.

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Keep It bracelet $225, at the Louis Vuitton boutique.

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Standing reservations for brunch at Tiny Boxwood%26rsquo;s new sister restaurant, Tiny%26rsquo;s No. 5, every Saturday %26mdash; forever. If only they took reservations %26hellip; sigh. 3636 Rice Blvd. IMAGE: Photo by Jenny Antill.

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Meredith Wendell metallic bow belt. $250, at Joseph. IMAGE: Photo by Jack Thompson.

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Bitty Bitty Bum Bum chic seat for my daughter, Mary Parmelee in happy, kid-friendly fabrics. starting at $800, at Quatrine.

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Heavenly ballet flats feel as if you%26rsquo;re not wearing shoes at all. I%26rsquo;ll take one in every metallic tint. Yosi Samra ballet flats from $65, at Abejas.

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Houston design duo Sarah and Saba Jawda%26rsquo;s highly anticipated Jaw(Line) furniture collection is jaw-dropping. Logo lounge chair, as pictured, $3,000, through 713.419.8018.

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Catherine D. Anspon, Visual Arts and Social Editor

The compelling Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26rsquo;s Hellenistic jewel, the Head of Poseidon / Antigonos Doson; its identity, a post-Alexander the Great Macedonian ruler, was revealed via clever detective work involving an ancient Greek silver coin. And at The Menil Collection, I visit A Statue of Eannatum, Prince of Lagash, a droll alabaster figure of a Sumerian royal, circa 2600 %26ndash; 2340 B.C., whose lapis eyes gaze across the centuries with wit and wonder. IMAGES: Head of Poseidon / Antigonos Doson, 227 %26ndash; 221 B.C., at MFAH; photo courtesy of MFAH, Gift of Isabel B. and Wallace S. Wilson. A Statue of Eannatum, Prince of Lagash, 2600 %26ndash; 2340 B.C., at The Menil Collection. Photo courtesy The Menil Collection, photo Hickey Tobertson.

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During our Wimberley road trip, I encountered R. Michael Reed%26rsquo;s geometric, op-art Plexiglas-and-pigment creations at a show curated by Keith Coffee. Now, Reed%26rsquo;s on my radar, and I%26rsquo;m closely following his career. Inspired by Albers, this sculptor/painter%26rsquo;s 2- and 3-D investigations of light, space and movement invoke the vision of Cruz-Diez. Contact the artist at rmreed2342@gmail.com. IMAGE: Collection Janet Blocker.

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When I get my tresses trimmed at Venus Hair, I check in on some memorable art cars. In front of the Heights hairdo haven at 361 West 19th Street, owner Susan Venus parks her ride: a 1975 Cadillac hearse, tricked up by painter Beans Barton as Cataillic. across the street, scissorhand Jill Johnson%26rsquo;s carousel-inspired wheels preside. IMAGES: Jill Johnson and Jeff Townes%26rsquo; Like It or Not, 1982 - ongoing; photo by Paul McRae. Susan Venus and Beans Barton%26rsquo;s Cataillic, 1975 - ongoing; photo by Paul McRae.

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To eye the most extraordinary talent before they land a Colquitt or 4411 dealer, make tracks to museum-corridor incubator Lawndale Art Center or Box 13 ArtSpace in the thriving East End. Top Texas notables shown at Lawndale have ranged from Otabenga Jones %26amp; Associates before they went to the 2006 Whitney Biennial and, this spring, the best young painter in the state: current Lawndale artist-in-residence Daniel McFarlane, now represented by Barbara Davis Gallery. This summer at Box 13, we loved Joey Fauerso%26rsquo;s travelogue photographs/video with cameos by nude fauns, as well as the crafty sculpted cardboard sensations by Dennis Harper %26mdash; especially his takes on Tut mania. Information lawndaleartcenter.org, box13artspace.com. IMAGE: Daniel McFarlane%26rsquo;s Quite Red, 2011, at Barbara Davis Gallery.

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Lightning often strikes at lecturer David Brauer%26rsquo;s classes on art history at the Glassell School of Art. Discourses by this brilliant pundit, who co-curated the Menil%26rsquo;s British/U.S.A. Pop art survey in 2001 (and is one of my fave professors ever), cover the full gamut of isms and trends, from land art (tales of his own travels to De Maria%26rsquo;s The Lightening Field) to the Fall 2011 course lineup, %26ldquo;Manet and Impressionism%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;Early Modernism, 1940 %26ndash; 1960.%26rdquo; Enroll at mfah.org/visit/fall-classes. IMAGE: Walter De Maria%26rsquo;s The Lightening Field, 1977. Photo Courtesy The Lightening Field by Kenneth Baker (Yale University Press, 2008).

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Shop Our Art Gallery. We%26rsquo;re very excited about curating Texas talents as part of our new art commerce initiative, PC Acquire. Pop online to peruse and buy exclusive, extremely limited-edition photographic masterpieces by our inaugural artist, internationally exhibited Kimberly Gremillion. From $550, through papercitymag.com. IMAGE: Kimberly Gremillion%26rsquo;s Fan 1, 2008.

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Emerging installationist JoAnn Park%26rsquo;s memory works are fashioned from Mason Jars filled with odd and endearing contents %26mdash; very Joseph Cornell. I love this one brimming with pastel feathers; order one for less than $50 through Hello Lucky, 1025 Studewood Street. Information hello-lucky.com. IMAGE: Photo by Jack Thompson.

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Houston artist Susan Plum%26rsquo;s practice comments on feminist issues %26mdash; her media of flame-worked glass offers a metaphor for the Mayan civilization%26rsquo;s weaving of the universe. Whenever I don her earrings, I feel empowered. Information susanplum.com.

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House of Pies on Kirby Drive for late-night think tanks, a cheeseburger and strawberry-rhubarb pie.

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I can%26rsquo;t get enough of performance art. The one work that has stayed with me %26mdash; and remains the most topical %26mdash; is Houston talent Maria Cristina Jadick%26rsquo;s enactment of serving a classic baked good. The surprise? Jadick%26rsquo;s homemade apple-pie crust is emblazoned with the outline of an Apache helicopter. Is this startling statement the next fur-lined teacup? To catch the artist%26rsquo;s next opening, visit mariacristinajadick.com. IMAGE: Maria Cristina Jadick%26rsquo;s As American as Mom and Apple Pie, 2011.

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Heights caffeination destination Antidote is like Cheers %26mdash; everyone knows your name, but in lieu of a brew, Antidote is brewing organic beans. Another bonus: The walls of this former Laundromat at 729 Studewood boast works by Houston up-and-comers such as Matt Messinger, one of the winners at Lawndale Art Center%26rsquo;s 2011 Big Show. (Every couple of months, Messinger sets up a sidewalk sale across the street, so get in early on an important collecting opportunity.) IMAGE: Matt Messinger%26rsquo;s Golden Eagle, 2011, at Antidote Coffee.

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Jenny Antill, Photo Editor and Photographer

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Power couple Mike Lopez and Olivia Topete%26rsquo;s boot camp sessions, $197 a month, at Real EFX Fitness (832.387.4062; getrealefx.com). Instead of camo, I wear Lululemon%26rsquo;s Wunder Under crop pants (from $68) and Racerback tank ($39), at Lululemon; lululemon.com.

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McKay Otto%26rsquo;s luminous paintings make me glow. mckayotto.net, jcacciolagallery.com. IMAGE: McKay Otto%26rsquo;s Ever In Time Ever, 2010. Photo by Shau Lin Hon.

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The Tejani necklace is a cascade of manmade pearls in antique silver. $340, at Willow Boutique inside the Brownstone Gallery; shopwillow.com.

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Poetic Li-cense candle $30, at Enticingly Chic.

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The 2012 Fiat 500c Lounge, from $20,000, through Helfman Fiat Studio, 7720 Katy Freeway, 713.533.6100; fiat.com.

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Local lovely globetrotter Halleh Amiralai%26rsquo;s tasty neck candy. 18K pomegranate diamond necklace $4,650, at Sloan/Hall. IMAGE: Photo by Kennon Evett.

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I love John Alexander%26rsquo;s canvases and drawings. What caught my eye? This compelling takeoff of a convention delegate. Price upon request, at McClain Gallery. IMAGE: John Alexander%26rsquo;s The Delegate, 2007, at McClain Gallery.

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Acid isn%26rsquo;t required for this trippy rug by Joseph Carini of Carini, inspired by Japanese kimono patterns. 9 by 12 feet, $10,000, at Carol Piper Rugs. IMAGE: Mountain Blossom by Joseph Carini.

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Beware of the urge to hoard. Claridge + King (aka sisters Liz King and our own Laurann Claridge) now offers The Great White Shirt: a crisp, white, fitted, button-down number to wear with ball skirts or jeans. $110, at Indulge, Kuhl-Linscomb; claridgeandking.com.

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Max Bill hand-winding watch by Junghans. $700, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

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Look at Those Cheeks, and toss the birth control. We love babies and can%26rsquo;t get enough of Mary Parmelee%26rsquo;s cheeks, fashion editor Kate Stukenberg%26rsquo;s new arrival. IMAGE: Photo by Jenny Antill.

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This whispery palette is perfect for displaying canvases and photography. Windham by Pratt %26amp; Lambert, $43 a gallon, at Buffalo Hardware.

Cocktail ensemble from the new BHLDN, the sister store of Anthropology. Ball skirt $800, bolero $400, corset $250, at BHLDN in Highland Village.

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Ficus Lyrata, Fiddle-leaf fig is my hot new housemate. $200 for a 14%26rdquo; specimen, at Thompson %26amp; Hanson. Photo by Jenny Antill.

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Seth Vaughan, Editorial Assistant, Social Scribe and Dandy Boy About Town

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What can I say? I%26rsquo;m attracted to screwy objects %26mdash; and people. Verdura 18K yellow-gold Nut and Bolt cuff links $4,950, at Neiman Marcus.

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Thursday-night strolling through the galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for free. IMAGE: Franti%26scaron;ek Kupka%26rsquo;s The Yellow Scale, circa 1907, at MFAH. Photo %26copy; 2011 Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY / ADAGP, Paris.

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This has been a favorite haunt since I was in short pants: Goode Company Bar-B-Q on Kirby.

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We are Happy to Serve You cup $12, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

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Faux-bamboo, gilded-metal French nesting tables, circa 1960, offer a perfect perch for a gin and tonic. Set of three $1,628, at Carl Moore Antiques.

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With inspiration like this on the walls, I%26rsquo;m ready to be fitted for a waistcoat. Framed vintage 1917 menswear print $265, at Brown.

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PH Design Shop

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:10:42 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Amanda Hayes-Valentine and Chris Promecene; manager Kim Coleman.
Stocked Goods: Calling all stationery fans. One of our favorite Houston paper boutiques, PH Design Shop, has moved and widened its scope. While you%26rsquo;ll still find sleek Russell + Hazel notebooks and desk accessories, cute Jack %26amp; Lulu correspondence cards and those quirky greeting cards that drew us in every visit, owners Amanda Hayes-Valentine and Chris Promecene now have a lot more room to work in %26mdash; unlike their Lilliputian startup shop on Shepherd. The duo that has shown us how to customize our holiday cards, invitations and babies (both the corporate and the cuddly kind) in a cool, sophisticated way has added a growing selection of thoughtfully curated gifts. In fact, Hayes-Valentine has taken it upon herself to scour the globe, from Japan to Sweden, for presents for every occasion %26mdash; from thirsty linen napkins and serving trays to men%26rsquo;s gifts with a vintage twist (match strikers and cotton pocket squares, anyone?), as well as signed resin serving pieces by Tina Frey Designs that any mod bride would covet. Looking for that hot Dodocase for your iPad? PH has it. Ditto, MoMA clocks and calendars, photo frames and soft rope leashes with worn leather collars for your four-legged friends %26mdash; so cool that they might inspire the dog-deprived to head over to BARC. Melanie Herz Promecene and Dallas Felder with Morris Architects came up with the design scheme, which includes a striking art installation of glassine envelopes attached to the ceiling. The shop is painted PH%26rsquo;s signature,%26nbsp; familiar, happy deep shade
of violet, with papers and gifts propped on gleaming white tables and trays. It all reminds us of the cool stores we%26rsquo;ve found while traveling. Good news: This one is all ours. 2414 Rice Blvd. in Rice Village, 713.522.8861; phdesignshop.com.

Image:%26nbsp; Amanda Hayes-Valentine and Chris Promecene. Photo by Jack Thompson.

A Well-Lived Life

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:13:46 GMT

Much-revered designer Herbert Wells%26rsquo; estate will go on sale at Antiques of River Oaks beginning Friday, August 19, 10 am, through Saturday, August 27 and includes select items from Wells%26rsquo; library, his collection of mochaware, French wrought iron, groupings of finials, modern glass, English drabware, lighting and furniture. For the story and photographs of Wells%26rsquo; Inwood Manor high-rise home, see the July 2011 issue of PaperCity. Information, Fred and Josie Nevill at Antiques of River Oaks, 3461 W. Alabama, 713.961.3333.

Image: Pieces from Herbert Wells%26rsquo;s estate sale.

For Your Floors, Something Jolly Fabulous

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:04:49 GMT

We won%26rsquo;t blame you if you fall onto the carpets once you fling open the door to The Rug Company. In fact, you%26rsquo;ll have your choice of upon whom you can tumble: Vivienne Westwood? Paul Smith? Kelly Wearstler? All are on the design roster here, partly responsible for The Rug Company%26rsquo;s highly gorgeous cashmeres, silks, wools and needlepoints %26mdash; often with a %26ldquo;slightly English twist,%26rdquo; says Amanda Price, managing director for the United States. Price has been a wee bit busy, as the British concern has just made Dallas its sixth-ever standalone locale, joining the original in London, plus New York, L.A., Miami and Chicago. Inside the Dallas digs, marvel at 5,000 square feet of handmade rugs, not only from Westwood, Wearstler, et al, but also from the late Alexander McQueen (his fast-flapping hummingbirds are genius), Diane von Furstenberg (her Tribal Diamond is a stunning graphic), even Rug Company founders Suzanne and Christopher Sharp, whose pop-art flowers rendered in multicolored cowhide make for an especially witty carpet. There are florals, abstracts and Aubussons, too, plus pillows and wall hangings %26mdash; couldn%26rsquo;t your dwelling do with a Vishnu on the veranda? A skull in the solarium? Oh, those English: How they twist. 1626 Hi Line Dr., Suite B, 214.760.4888; therugcompany.info.

Images:

Martyn Lawrence-Bullard for The Rug Company.

Jaime Hayon for The Rug Company.

Stark Contrast

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:58:20 GMT

A totally different Stark has us sitting up and taking notice of his imaginative work. David Stark, a celebrated party planner based in New York, is a frequent collaborator with West Elm, and he%26rsquo;s at it again. Known for making something masterful out of humble materials such as newspaper and cardboard, now he%26rsquo;s fashioning white table runners and placemats from artist%26rsquo;s canvas primed with gesso %26mdash; not to mention wrapping that stiff material around vases and cutting it up into faux flowers dabbed with a bit of blue paint at their centers. Inspired by the blue of the Mediterranean Sea, Stark%26rsquo;s dotted plates and dishes have surfaces splashed with a playful array of dots and squiggles. He%26rsquo;s also taken to re-imaging soup and sardine cans into porcelain tapas dishes and twisting ropes around bottles and bowls for a nautical summer look. At West Elm; westelm.com.

Wicks and Hicks

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:51:52 GMT

Mad about pattern? Especially those geometric Pop prints by legendary British designer David Hicks? His son, Ashley Hicks %26mdash; keeper of the family design archives %26mdash; has reissued three of his dad%26rsquo;s iconic prints in conjunction with the heady scents made famous by another Brit, Jo Malone. The lime-green Riviera print perfectly matches Malone%26rsquo;s fruity lime basil and mandarin candle, while the initials %26ldquo;DH,%26rdquo; stylized into patterned prints rendered in pale pink, accompany the scent of red roses. Limited-edition David Hicks candles $65 each, at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Kirby and Company

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:34:30 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Dennis Brackeen, Linda Chan, Blake Karambis and Jenna McPhail.
Stocked Goods: With loads of retail and design experience between them, the creative forces that have come together to conjure Kirby and Company in the former space of antiquarian Brian Stringer on West Alabama prove there%26rsquo;s strength in numbers. Antiques and vintage furniture dealer Blake Karambis, who also owns Kirby Antiques, brings in remarkable furnishings such as a 17th-century French commode from Burgundy ($24,750) to a gorgeous geranium-hued mid-century Knole sofa studded with brass tacks ($5,875). Designers Dennis Brackeen and Jenna McPhail%26nbsp; style them in room vignettes with sisal carpets, refreshing color finishes and pattern-painted floors to give you a glorious visual.%26nbsp; Linda Chan, former owner of Boxwood and Foxglove Antiques, has an astute eye for detail and can reinvent a piece to make it completely modern. With pieces fairly priced, too, the foursome creates modern upholstery pieces from the ground up, while enlivening others %26mdash; a painted iron 19th-century French Font Lit de Jour ($3,200) with a sturdy but cozy mattress and pillows, and a gleaming blue Murano glass lamp placed on Lucite and covered with a shade of their own making. It all makes for quite the fetching look. 2031 W. Alabama , 713.636.2340; kirby-company.com.

Blair Gordon Design – Tailored Home

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:28:03 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Blair Gordon.
Stocked Goods: Perhaps you recall seeing ginger-haired former model Blair Gordon profiled in our pages early last year. Then new to town, this former stylist and designer, who worked with high-profile fashion labels Ralph Lauren and J. Crew, had escaped the hustle of New York to settle in Texas. Now the gentleman who spent years styling Ralph%26rsquo;s Madison Avenue windows is styling his own, in a little bungalow that houses both his design studio and shop. Blair Gordon Design %26ndash; Tailored Home is awash in calm neutrals with a mix of menswear fabrics (houndstooth, plaids and stripes) covering stacks of pillows, and neutral linens, cottons and the like adorning his own line of upholstered pieces. It%26rsquo;s a setting where
mid-century classics such as a rare Arne Jacobsen egg chair in the original black leather plays with a pair of bone-inlaid chests with myriad tiny drawers from the Middle East, a circa-1970s chrome %26eacute;tag%26egrave;re by Milo Baughman, a 1940s golden Murano glass chandelier and a pair of Adrian Pearsall%26rsquo;s ottoman swivel chairs. It%26rsquo;s here, in this intimate 1,400-square-foot space, that Gordon brings in stand-alone pieces that can go anywhere %26mdash; items you might even consider building a room around. Of course, if you don%26rsquo;t have the slightest notion how to do that, just meander to the back, where Gordon welcomes one and all into his art-filled office (that stuff is for sale, too), where you can commission him to create your next space. 2027 W. Alabama, 281.888.7930; blairgordondesign.com.

Images:

Blair Gordon Design %26mdash; Tailored Home. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Owner Blair Gordon. Photo by Jenny Antill.

PaperCity + Tumblr

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:36:55 GMT

Around here, we%26rsquo;ve been doing some tumbling! And, no, we don%26rsquo;t mean the toppling that involves one-too-many sips of Dom P%26eacute;rignon and a pair of four-inch-high Louboutins. The kind we speak of is of the online nature: Meet papercitymag.tumblr.com %26mdash; our new Web obsession, where the viral spirit of social media meets our glossy, magazine feel. Click around a bit %26mdash; we%26rsquo;re posting fresh visuals, linking to stories on papercitymag.com and sharing things we love from fellow style-setting Tumblrs, including Vogue (vogue.tumblr.com), Alexander McQueen (m-c-q.com), The New York Times%26rsquo; T Magazine (tmagazine.tumblr.com) and plenty more. Come tumbl with us %26mdash; we%26rsquo;ll even supply the Dom and stilettos.

Nash + Liaigre = Maison Madness

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:24:33 GMT

It%26rsquo;s a match made in bronze-legged, leather-upholstered heaven. Superstar French designer Christian Liaigre and showroom impresario George Cameron Nash have the saws and hammers flying on two shops-within-shops: one at Nash in Dallas, one at Nash in Houston. Pourquoi? It%26rsquo;s the debut of Maison Liaigre, Mr. L%26rsquo;s new, original designs %26mdash; a reinvention of sorts, after almost 20 years represented by Holly Hunt %26mdash; to include sleek chairs, sofas, tables and lamps. The boutiques at George Cameron Nash %26ldquo;will definitely mirror Liaigre%26rsquo;s Paris atelier,%26rdquo; says Nash, who flew to France to select the showroom pieces himself. (One, the St. Germain lounge chair, with wiry bronze legs and arms that channel Giacometti, is headed straight for Nash%26rsquo;s Dallas apartment. %26ldquo;I bought it 10 seconds after I saw it,%26rdquo; he reports.) Nash%26rsquo;s Liaigre boutiques are two of only a dozen or so planned; a Manhattan brownstone is turning MoMA-esque as we type, to become the U.S. flagship early next year. Lucky us, we get the choice bits this month, when the George Cameron Nash shops open. We haven%26rsquo;t seen French fireworks like this since that little wedding of Marie and Louis at Versailles in 1700. (And what a pairing that was.) Maison Liaigre, to the trade at George Cameron Nash.%26nbsp;

Image: Bronze standard: The St. Germain chair, just one of the nouvelle showstoppers coming to the nouvelle Christian Liaigre boutique at George Cameron Nash.

Destination Decorating: Calypso St. Barth Home

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:31:27 GMT

You%26rsquo;re an honorary member of the international gypset: You%26rsquo;ve floated luxuriously, nomadically, from Marrakesh to Bali, Rajasthan to Antibes, collecting design inspiration on your way. But now you%26rsquo;re back in Dallas, decorating your Preston Hollow hacienda and searching for Casbah pillows to complement your hand-loomed rug from India. Grand news: Calypso Home has both %26mdash; and more. The recently opened sister store to its neighboring Calypso St. Barth clothing boutique in The Plaza at Preston Center follows Calypso%26rsquo;s global-bohemian aesthetic. The boho decorating set will find stylish furnishings and accessories such as handmade dining tables and chairs, textiles crafted by Los Angeles fashion designer Heidi Merrick and ethereal bedding from the glamorous Parisian design firm Maison de Vacances. Of course, our favorites are those Calypso icons, offered long before the home-store spinoff %26mdash; think ikat-patterned throws, shag poufs made of New Zealand wool and the wonderful, colorful artisanal objects that add a dash of spice to your Dallas life. Your pad, like you, will never cease to be worldly. 8413 Preston Center Plaza, 214.750.4266; calypsostbarth.com.

For Private Jets of Utmost Pedigree

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:31:42 GMT

%26hellip; a trolley in gold plate, one of 17 possible finishes, from Dahlgren Duck. The hush-hush Dallas firm has, since 1983, provided bespoke china to princes, flatware to the finest hotels, even special barbed-wire fence motifs (in sterling silver, no less) on custom German glassware for a Texas ranch. It has just settled into new digs on Hi Line Drive, where it quietly purveys blue-blood wares %26mdash; Herm%26egrave;s, Puiforcat, Saint-Louis, Christofle, all the good ones %26mdash;%26nbsp;to palaces, resorts, CEOs, designers and, yes, aircraft owners whose tastes soar above plastic cups and peanuts. The $17,500 gold trolley, by the way, is collapsible %26ldquo;for tight storage,%26rdquo; says founding partner Allan Duck, %26ldquo;and the faceplate allows for a royal coat of arms or corporate logo,%26rdquo; Who%26rsquo;s ordering? We%26rsquo;ll stay hush-hush. 1617 Hi Line Dr., 972.478.5991; dahlgrenduck.com.

Image: Flying quite high: Dahlgren Duck%26rsquo;s gold-plated trolley, for the best jets

Paint It Stark White

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:05:13 GMT

Boxwood Interiors, the stylish home shop off Dunlavy, has added another highbrow paint option to its fabulous stock of Farrow %26amp; Ball: a Stark Paint shop-in-shop. Here you%26rsquo;ll find 240 new contemporary paint options to ponder, all created by London-based colorist David Oliver for Stark, the to-the-trade source for carpets, fabrics, furniture, wallcoverings and now paint. Stark%26rsquo;s ultra-premium water-based paint with zero VOCs meets LEED standards and is available in six finishes, from a velvet emulsion to a lacquered gloss for use both indoors and out. At Boxwood Interiors, 3833 Dunlavy, 713.528.1501.

Avant Garden: Quite a Bit to Crow About

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:56:49 GMT

It%26rsquo;s almost unthinkable that stylist Raegan McKinney could work harder than he does already %26mdash; floral design, photo shoots, the works. But in his precious spare time, he%26rsquo;s been refreshing Avant Garden, too. Under jumbo new photo panels of even-more-jumbo roosters %26mdash; in brilliant turquoise blue %26mdash; AG creative director McKinney has stirred in fresh collections of blue-and-white porcelains, wood carvings from 18th-century China, fruits made of white resin, ethereal driftwood bowls, concrete leaves, barnacles, clam shells, seashells, even vintage blue-and-white plates, platters, saucers and vessels. Is Mr. McKinney having a bit of a blue period? Let%26rsquo;s hope so: Look what it did for Picasso. 4 Highland Park Village, 214.559.3432; avantgarden.com.

Image: Avant Garden. Photo by Stephen Karlisch.

For Parties with Patrician Leanings

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:25:48 GMT

Have your next affair right on the lawn %26mdash; with Suite 206%26rsquo;s newest pieces: rentals that say %26ldquo;living room%26rdquo; far more than they say %26ldquo;downtown lounge.%26rdquo; The collection includes ottomans, sofas, berg%26egrave;res and those chic domed chairs, all shown here at the Nasher Sculpture Center, and all in linen, burlap, wicker, nail heads, you name it. There are lamps, pillows and bar fa%26ccedil;ades, too. The impetus for the new goods? %26ldquo;People,%26rdquo; says rental guru Josh Madans, %26ldquo;are looking for a luxurious, residential feel %26mdash; event decor that is an extension of their home.%26rdquo; You, too, can be Marie Antoinette for the night: Ring 214.749.0400, or see suite206.com.

Image: Yours for the day (or night): highly residential rentals. Photo by Rebecca Lorrine Photography.

Maximal Minimal

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:08:51 GMT

Established %26amp; Sons is generating the biggest buzz among international design disciples in the last decade %26mdash; earning kudos and projecting heat for its smart amalgamation of art, architecture and industrial design. Zaha Hadid desk, anyone? Along the way, E%26amp;S has taken up residence along the global fair circuit, showcasing important offerings in booths from Miami Beach to Basel, Switzerland. Now Established %26amp; Sons%26rsquo; co-founder, British designer Mark Holmes, has spun out his own firm: Minimalux, whose second collection had its American debut at Houston%26rsquo;s own Peel Gallery this spring. The sharply curated Museum District stop is the exclusive U.S. source for Minimalux%26rsquo;s line of luminous metal objects executed in copper, stainless steel, sterling silver and aluminum %26mdash; beakers as vases, bowls shaped like a finely-milled auto part, pill holders fashioned as test tubes %26mdash; that boast a precisionist finish and are as concise and futuristic as they are beautiful. From $125, at Peel Gallery, 4411 Montrose Blvd., 713.520.8122; peelgallery.org.

Image: Minimalux%26rsquo;s Conical Vase, 2010, at Peel Gallery

Focus on This

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:07:07 GMT

You know when designers talk about focal points.? Well, this is what they%26rsquo;re talking about. Install this amazing 19th-century Italian carved-marble sink in your master bath %26mdash; or your first-floor W.C. for lucky guests, and get ready to be peppered with a million questions. You can tell them it%26rsquo;s quite rare, exceedingly heavy and made of intricately hand-carved Rosso Verona marble with a pristine white-marble sink inset. Whether you let them think it%26rsquo;s been in the familia for two centuries or confide that you found it at proprietor Sharon Perry Wise%26rsquo;s clever home shop is up to you. (We won%26rsquo;t breathe a word either way.) $11,500, at Objects Lost and Found, 2815 Ferndale St., 713.523.8496; objectshouston.com.

Image: Carved-marble sink at Objects Lost and Found. Photo by Jack Thompson.

Pick a Posy

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:18:38 GMT

Although it%26rsquo;s actually called Dance, when we spied this black bisque vase at David Brown, we renamed it the Modern Picket Fence %26mdash; for your tabletop. We can picture it arranged with twining vines and tall, grassy foliage trimmed to irregular heights. Or, do as Brown is wont to do, and fill it with several orchid stems. Gorgeous. $245, at David Brown.

Image: Dance vase at David Brown. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Marshmallows to Coconuts

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:03:29 GMT

Among the pantheon of the most illustrious designers from the postwar era %26mdash; side-by-side with Charles and Ray Eames and Harry Bertoia %26mdash; George Nelson (1908 %26ndash;%26nbsp;1986) is incontestably enshrined. You%26rsquo;ll know all the reasons why after a visit to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, where the late master of such coveted, collectible classics as the Marshmallow Sofa (1956) and the Coconut Chair (1956) is touted in his first-ever comprehensive retrospective. Organized by the venerable Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany (where it originated upon the centennial of Nelson%26rsquo;s birth), the internationally touring exhibition presents more than 120 influential furnishings. Joining this array of Nelson%26rsquo;s greatest hits (plus some under-known projects) are historical documents, models, photographs, films and ephemera. Together, they convey the Yale-trained architect%26rsquo;s extraordinary career, first as the design director for Herman Miller %26mdash;%26nbsp;where he brought Eames, Noguchi and Girard on board%26nbsp;%26mdash; then later as head of his own firm, where he was responsible for unforgettable, still-relevant creations from the Ball Clock (1947) to Bubble Lamps (1952 onwards). %26ldquo;George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher,%26rdquo; through September 11 at McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; mcnayart.org.

Image: George Nelson%26rsquo;s Marshmallow Sofa, 1956

Who’s Stumped?

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:32:45 GMT

Metal artist and designer George Sacaris is getting back to nature. Known for his cool contemporary commissions and public art pieces, Sacaris (who also has a degree in architecture) recently unveiled his Faux Bois Collection at ICFF in New York. Hand-formed using a process he developed with lightweight aluminum, his hollow faux bois%26ndash;styled stumps, available in five sizes, can serve as stools, side tables, cocktail tables and benches, inside or out. Best of all, no two are exactly alike. Choose from his standard finishes %26mdash; glossy powder-coated white, adobe (taupe) and brown, plus satin-brushed aluminum %26mdash; or a higher priced mirror-polished option (the latter recommended for indoor use only). You can also special-order a stump, in which case the color options are limitless. Standard finishes $790 to $6,100, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

Image: George Sacaris' Faux Bois Collection. Photo by Jack Thompson.

Dining In Becomes More Attractive (HOUSTON)

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:30:37 GMT

As if Williams-Sonoma didn’t already know the way to every gourmand’s heart, now the savvy retailer has added another dimension to the possibilities that exist for your kitchen: furniture and fixtures. The collection — comprised of kitchen island workspaces, dining tables and chairs, and overhead lighting fixtures — is seamlessly in keeping with the brand’s aesthetic of pedigreed functional items. The pine dining collection is constructed of wood salvaged from antique doors and entryways; one kitchen island is built from French oaks planted during Emperor Napoleon’s rule. Looking for a little outside perspective, the company tapped New York–based interior designer Thomas O’Brien, and the results are seen in a Carrara-topped worktable made from solid ash, as well as a 1920s-style pendant lamp with a faceted glass shade and polished nickel details. Our favorite, though, is the Berthillon French kitchen island, which incorporates polished cupboard latches reminiscent of an icebox and a rubber-wood butcher’s block that’s perfect for preparatory tasks. Dinner is served indeed. Westheimer Road in Highland Village, 713.212.0346; williams-sonoma.com.

A Rather Proustian Perfume

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:21:26 GMT

What is it with the French and nostalgia? Marcel Proust was famously carried away by a mouthful of madeleine, and now Parisian perfumer Diptyque transports us to its original store where it all began, with a mere spritz from its new collection, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain. Myriam Badault, director of development at Diptyque, met %26ldquo;fragrance thief%26rdquo; Roman Kaiser, and a challenge was born: Capture the scent of the landmark boutique %26hellip; and bottle it, bien s%26ucirc;r. In celebration of Diptyque%26rsquo;s 50th anniversary, Kaiser summoned the scents of the shop, including the aged wooden shelves, kilim rugs that emit a palpable sense of warmth, and the unique and harmonious fragrance of all the candles, soaps and perfumes the shop sells. What Kaiser delivers does not disappoint, with a head of bright black currant and green leaves that evolve into a heart of rose, geranium, iris and violet, which give way to a base of woods, balms and resin. Available in an eau de toilette, candle, soap, home fragrance and solid perfume. From $30 for perfumed soap to $135 for 100 ml eau de toilette. Diptyque at Barneys New York, Forty Five Ten; online at barneys.com, diptyqueparis.com.

A Rather Proustian Perfume

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:15:53 GMT

What is it with the French and nostalgia? Marcel Proust was famously carried away by a mouthful of madeleine, and now Parisian perfumer Diptyque transports us to its original store where it all began, with a mere spritz from its new collection, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain. Myriam Badault, director of development at Diptyque, met %26ldquo;fragrance thief%26rdquo; Roman Kaiser, and a challenge was born: Capture the scent of the landmark boutique %26hellip; and bottle it, bien s%26ucirc;r. In celebration of Diptyque%26rsquo;s 50th anniversary, Kaiser summoned the scents of the shop, including the aged wooden shelves, kilim rugs that emit a palpable sense of warmth, and the unique and harmonious fragrance of all the candles, soaps and perfumes the shop sells. What Kaiser delivers does not disappoint, with a head of bright black currant and green leaves that evolve into a heart of rose, geranium, iris and violet, which give way to a base of woods, balms and resin. Available in an eau de toilette, candle, soap, home fragrance and solid perfume. From $30 for perfumed soap to $135 for 100 ml eau de toilette. Diptyque at Indulge, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sloan/Hall; online at barneys.com, diptyqueparis.com.

Peacock’s New Perch

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:26:53 GMT

What to do? What to do? Will it be the St. Tropez or Martinique duvets? The Lucia matelass%26eacute; or Oxford Tailored shams? Particular purchasers, read carefully: Consult the naked bed at the just-opened Peacock Alley Design Studio on Slocum Street in the Design District. It%26rsquo;s true, said nude display bed, inside the new 2,400-square-foot workroom, is but one of the blank canvases Peacock Alley has devised, allowing all devotees to play with its luxurious linens for the boudoir and bath. In addition to spots for testing and customizing your shams and sheets, the space%26rsquo;s airy, open floor plan also boasts a tub and other sleek bathroom fixtures courtesy its neighbor, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery %26mdash; making the new Studio the perfect place to see whether those Monaco towels suit that Villa shower curtain. 1403 Slocum St., 214.520.6736; peacockalley.com.

Lighting Up

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:24:35 GMT

When designer Ralph Lauren launched a lighting collection back in 1999, he went straight to Houston%26rsquo;s Andy Singer, founder of the lighting manufacturer Visual Comfort (based on Bingle Road) to produce his stylish designs. Earlier this year, the powers that be at RL decided it was high time they move into a licensee agreement with the firm that made their name in chic lighting %26mdash; to create an arrangement where Visual Comfort now manufacturers, as well as sells Ralph Lauren lighting (wholesale and retail). As with his fashion, Ralph Lauren has two tiers of lighting: the Lauren line, with sconces starting at $175, and the premier Ralph Lauren collection, which maxes out around $12,000 with a stunning chandelier. Lauren joins a roster of high-profile lighting designers at Visual Comfort such as Barbara Barry, Thomas O%26rsquo;Brien, Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler, Michael S. Smith, Clodagh, J. Randall Powers, David Easton, Sandy Chapman and, most recently, John Rosselli, whose designs are inspired by the antiques this New York%26ndash;based antiquarian is famous for procuring. Look for Ralph Lauren lighting at Circa Lighting and through visualcomfort.com.

The Green Painter

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:48:51 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Jeff Kaplan, Adam Brackman, Monte Large, Evan O%26rsquo;Neil.
What%26rsquo;s on the Walls: Back in 2008, when building and renovating with the environment in mind was just starting to gain momentum, entrepreneur Jeff Kaplan opened New Living in Rice Village %26mdash; a green hardware and lifestyle emporium devoted to bringing eco-friendly alternatives to the fore. Now Kaplan and his colleagues Adam Brackman, Monte Large and Evan O%26rsquo;Neil have turned their attention to nontoxic paint formulations and launched The Green Painter next door. They are the only ones across the United States, they contend, to stock an exclusive line of nontoxic, NOVOC, all-natural and organic paints (as well as contractor-grade nontoxic paints priced competitively with the traditional ones). Working with a trained, design-focused color specialist and the only certified-green painters in the country, you can even match your favorite hues by another brand to find a nontoxic alternative. 7115 Kirby Dr.; 713.521.1921; newliving.net.

Fixtures %26 Fittings, Inc.

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:43:11 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Aaron Laine.
Stocked Goods: For those who have followed Aaron Laine from two high-profile Houston showrooms to his very own, we have another exciting move to announce. Laine, founder of the gleaming Fixtures %26amp; Fittings, has settled into a beautiful new first-floor showroom in The Houston Design Center. Now becoming quite the destination for designers and architects, his sleek HDC space is three times the size of his former high-rise showroom on Kirby. The interior designer with a specialty in kitchen and bath hardware and fixtures has secured exclusives with lines such as Sun Valley Bronze; Karcher (contemporary hardware); Horos (faucets); and Porcher and Toto (toilets), mixed with Cangelosi Co. custom stone washstand tops, Barber Wilson, Lefroy Brooks, Victoria and Albert, Zuchetti, Lacava and Newport Brass. What%26rsquo;s most fun, though, is that Laine has removed the standard display boards and adhered door knobs, draw handles and pulls, faucets, locks and myriad hardware onto Lucite backs, all of which gleam like jewelry when aligned side by side on shallow wall shelves. And how marvelously practical when your designer wants to pull a piece to see how it will look in your house. To the trade. The Houston Design Center, Suite 171, 7026 Old Katy Road, 713.808.9069; fixturesfittings.com.

Images: Aaron Laine; photo by Jenny Antill. Some of the inventory at Fixtures %26amp; Fittings, Inc.

Hien Lam Home

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:36:49 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Patrick Lam.
Stocked Goods: If ever there was an America story where determination and grit brought hard-won success, the Lam family can tell it. Hien Lam, an upholsterer whose Montrose workshop is the go-to place for local designers, started as an apprentice for his brother, who worked as a craftsman for the Cambodian royal family. When he met Hong, soon to be his wife and mother of his sons, they endured the hardships of war, living on the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. Around 1983, they made their way to American shores and landed in Houston, where Hien worked for Suniland Furniture%26rsquo;s upholstery department then Brian Stringer Antiques. Fast forward nearly seven years, and Patrick, the Lams%26rsquo; second son, joined the family business and eventually expanded their 3,600-square-foot workroom into the current 32,000-square-foot store on West Drew. Now Patrick and his family have opened Hien Lam Home in the building that previously housed Nicoletti%26rsquo;s %26mdash; a sleek, 20,000-square-foot showroom for Hien and Hong%26rsquo;s work. Most pieces on the floor are upholstered sofas, chairs and ottomans, covered in flax-colored cotton to emphasize the lines of each piece %26mdash; all crafted in their Montrose workshop. Filling out the space are reproduction pieces, garden accessories, mirrors, candles and lampshades to coordinate with any decor. 2032 W. Alabama, 713.523.1558; hienlamhome.com.

Image: Patrick Lam. Photo by Fulton Davenport.

Hot Topics

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:26:42 GMT

Ruhlmann rules. One of the most celebrated Art Deco interior and furniture designers, Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann was a tastemaker, style setter and icon to anyone that%26rsquo;s ever loved design. This new tome, Ruhlmann (by Florence Camard, Rizzoli, $150), is encompassing and enthralling. A product of more than 20 years of research, this is the volume to own.

The mighty Century of Modern Design (David A. Hanks, Flammarion, $49.95) is a comprehensive 480-page guide to the artisanship of the decorative arts and 20th-century design from 1900 to the present, containing iconic textiles, furnishings, graphic art, jewelry, objects of daily life and unique masterpieces. Based on the Stewart Collection, in collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the 6,000 works of art in the collection were culled to 400 for this book.

I love the idea of American Fashion Travel: Designers on the Go (by the CFDA, foreword by Diane von Furstenberg, Assouline, $45). Each page is like a postcard from someone whom you really care about where they go and what they pack, their favorite store, favorite museum and jet-lag remedy %26hellip; such as Alexander Wang, Peter Som, Tory Burch, Gilles Mendel, Narciso Rodriguez, Billy Reid and 95 other fashionable types. In the back of the book are 14 pages to be filled out by your own travel-savvy cohorts.

J%26rsquo;adore Walls by famed French designer and decorative arts historian Florence de Dampierre (Rizzoli, $60) for its sheer romance and poetry, from beautiful Italianate murals to English Arts and Crafts, boiseries and stenciling to the most fabulous of wallpapers (hand-painted chinoiserie and print-room papers), borders and friezes. Breathtaking in its breadth.

There%26rsquo;s nothing new. And the Style Book (by Elizabeth walker, Flammarion, $29.95) is 480 pages of proof. Chock-full of iconic images from 1865 to now, this is evidence the good stuff%26rsquo;s been done. Richard Gere in American Gigolo (page 415), David Hockney in a suit with sneakers and a kipper tie (page 282), Giraffe women %26mdash; oh, those impossibly long necks %26mdash; in towering ringed necklaces and plimsolls (page 153), Keith Richards (page 101), a Sioux Indian (page 111) %26hellip; Need we go on?

Marilyn Monroe has never held much personal enthrallment, but MM %26ndash; Personal: From the Private Archives of Marilyn Monroe (Abrams, $35) is nonetheless enthralling. Filled with artifacts, relics and documents from her private archives, it%26rsquo;s a bit like rifling through her purse or safety deposit box. There are telegrams, contracts, Christmas cards, receipts from the beauty shop and letters from her mother. These are the tokens and talismans that can capture a person%26rsquo;s timbre.

Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden (by Judith B. Tankard, Rizzoli, $45) is the first book in two decades devoted to the most important garden designer of the 20th century. Jekyll, who died in 1932, produced in partnership with Edwin Lutyens seminal garden masterpieces of the Arts and Crafts movement, including Hestercombe and Folly Farm. This%26nbsp; book is the record of her work for Country Life magazine, with archival photographs as well as contemporary photographic views of a selection of the 350 gardens she created.

Parisian Interiors (by Barbara and Ren%26eacute; Stoeltie, foreword by Jacques Garcia, Flammarion, $49.95) is a showcase of just 20 of this city%26rsquo;s most original and splendid interiors, each one rich in historical traditions of decoration. The spaces of Yves and Victor Gastou, Lenny Kravitz, Jacques Garcia and Pierre Yovanovitch, to name a few, are a wealth of inspiration.%26nbsp;

I don%26rsquo;t think I%26rsquo;ve ever worn a scarf, but I%26rsquo;ve always longed to, and after perusing Scarves (by Nicky Albrechtsen and Fola Solanke, Thames %26amp; Hudson, $65), I%26rsquo;ll be tying one on. For such a wispy object, this is a large-scale book covering artists%26rsquo; scarves, textile designers, scarf companies, the designer scarf, historic scarves and even the travel scarf. In 304 pages, there is nary a detail about how to wear or tie a scarf. Instead, there are big, beautiful photographs of the scarves themselves. I%26rsquo;m not sure what this book will ever be used for, but the cover bound in a lime scarf print is brilliant!

Suzanne Slesin, publisher of Pointed Leaf Press, has an eye for the budding icon, i.e., Dorothy Draper, Billy Haines, Vladimir Kagan, Samuel Marx and Helena Rubenstein %26hellip; all decorative subjects she%26rsquo;s honed in on with lavish tomes at the right time. Now she%26rsquo;s settled on Sue Timney of the heralded Timney-Fowler design label in London. Sue Timney: Making Marks and the Design of Timney Fowler (foreword by Sir Paul Smith, Pointed Leaf Press, $65) is a photographic journey through the eyes of this brilliant artist, designer, interior designer and tastemaker.

Antiques of River Oaks

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:03:50 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Fred %26amp; Josie Nevill.
Stocked Goods: Proving that there%26rsquo;s power in numbers, Fred and Josie Nevill have pulled together 20 top-drawer antiques dealers and opened Antiques of River Oaks, with 9,000 square feet of space on West Alabama. Nevill himself is the proprietor of Fred Nevill Antiques and trades in fine period%26nbsp;furniture, decorative%26nbsp;accessories%26nbsp;and estate jewelry. David Lackey of David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art %26mdash; china expert and frequent contributor to PBS-TV%26rsquo;s cult fave Antiques Roadshow %26mdash; procures everything from old Wedgwood creamware to Tiffany by Minton china. If you%26rsquo;re fond of smalls from Great Britain, check out the horn cups, tiny Victorian-era portraits, games and more at Town %26amp; Country Antiques, then skip over to Crow %26amp; Co. for a trove of marvelous silver drinks paraphernalia and English walking sticks (not to mention a china cabinet full of majolica that%26rsquo;s sure to turn the heads of avid collectors). Elizabeth Chapman Antiques procures fun vintage costume jewels, while Tassels %26amp; Bows has loads of gold lockets, and Charles Anthony Antiques cases gleam with sterling silver, including collectible Spratling silver. And did we mention decorative artist Sheema Muneer%26rsquo;s booth or the outpost of Made in France (one of our favorites on Ferndale)? Oh, and then there%26rsquo;s the Austin import Lotus Gallery, as well as Kathleen Cook Antiques, Objects, Dodson-Culp, Yesterdays Treasures %26ndash; Todays Memories and Beth Brown %26hellip; Well, you%26rsquo;ll just have to swing in and see it all for yourself. 3461 W. Alabama; 713.961.3333; antiquesofriveroaks.com.

Images: Fred Nevill Antiques; Town %26amp; Country Antiques; Lotus Gallery; Fred Nevill Antiques; David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art; Dodson-Culp; Crow %26amp; Co.

What's Knocking Our Socks Off?

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:00:39 GMT

Images: Three-drawer dressing table in parchment, from The Jean-Michel Frank Reedition for Herm%26egrave;s. The Confortable armchair in natural sheepskin, from The Jean-Michel Frank Reedition for Herm%26egrave;s.

The Sober Perfection of Jean-Michel Frank par Herm%26egrave;s

The venerable house of Herm%26egrave;s is slowly and heedfully unveiling one of the most important home collections in generations. After all, it has taken the Herm%26egrave;s progenitors themselves five generations to hone the home sector. Since the 1920s, Herm%26egrave;s has quietly developed beautiful objects for the home. This fall, the peeling back of this seductive world continues with the induction of the timeless Jean-Michel Frank Reedition, a collaboration sparked in 1924 when fourth-generation Herm%26egrave;s descendants forged a tie with Jean-Michel Frank, master decorator to the artistic and intelligent of Paris. Herm%26egrave;s leatherworkers and saddlers were entrusted with the %26ldquo;piqu%26eacute;-sellier%26rdquo; covering of Frank%26rsquo;s furniture, and a partnership flourished. Now, the Frank and Herm%26egrave;s families are bringing the master%26rsquo;s creations back to life. Each piece, reissued exclusively for Herm%26egrave;s, is numbered, accompanied with a certificate of authenticity and signed %26ldquo;J.M. Frank, par Herm%26egrave;s.%26rdquo; Frank%26rsquo;s expression, says Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director and Herm%26egrave;s descendent, %26ldquo;is the very foundation of modern design vocabulary.%26rdquo; In so many words: brilliant! The Jean-Michel Frank Reedition, to order at Herm%26egrave;s.

Images: A wildly whimsical scenic, starring Arles, France, on linen with metallic background. Maison marvelous! The fabulous new fabrics from Maison Christian Lacroix. Lacroix%26rsquo;s striped fabrics in silk-satin, available in four sinful colors.

It%26rsquo;s Lacroix for Your Casa, Sweeties

A wispy, cascading mix of flora and fauna on super-soft cotton? A bold burst of kaleidoscopic patterns on sumptuous cut velvet? We speak of the sensational world of Maison Christian Lacroix and its new Arles Fabrics collection %26mdash; a collection of velvets, linens, cottons and satins dreamt up by CL creative director Sacha Walckhoff for the home-design haven Designers Guild. Just think: florals, stripes, scenics, even charming, engraved views of Arles, France (complete with whimsical printed-on picture frames), beloved hometown of famed fashion designer Monsieur Lacroix. We say festoon your digs in the stuff: pillows, walls, curtains, the springer spaniel. The apple of our discerning eye? A crisp cotton bearing a striking, broken-stripe pattern that mimics the look of a striped couture gown, dropped to the floor. Maison Christian Lacroix, to the trade at ID Collection.

Image at top: X table in natural ceruse-finished oak, chairs with padded seat and back in natural ceruse-finished oak, from The Jean-Michel Frank Reedition for Herm%26egrave;s. Patine rug in brown silk, Chevrons rugs in slate silk and beige silk, Balcon du Guadalquivir red soup tureen in porcelain, all from Herm%26egrave;s%26rsquo; first collection of furnishing fabrics, wallpaper and rugs.

%26nbsp;

See How Cornelius and F. Scott Would’ve Done It

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:41:41 GMT

%26hellip; if they had lived in Dallas, of course. Vanderbilt- and Fitzgerald-worthy manors stand with doors flung open on Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8, for the Swiss Avenue Historic District  Mother%26rsquo;s Day Home Tour. Just think: Six grand houses (including Virginia McAlester%26rsquo;s storied one, in this month%26rsquo;s PaperCity) and the freshly renovated 1920s Munger Place Church (its stained-glass windows newly aglow), all from an era when the Duesenbergs and Packards might%26rsquo;ve purred down Swiss Avenue and its tony surrounds. Tickets and information 469.644.0908; sahd.org.

Image: 5112 Swiss Avenue, one of many manses on tour May 7 and 8. Photo by Carol Hensley Photography.

Design Buzz

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:05:40 GMT

Six new and diverse dealers have joined the Antique Pavilion on Westheimer. Retro Gallery, owned by Lyle Cohen, shows vintage posters and decorative accessories; Natalie Gee%26rsquo;s Natasha Cannon Antiques stocks Continental European furniture; Nauck%26rsquo;s Vintage Records, owned by Kurt Nauck, proffers phonograph records and music boxes; Daniels Antiques, owned by Jonathan Daniels, specializes in English furniture and Black Forest carvings; Roy Lightner and Brenda Fant%26rsquo;s Willow Antiques focuses on European furniture and Asian accessories; and Rose %26amp; Thistle, owned by Donald Rosenberg, woos us with naval memorabilia and men%26rsquo;s accessories %26hellip; Aaron Laine, proprietor of Fixtures %26amp; Fittings, has pulled up pipes and moved from his Kirby locale to a spacious showroom (#171) in the Houston Design Center on Old Katy Road, proffering design-oriented plumbing, hardware and accessories from Barber Wilson, Lefroy Brooks, Horus, Porcher, Victoria and Albert, Zuchetti, Cangelosi Co. and more. (To the trade; 713.808.9069, fixturesfittings.com) ... The Book Collector %26amp; Old Tin Soldier Shoppe, purveyor of rare volumes by Hemingway, Dobie, McMurtrey, first-edition illustrated children%26rsquo;s books and more, has moved into the charming prior-home of the Brownstone restaurant at 2736 Virginia. Owner Jim Taylor also has a trove of 5,000 collectible toy soldiers from the auctions of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and%26nbsp; Malcolm Forbes. The patio area serves as a shady spot for coffee or tea while perusing pages. Ring up 713.661.2665 for hours %26hellip; Abbas Mohammadzad has opened Ashly Rug Co. at 2920 Kirby in the former Forshey piano locale and stocks modern, antique and classic rugs; cleaning and repair available. Go to ashlyrugs.com or call 713.426.5454 to get your magic carpet %26hellip;. And just down the block, Janet Sussan-Berman has opened J Sussan Interiors in the former Meredith O%26rsquo;Donnell space, corner Kirby and West Alabama, carrying furnishings and decoratives %26hellip;. The Urban Market Antique Show at 3101 Smith Street at Elgin is open Saturday, May 14, 4 to 6 pm, and Sunday, May 15, 9 am to 4 pm, with 50 antiques vendors from throughout the states, as well as wonderful food and garden booths such as The Savory Chefs, Janice Schindeler%26rsquo;s Words %26amp; Food pimento cheese, Mickey Morales coffees, Angela%26rsquo;s Oven artisan breads, Houston Dairymaids, Orchid Obsession and more. $25 gets you into the show Saturday for early buying, and Sunday is $5; theurbanmarkethouston.com.

Design-centric Mosaic

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:06:47 GMT

We just love a designer redux, especially one so well done. ST Residential purchased the 29-story Mosaic residential high-rise overlooking Hermann Park and the Medical Center just one year ago and brought in the big guns: Kemper Hyers, known for his design-focused interiors for Starwood Hotels, who rethought, restyled and retooled the property, in partnership with Gensler. There are two towers, one for renters and one for buyers, with 10-foot exposed ceilings, concrete columns and richly finished kitchens. For this, the only ST Residential project in the state, Hyers spent $4 million on four stunning model homes, the Live Here Lounge, Bark Park, theater room, business center, pool cabanas and a Social Lounge with chic bar, Xbox stations, large-screen HD TVs and billiard and poker tables. Who needs L.A.? Mosaic on Hermann Park, 5927 Almeda, 713.533.9400; mosaichouston.com.

Found Objects

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:04:46 GMT

If the industrial look is, well, a little too hard-edged for your Louis and Duncans, you might warm to Aaron Rambo%26rsquo;s elegant steel %26eacute;tag%26egrave;re with shelves of smoked mirrors ($3,645).
At Found, 2422 Bartlett St., 713.522.9191.

Gunslinger

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:02:47 GMT

Serve up shots of tequila and toast Texas%26rsquo; 175th from this six-foot-long, revolver-shaped, hand-carved bar by Marfa-based sculptor Camp Bosworth. Furnished with a set of %26rsquo;50s-era cocktail glasses, this is the best piece of functional furniture since Design Miami. $30,000, through Koelsch Gallery; 713.626.0175; koelschgallery.com.

Sparkling Water

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:01:50 GMT

If the value of a house markedly improves as the kitchen and baths do, you might want to relocate some assets %26mdash; stat. To-the-trade showroom Elegant Additions has unveiled a new shop-in-shop devoted to THG, the elegant French firm that has co-designed lines with such luxurious brands as Lalique and Bernardaud. From faucet handles to cabinet hardware, the collaborations are jeweled gems. We%26rsquo;re especially fond of the etched-black-glass insets in the faucet handles made by the house of Lalique. And designer Barbara Barry has upped the glamour quotient by adding rock-crystal sconces and Carrara marble%26ndash;topped sinks to her collection for Kallista. Elegant Additions, 2426 Bartlett, 713.522.0088.

For Tree Houses of Utter Erudition …

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:33:57 GMT

1. Look splintery? Like wood? This sofa may look like a primitive piece carved from rough-hewn pine, but look closer, and you%26rsquo;ll see that it%26rsquo;s really a silky-smooth textile with a photorealistic wood print, covering a comfortable volume of polyurethane. The Soft Wood sofa by Swedish design team Front is made of stress-resistant polyurethane foam on a hardwood frame. The cover is inkjet-printed on Kvadrat fabric. Go ahead. Slide around. $7,380, at Scott + Cooner.

2. Low tables of driftwood, weathered planks or shards of wood, caught in acrylic glass, air bubbles and all. French design house Bleu Nature stops Maman Nature in her tracks, cold-casting the random jumbles of lumber into the acrylic, then steaming and polishing the block to glassy perfection. Just the thing for imbuing one%26rsquo;s interior with nature %26mdash; if tending to an orchid or an orange tree is beyond one%26rsquo;s talents. (And we know it is.) $6,800 at Grange Hall.

3. A perch of black walnut and Baltic birch, by craftsman Wells Mason of Ironwood Industries, a tiny concern in a century-old brick building in Coupland, Texas, east of Austin. The Umasi chair is part of a twisted collection of tables, benches and chairs, all made of recycled detritus: surplus steel, retired telephone poles, salvaged ship masts and %26ldquo;abandoned trampoline parts,%26rdquo; says Mason%26rsquo;s ironwoodindustries.com. We say it%26rsquo;s what Gerrit Rietveld might%26rsquo;ve cooked up if he%26rsquo;d swung through Twin Peaks. To the trade at Cory Pope %26amp; Associates.

Stellar Stools

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:27:35 GMT

The resurrection of renowned sculptor Waylande Gregory%26rsquo;s pottery and patterns by his nephew Bryan Downey and Tootsies entrepreneur Mickey Rosmarin continues unabated with sensational new objets. Here, garden stools in Gregory%26rsquo;s pop patterns that can be custom colored. About $1,600, at Forty Five Ten.

Stellar Stools

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:52:19 GMT

A "Strong" Interest in Stationery

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:49:33 GMT

Time to get your spring stationery wardrobe in place. Jacqueline Kotts, the new Mrs. John L. Strong — she purchased the venerable bespoke stationer that has been engraving for social scribes for 80 years from its Madison Avenue atelier — is coming to Houston, armed with thick paper samples, engravers’ plates, color palettes and a selection of the new Ready to Write collection. See the goods Monday, April 11, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at a cocktail reception at David Brown Flowers, and by appointment Tuesday through Friday, April 12 through 15, at Hotel Granduca. For information and to schedule an appointment, contact Cody Hammond at 646.0230.8603, chammond@mrsstrong.com. A new Web site has also just launched: mrsstrong.com.

Mikyung Chun's Exquisite Pain

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:30:44 GMT

The villa in I Am Love. Valentino%26rsquo;s yacht. The original Lamborghini Countach. To our short list of %26ldquo;Italian things so chic, it hurts,%26rdquo; kindly add Promemoria. If you don%26rsquo;t know this ultra-luxurious furnishings line, you soon will %26mdash; because someone so painfully chic is bringing boatloads of it to the Design District next month. The incomparable Mikyung Chun, who shuttered her HaRoo %26amp; HaRoo showroom a handful of years ago to focus on her design work, under the moniker M%26iacute;nolochi, is setting up shop again. Chun is converting 2,400 lucky square feet on Slocum Street into what promises to be the most sumptuous apartment in town %26mdash; propped with Promemoria%26rsquo;s amazing sofas, chairs, tables and beds, all designed by Romeo Sozzi, whose cabinetmaking ancestors built carriages for 19th-century nobles. Bronze, velvet and jaw-dropping woods figure heavily in the collection, which extends to cabinets, mirrors and lighting, too. By the way, Sozzi%26rsquo;s open-backed Bilou Bilou chair is already destined for icon status %26mdash;%26nbsp;as is a certain showroom owner we know. Sneak a peek at promemoria.com and minolochi.com. In the meantime, we%26rsquo;ll get the Countach waxed for opening night. Chun%26rsquo;s parties are painfully chic, too.

Image: Photo by Adam Fish.

Sutherland Chic, Sky-High

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:32:26 GMT

Ann Sutherland knows a thing or two about dapper gents. The designer holds multiple titles at husband David%26rsquo;s ultra-stylish David Sutherland furniture showrooms %26mdash; including president of its wildly successful line of outdoor fabrics, Perennials. So was Mrs. S. thinking of Mr. S. when she concocted the latest in a series of model condominiums at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas? (The dandy David is a consummate storyteller, a fearless globetrotter and he motors about town in a sleek Bentley coupe.) His doppelg%26auml;nger would love living here, in a magnificent, monochromatic lair. Ann Sutherland and her team took the Tower Residence%26rsquo;s already-luxurious shell (tall ceilings, marble and hardwood floors, all the requisites), augmented it with urbane wallcoverings (crunchy textures, burnished metallics), then stirred in a clever mix of furnishings from Sutherland superstars, including John Hutton, Dakota Jackson, and the two Philippes: Starck and Hurel. The art collection? That%26rsquo;s A-list, too, curated by Patricia Meadows for Conduit Gallery. We imagine this the perfect pad for a renaissance finance whiz, maybe even a high-flying legal eagle who really knows how to nest. (He would just need to wing over to Ann Sutherland%26rsquo;s office as soon as he signs the deed.) The Tower Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 2555 N. Pearl St., 214.855.2020; theresidencesdallas.com.

Image: James Moritz Photography.

Dishing with Donna

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:47:47 GMT

You can think of it as Brancusi for the breakfast table, or Dubuffet for the dining room. Donna Karan and an American tabletop institution, Lenox, have joined forces to debut Donna Karan Lenox, a collection that brims with sleek, urban-inspired dishes; bowls crafted of brass and precious metals; stainless-steel flatware in three sculptural styles (we%26rsquo;re eyeing Rift, with its indented handles); and handmade, limited-edition porcelain and ceramic vases and vessels numbered and signed by DK herself. Beeline to Neiman Marcus or neimanmarcus.com %26mdash; but go quickly, as the limited-edition bits are in quantities of 50 to 75 pieces, exclusively at Neiman Marcus until May 1.

Design Buzz

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:22:34 GMT

The Houston Design Center on Old Katy Road welcomes tip-top new showrooms to the ranks of its 40-plus design-minded tenants. Aaron Laine’s Fixtures %26amp; Fittings, set to open late this month, will tempt with 3,200 square feet of couture bath and kitchen fixtures, hardware and accessories. Abrahams Rugs %26amp; Furnishings brings 35 years of experience to its just-opened showroom of handmade oriental rugs from around the world. Last month, Jobe Systems unveiled a 1,640-square-foot custom electronics showroom stocking the latest high-tech gear and audio/video wonders. Finally, Randall Edwards Design has opened a 5,600-square-foot showroom packed with classic case goods and fine European antiques … Antiques of River Oaks, a new antiques emporium with 9,000 square feet and 30 dealers at 3461 West Alabama, is slowly opening its doors. Owners Fred and Josie Nevill have opened their own space, Fred Nevill Antiques, as has David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art. Signed up and readying to open as we write are Kathleen Cook Antiques, Town %26amp; Country Antiques, Crow %26amp; Company, Objects, Sheema Muneer, Elizabeth Chapman Antiques, Dodson-Culp, Lotus Gallery, Charles Anthony Antiques, Beth Brown and Tassels %26amp; Bows. Whoa, that’s a lot of Louis and Duncan and Anne.

Treasure Aisles

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:25:24 GMT

I%26rsquo;ve walked miles along these treasure-stocked aisles, buying wedding gifts and baby presents%26nbsp; (Pilsbury Michel and Part Era Fine Antique %26amp; Estate Jewelry), wonderful small items for decorator friends (Crow %26amp; Co. and David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art) and building a personal trove of loved furnishings (LR Antiques, English Surrey, The Blue Saffron). The Antique Pavilion on Westheimer turns 20 this year, and it%26rsquo;s had a fabled and history-laden two decades. Through the years, Rod Stewart, Rosanne Cash, Whoopi Goldberg, Mario Buatta, Barbara Bush and scores of decorators and collectors have wandered through the 60 top-notch dealers and 23,000 square feet, unearthing such important and provenanced treasures as an English 19th-century florist-seed display cabinet for $25,000 at Crow %26amp; Co.; a seven-piece Francis I sterling tea-and-coffee service for $56,000 at Pillsbury Michel; a rare horn-mounted 19th-century Belgian gun cabinet for $32,000 at Fionda Antiques; and a painting by French impressionist %26Eacute;douard Cort%26egrave;s for $65,000. at Robert E. Alker Fine Art. Three new names have joined the Antique Pavilion: Lewis %26amp; Maese, Larry Bahn%26rsquo;s The Country Gentleman (Bahn is president of the Houston Antique Dealers Association) and The Kat%26rsquo;s Meow. Happy 20th, and more Chippendale, Louis and Duncan for many more! 2311 Westheimer, 713.520.9755; antique-pavilion.com.

It Could Happen to any of Us

Many years after Rice Food Market had become the Antique Pavilion, an elderly lady who had moved back to Houston after years in another city came in and inquired at the front desk, %26ldquo;Where has the produce department moved since you redecorated?%26rdquo;

Clink Clink

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:26:22 GMT

Love these paper-thin, hand-painted drinks glasses by Roost, which bear a fleeting similarity to ultra-expensive Lobmeyr crystal. $14 to $16 each, at Sloan/Hall.

Image: Photo by Jenny Antill.

Peel on In

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:24:00 GMT

What%26rsquo;s the latest at Peel Gallery? The savvy design stop%26rsquo;s owner, director and chief curator Steven Hempel, is pollinating his stable of design meisters with equally avant-garde artists. Now he%26rsquo;s stocking objects by hot talents such as L.A.%26ndash;based graphic designer/visual talent Geoff McFetridge, whose clients range from Nike to HP; for a nifty nook in your abode, McFetridge serves up sprightly wallpapers ($165 per roll) that do double-duty as droll works of art. Meanwhile, California ceramicist Adam Silverman%26rsquo;s inventive glazes and rough-hewn surfaces, which resemble lunar landscapes, are strikingly now but manifest a mid-century aesthetic that has collectors swooning (from $1,200). 4411 Montrose, 713.520.8122; peelgallery.org.

Image: Geoff McFetridge%26rsquo;s Apples at Peel Gallery.

Romancing the Romanovs

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:21:17 GMT

Few monarchies can rival the Russian royals for their collection of sumptuous objects, especially the bejeweled treasures from the fabled workshops of Carl Faberg%26eacute;. Now The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg %26mdash; the institution founded by Catherine the Great (and once the Winter Palace) that houses these decorative arts masterpieces %26mdash; packs up more than 150 once-in-a-lifetime creations for an extended exhibition at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Secure your ticket now to marvel at sublime works of art owned by the tsars and tsarinas, many traveling to the U.S. for the first time. Among the exhibition%26rsquo;s tours de force: 17th- and 18th-century gemstone-encrusted snuff boxes and an 18th-century walking stick outrageously set with diamonds, all once carried by well-placed nobles; Peter the Great%26rsquo;s trove of archaeological finds from the early Scythian and Sarmatian civilizations; carved French and Italian cameos and pearl pendants collected by Catherine the Great, who was known for her fondness for cameos; over-the-top trappings of the 15th-century royal court, from horse harnesses to armor and utensils; and whimsical miniatures of the imperial regalia (shown), which helped Carl Faberg%26eacute; capture first prize among the jewelers in the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. %26ldquo;The Hermitage: Treasures from the Winter Palace,%26rdquo; May 20 %26ndash; November 27, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science; tickets 713.639.4629 or hmns.org.

Image: Faberg%26eacute;%26rsquo;s Miniatures of the Imperial Coronation Regalia, St. Petersburg, 1899 %26ndash;1900, by work-masters Julius Rappoport and August Hollming. Photo courtesy HMNS.

Moroccan Modernism Afoot

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:41:08 GMT

They are busy as bees over at Carol Piper Rugs, curating quarterly rug shows. Up now is a geographical theme: Moroccan Modernism %26mdash; specifically. wildly colorful Moroccan rugs. In the works are themes revolving around technique, color and time period. Pictured: Vintage Moroccan rug, 5%26rsquo;2%26rdquo; x 7%26rsquo;6%26rdquo;, woven in the 1930s %26ndash; 1940s. $3,600, at Carol Piper Rugs.

Image: Ryan Reitmeyer and Carol Piper. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Knock on Wood

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:11:12 GMT

Look splintery? Like wood? This sofa may look like a primitive piece carved from rough-hewn pine, but look closer, and you%26rsquo;ll see that it%26rsquo;s really a silk-smooth textile with a photorealistic wood print covering a comfortable volume of polyurethane. The Soft Wood sofa by Swedish design team Front is made of stress-resistant polyurethane foam on a hardwood frame. The cover is inkjet-printed on Kvadrat fabric. $7,380, at Kuhl-Linscomb.

Pompeii or Bust at MFAH

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:09:59 GMT

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, looks across the pond to collaborate with one of the world’s most illustrious institutions, the Musée du Louvre, Paris, for a jewel-box presentation: “Antiquity Revived: Neoclassical Art in the Eighteenth Century.” The aesthetic pull of Neoclassicism transverses centuries to influence today’s architecture, home design and furnishings, fashion and, natch, art. See where the style began via 150 paintings, sculpture, drawings and decorative objets,%26nbsp;all inspired by lust for the Greco and Roman eras, and sparked by late-18th-century digs in Pompeii and Herculaneum. The Neoclassical treasures travel here from museum coffers worldwide: the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the British Museum and our own MFAH, including Rienzi and Bayou Bend. Through May 30; 713.639.7300; mfah.org.

Image: English Pier Table, 1770 or later. Photo courtesy MFAH, Rienzi Collection.

Rice Design Alliance Home Tour

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:08:54 GMT

Rice Design Alliance%26rsquo;s Home Tour, media sponsor PaperCity, is a spring tradition for acolytes of enlightened architecture. Set for Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, the trek salutes six inspiring residences designed by architects from outside Houston. %26ldquo;Houses of Import%26rdquo; includes The Handmade House developed by Carol Isaak Barden (who tapped Seattle-based Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen), as well as Nashville%26rsquo;s Price Harrison %26amp; Associates and Atlanta%26rsquo;s W. Jude LeBlanc. Info ricedesignalliance.org.

Image: The Handmade House (1916 Banks Street). Photo by Don Glentzer.

Pillow Talk

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:43:22 GMT

Elaine Turner sure loves the color pink. And she%26rsquo;s betting her new pillow design %26mdash; crafted from the same bright-pink crown-printed fabric that cloaks the interior of her handbags %26mdash; will look fetching in the bedroom of any pink-thinking person. When you purchase one of these limited-edition pillows, Turner will gift another to a hospitalized child as part of the Dec My Room charity, which personalizes and decorates the bedrooms of children hospitalized with long-term illnesses. The $75 pillow even comes with a $50 Elaine Turner gift card slipped into the front pocket. Available this month only, exclusively at the new Elaine Turner in CityCentre.

Village Theater

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:14:59 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Brian Twomey; manager Justin Beam.
Showing Off: Move over, Marlene Dietrich! When it came to the full-on remodel of Highland Park Village%26rsquo;s venerable Village Theater, we expected nothing less than red-carpet glam %26mdash; think rich cherrywood walls, pearly Turkish marble floors, custom-designed carpet from London, and a collection of Art Deco artwork sourced from France %26mdash; and we got it. This is Highland Park, after all. At the hand of owner and developer Brian Twomey, the Village Theater revamp was all about restoring its luxe 1935 roots. He wanted it to feel %26ldquo;like a grand dame of movie palaces again,%26rdquo; and his mission was accomplished. Twomey paid such close attention to the theater%26rsquo;s historic context that he even commissioned a hand-painted, underwater seascape mural on the theater%26rsquo;s grand staircase replicating the original. Grand it all is, but with a markedly modern vibe. Just one of the perks? Adjacent to the concession stand is a more grown-up spot to whet your appetite. Two red-velvet curtains part to reveal the bar and lounge, furnished with a sleek bar fully stocked with an Illy espresso machine, Stella Artois brews and fine wines. But the real reason you bought your ticket is to see a show, whether in one of the two remodeled theaters, or in one of the two new private screening rooms %26mdash; they%26rsquo;re reservation-only and propped with gorgeous chocolate-brown sofas and chairs from which to watch The Thin Man, big sports games or the latest from Hollywood. As theaters go, this is a blockbuster, indeed. 32 Highland Park Village, 214.443.0222.

Image: A private screening room at Village Theater. Photo by Stephen Dux.

Design Buzz

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:58:10 GMT

%26bull; We%26rsquo;ve heard rumbles that Cincinnati%26rsquo;s famous Rookwood Pottery %26mdash; matte-glazed tiles, vases and architectural bits, all with Nouveau leanings %26mdash; is about to roar back. Forty years dormant, Rookwood is being reestablished thanks to glaze and clay recipes and 2,000 molds having been procured from the original concern, founded in 1880. Museums and collectors go gaga for anything Rookwood: A record-setting vase fetched $350,750 in 2004. Kilns should be firing up as we type; Dallas showroom representation is imminent. In the meantime? Do your history homework at rookwood.com.

%26bull; Buddies Breck Woolsey (he concocted Park%26rsquo;s mid-century jumble) and Charles Taylor (he co-founded Mixture, a force of modern furniture in San Diego) pair for Breckinridge Taylor, a collection of tables, credenzas and desks being stirred into Mecox. Think Lucite and burled woods, each stunner made by hand right here in town. On the materials list for future pieces? Goatskin, parchment, even shagreen.

%26bull; Haven alum John Bassignani has turned up in McKinney, where%26rsquo;s he%26rsquo;s on the masthead at Gray Living, opening mid-month, from founder Randal Weeks of Aidan Gray Home. Just some of the lines being unboxed at the 4,500-square-foot, two-story shop? Matteo, BoBo Intriguing Objects, Noir/CFC, Natural Curiosities, Lafco New York, Santa Maria Novella, Christian Tortu, Royal Apothic and, of course, Aidan Gray. Your sneak peek is at grayliving.com.

Image: Offerings from Aidan Gray.

Design Buzz

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:41:07 GMT

Big things are happening in the world of home design this month: Antiquarians Fred and Josie Nevill open Antiques of River Oaks Tuesday, March 1, at 3461 West Alabama at Marquart Street %26mdash; a 9,000-square-foot collection of 30 of the top antiques dealers from this city and beyond, all under one roof. David Lackey and Russell Prince have signed on, opening a second David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art (they will keep a small booth at the Antique Pavilion) in early April, chockablock with pedigreed specimens, top-notch mid-century modern and their signature odd and unusual decoratives. The Web site should be up and running around April 1, too; hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm %26hellip; Hien Lam Upholstery and Furniture, a favorite of our designer friends and one of PaperCity%26rsquo;s Secret Sources for exquisite upholstery and custom furniture, will open a new concept in the former Nicoletti%26rsquo;s House of Fine Lamps at 2032 West Alabama in mid-April. Hien Lam Home, operated by Hien Lam%26rsquo;s son Patrick Lam, is a 20,000-square-foot two-story home emporium for upholstered custom furniture, tables, seating, case goods, art, candles, accessories and more, from such names as Modern History, Somerset Bay, Gabby Home, Palu, Regina Andrew, Made Goods, Bliss Studio and Eloquence, with upholstered pieces made by Hien Lam Upholstery (which continues to operate at the 819 West Drew location). Go to hienlamhome.com for more info %26hellip; Make plans now to be at the Dallas Art Fair (Friday through Sunday, April 8 through 10), with the gala preview-night party on Thursday, April 7. This crisply curated art showing has a new design component, with intriguing dealers and contemporary and vintage examples of design classics. Lectures, tours and book signings bring even more buzz to the 2011 Fair. What%26rsquo;s the best way to see it? Get a VIP Patron Pass for the Fair and all the surrounding events. Patron Pass $300; contact Tracy Moberley, 214.220.1278 or dallasartfair.com. See page 40 for more details %26hellip; We%26rsquo;ve heard rumbles that Cincinnati%26rsquo;s famous Rookwood Pottery %26mdash; matte-glazed tiles, vases and architectural bits, all with Nouveau leanings %26mdash; is about to roar back. Forty years dormant, Rookwood is being reestablished thanks to glaze and clay recipes and 2,000 molds having been procured from the original concern, founded in 1880. Museums and collectors go gaga for anything Rookwood: A record-setting vase fetched more than $350,000 in 2004. Kilns should be firing up as we type; showroom representation is imminent. In the meantime? Do your history homework at rookwood.com %26hellip; Charles Ray %26amp; Associates has moved its custom-upholstery showroom to The Houston Design Center (7026 Old Katy Road)%26nbsp; in a 5,000-square-foot to-the-trade space with 10,000 fabric choices from leading fabric houses %26hellip; ST Residential (Starwood Capital and W Hotels) has purchased Mosaic, the 29-story, two-tower luxury high-rise in Hermann Park and given it a makeover by Kemper Hyers, head of design for Starwood Capital. New lobbies, model homes and an updated social lounge are among the property%26rsquo;s new developments.

Wright Angles

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:47:51 GMT

Our fashion feature this month was photographed in the back rooms of Frank Lloyd Wright%26rsquo;s amazing, angular Kalita Humphreys Theater and its next-door rehearsal space, by Dallas architect Art Rogers. The last completed building Wright designed, the Humphreys is a rather simple four-story %26ldquo;drum%26rdquo; piercing an array of shifted horizontal planes. Partly nestled into a limestone bluff, and partly cantilevered over wooded terrain along Turtle Creek Boulevard, the exuberant little theater is Exhibit Z in Wright%26rsquo;s argument that a building and its site should feel inextricably melded. Mission accomplished %26mdash; and today, you can thrill to Wright%26rsquo;s architectural art while immersing in the performing arts: The Humphreys has been linked to the Dallas Theater Center since 1959 and counting. (On the playbill now? Arsenic and Old Lace with Betty Buckley and Tovah Feldshuh, through March 13. Tickets and information 214.880.0202; dallastheatercenter.org.)

Image: Frank Lloyd Wright%26rsquo;s Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas, circa 1960s.

Rugs You’ll Never Roll Up

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:55:42 GMT

They%26rsquo;ve been flooring an A-list clientele (and the occasional royal) since 1905. Now it%26rsquo;s our turn. J.H. Minassian %26amp; Co., Los Angeles purveyors of fine carpets, comes to its second city ever, by way of the Dallas Design Center. The 4,000-square-foot space feels like an art gallery because it is: a sleek showcase of intricate rugs, from antique Sultanabads and Samarkands to color-blocked modern carpets that read more like Helen Frakenthalers than floor coverings. There are design and repair services, too, everything from custom carpets to a little reweaving on Grandmother%26rsquo;s fine old Moroccan. (You know, the one she dragged from Portofino to Highland Park and back again.) 1250 Slocum St., Suite 749, 214.651.6000; jhminassian.com.

Where Even the Superlatives Are Chic

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:56:51 GMT

Do you shiver at the words %26ldquo;in production for a very short time?%26rdquo; How about %26ldquo;Osvaldo Borsani,%26rdquo; %26ldquo;Lawrence Laske%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;James Mont.%26rdquo; Try this: %26ldquo;This fixture was a custom made piece for one of those Fortnights.%26rdquo; You%26rsquo;ll hear and see it all at 20cDesign, the new brick-and-mortar adventure from Ryan Rucker and Barry Gream, two gents who have been quietly selling pedigreed modern pieces via word of mouth and on 1stdibs.com. Their wares have come out of hiding %26mdash;%26nbsp;and how. In a repurposed warehouse across from the Dallas Contemporary, Rucker and Gream have curated their own art show: stellar modern furniture and accessories, most with provenance, and all with edgy %26eacute;lan. The specialty here is the rare and the unusual, from pairs of lamps for your inner Auntie Mame to lounge chairs and sofas that would fit right in at an evil mastermind%26rsquo;s penthouse. Our kind of place. 1430 N. Riverfront Blvd., 214.939.1430; 20cdesign.com.

Image: Photo by George Fiala.

Bright Idea

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:37:01 GMT

The incandescent lightbulb is being phased out, yet designers and architects agree that a suitable alternative hasn%26rsquo;t been created. Current LED bulbs cast light in only one direction %26mdash; and don%26rsquo;t even get us started on those CFL spirals. General Electric has come to our aesthetic rescue with a bulb that is not only shaped like a bulb, but provides a soft white light equivalent to that of a 40-watt incandescent (with higher-wattage models in development). GE notes that if every household replaced just one regular 40-watt bulb with one of these, it would prevent 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year and save almost $400 million in annual energy costs. And one of these babies will light a lamp for the next 22.8 years. At $50 a pop, you%26rsquo;ll want to pack those bulbs when you move. GE Energy Smart LED bulb $50, at stores where specialty lightbulbs are sold, and gelighting.com/na/energysmartLED.

Image: GE%26rsquo;s Energy Smart LED bulb. The exterior fins help dissipate heat.

DJ Lucy Wrubel: Flavor of the Month

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:18:10 GMT

When it comes to Lucy Wrubel, we can%26rsquo;t get enough. She spins the coolest party tunes at the coolest to-dos, while wearing the coolest outfits. And while we may see her on the town more than we see our significant others, we%26rsquo;re thrilled to be seeing %26mdash; make that hearing %26mdash; more from her as she launches DJ Lucy Wrubel%26rsquo;s Mix of the Month. Just think: A monthly 80-minute playlist curated by Wrubel herself, ranging from the perfect Sunday-afternoon soundtrack to decadent dance-party jams. How it works? Pay a visit to mixofthemonth.biz no later than February 1, drop La Wrubel your e-mail and snail-mail addresses, pay a yearly membership tariff and wait for your Wrubel-esque playlist to arrive. Via your inbox, you%26rsquo;ll receive instructions for downloading each month%26rsquo;s musical treat, waiting for you at iTunes, where you%26rsquo;ll purchase and download said mix. As for your snail-mail box, each month the postman will deliver a special-edition mailer ranging from custom CD cover art to bonus playlists, to Wrubel%26rsquo;s handwritten liner notes. %26ldquo;Welcome to the club%26rdquo; has never sounded better.

Hot off the Press

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:04:23 GMT

Houston (and New Orleans and Manhattan) girl Jacqueline Kotts has purchased (and saved) the iconic social paper supplier Mrs. John L Strong stationery, temple of all things correct, including the historical dies and the history-filled Madison Avenue shop. In 1929 during the crash, Mrs. Strong%26rsquo;s husband was unfortunately a banker %26mdash; thus ,she had to find work. She opened shop and began selling her social papers as Mrs. John L. Strong in the space where Tiffany %26amp; Co. is presently located; next door was her sister%26rsquo;s trousseau shop. Supplier to the wealthy, Mrs. John L. Strong has engraved invitations and writing papers for seven presidents, Anna Wintour, Tom Cruise, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor %26hellip; Every possible name is tucked away in the drawers in this shop. Even Bruce Weber. In the works is a jewel-box-size shop on ground level at 699 Madison for ready-to-write-goods, while bespoke clients will still venture to the historical fifth floor. So how did Kotts end up with an 80-year-old-company? She received her first box of MJLS cards %26mdash;%26nbsp;with a purple dragonfly %26mdash; when she was 13, and she was fatally enamored. During law school in NYC, she called up the firm and asked to intern for six months. Post-grad school, she read in the Times that this venerable firm was filing bankruptcy. She went to the auction with her accountant, and she just kept raising her hand until she got the company. Well done, Jacqueline!

Potted

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:02:47 GMT

We love these vintage terra-cotta French pots with just the right amount of fungal hyphae. $10 each, at Found.

Image: Photo by Kennon Evett.

Design Buzz

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:13:51 GMT

Liz Spradling has unveiled her eponymous antique store (formerly housed in a significant booth within MAI %26ndash; Memorial Antiques and Interiors) at 2422 Bartlett, next to Found. LS specializes in 18th- and 19th-century European antiques %26hellip; Owner Paul Reeves and son Matthew of Reeves Antiques in the Montrose have added a mid-century-modern section to their storefront. Forage here for great finds, some with simply good bones and others with recognizable names such as Knoll Studio %26hellip; News from Decorative Center Houston: David Sutherland Showroom, always on the hunt for great new talent, has brought in Reagan Hayes%26rsquo; new line of youthful, yet elegant seating. Meanwhile, have you wondered what happened to Dorian Bahr? The showroom, under new ownership (Courtney Irwin), is now called Courtney %26amp; Company. It still features Dorian Bahr textiles, as well as Marjorie Skouras, Dogwood Fabrics, Bailey %26amp; Griffin, Kathryn Ireland and more. Also new at the Dec Center is Designed Light by FSG (Suite 3024), a residential lighting studio known for highlighting a home%26rsquo;s architectural details and creating layers of light to enhance finishes. Duralee/Highland Court is now the exclusive U.S. distributor of Clarke %26amp; Clarke fabric and wall coverings. This British atelier%26rsquo;s hallmark is contemporary bold prints and styles with a dash of unexpected color. And in other showroom news, Fabricut now carries Stroheim. It seems Fabricut%26rsquo;s parent company (which also owns fabric names S. Harris, Vervain, Trend and Fabricut Contract) has acquired the line, which boasts a 145-year history with fabrics, wall coverings and trimmings.

God is in the Details

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:00:07 GMT

This book toys with all things bookmaking: It%26rsquo;s signed and numbered, slipcovered, with raised bands on the spine, six gatefolds, ribbon markers, gilded book edges, letterpress elements and illustrated illuminations. In a replica of a leather-bound bible, the astounding The Book of Job by Studio Job (Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel, Rizzoli) is a tour de force in design and printing. It%26rsquo;s also the first monograph of the works of this witty, eccentric design house, based in Belgium. Flip the book, and it%26rsquo;s Book of Job with Biblical fonts and illustrated illuminations. Filled with gatefold tableaux designed by the design duo and created using special dies, this is a highly collectible and rarified book. $150,%26nbsp; to order at Curate bookshop at Tootsies (curatebooks.com) and other bookstores.

Liquor Caddy Chic

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:56:39 GMT

J%26rsquo;adore this French 19th-century tantalus set of burled wood with bronze boulle work, which houses four gold-ornamented crystal decanters and petite glasses. $8,500 at Charlotte Nail Antiques.

One Man’s Flea is Another Man’s Treasure

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:55:03 GMT

The spectacular flea markets of Paris%26rsquo; St. Ouen are more like curated galleries than temporary stalls. The legendary creative types of our time are drawn to their spectacular mix of objets, curiosities, furniture and books, in search of treasures and inspiration. In the lavish book Antiquaires: Flea Markets of Paris (Assouline), author Laura Verchere and photographer Laziz Hamani gathered the most engaging. $65, in stock at Curate bookshop at Tootsies (curatebooks.com) and other bookstores.

Light Up

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:53:20 GMT

They may look like flickering flame candles, but these pillars are powered by LED lights via remote control. We envision them down a banquet table on the lanai, tucked inside these metal lanterns. Just click the control to dim or turn off. LED lights $18 to $58, lantern $55, at Longoria Collection.

Image: Kennon Evett.

The Divine Cecil

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:50:43 GMT

We so love Cecil Beaton. And here, for the first time, Assouline has published his iconic scrapbooking visual diaries: Cecil Beaton: The Art of the Scrapbook, 400 pages of the most surreal party! Slipcased and guaranteed to be collectible. $250, to order at Curate bookshop at Tootsies (curatebooks.com) and other bookstores.

Design Dazzle: Report from Miami

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:15:38 GMT

Art Basel Miami Beach continued to impress with blue-chip modern and contemporary %26mdash; it%26rsquo;s rather like shopping at a museum if you have an AmEx black card or can write checks with six or seven digits. The freshest aspect from our recent fair-week sojourn in Florida, however, was Design Miami. For the first time since the global design convergence%26rsquo;s Miami debut six years ago, it moved from the city%26rsquo;s off-the-path Design District to South Beach, footsteps from the main action at the Convention Center. Under a white big top christened the Temporary Structure (a creation by New York architecture/industrial design studio Moorhead %26amp; Moorhead), Design Miami featured an interior by Manhattan architects Aranda/Lasch that reconfigured the predictable trade-show booths in favor of a more ample, free-flowing floor plan. In the alfresco entranceway courtyard, Munich-based master Konstantin Grcic (Designer of the Year) devised Netscape, which invited viewers to take suspended seats, arranged in clusters of four, and swing like kids in a playground. Once inside, fair-goers were greeted by a relaxing green fragrance that suggested a cross between crushed cucumbers and what you would imagine promenades of palm trees might smell like. This signature fragrance %26mdash; the bespoke scent 12.29, designed by Dutch master Krijn de Koning %26mdash; wafted throughout the public plazas of Design Miami. We were also won over by a well-edited selection of international design dealers, from Manhattan denizen Barry Friedman Ltd. to Gallery Seomi from Seoul. But our favorite object was not a table, bed or chair, but a limited-edition lighting fixture that doubled as a sculpture by Dutch collective Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta. Fragile Future 3.10, a cubistic offering from London%26rsquo;s Carpenters Workshop Gallery, was fashioned from bronze, LED lights, Plexiglas and, perhaps most surprising of all, real dandelion puffs. Emitting a conceptual environmental statement via its delicate natural materials, it was a moment of magic in the wild mayhem of Miami Beach%26rsquo;s fabulous fair frenzy.

Image: Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta%26rsquo;s Fragile Future 3.10, 2010, at Carpenters Workshop Gallery. Photo courtesy Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London .

And The 2010 Design Excellence Winners Are...

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:56:22 GMT

The 2010 Design Excellence Awards, sponsored by Decorative Center Houston and PaperCity magazine, were recently announced at Decorative Center Houston. Our illustrious judging panel included Ty Burks and Christopher Ridolfi of William-Christopher Design, John Bobbitt of Bobbitt %26amp; Company and PaperCity editor Rob Brinkley, all in Dallas. Watch for the winning projects to be featured in the February 2011 issue of PaperCity. The winners are %26hellip;

Residential Interior Design
First Place: Tokerud %26amp; Co., Maryls Tokerud
Second Place: Courtney Hill Interiors, Courtney Hill Fertitta
Third Place: Courtney Hill Interiors, Courtney Hill Fertitta

Residential interior Architecture
First Place: Enter Architecture, Karen Lantz
Second Place: L. Barry Davidson Architects AIA Incorporated%26nbsp;
Third Place: L. Barry Davidson Architects AIA Incorporated

Residential Single Space
First Place: Interior Adaptations, Diane Alexander, Lauren Kass, Lauren Amber Prestenbach
Second Place: Chandos Interiors, Chandos Dodson
Third Place: Ken Kehoe %26amp; Company, Ken Kehoe

Preservation
First Place: Studio RED Architects for Brennan%26rsquo;s Restaurant Renovation
Second Place: Galveston Historical Foundation, Brian Davis %26amp; Matthew Pelz, for Green Revival House
Third Place: Stern and Bucek Architects for Sengelmann Hall

Retail
First Place: Rottet Studio for Artis Capital
Second Place: Gensler for Wulfe %26amp; Co.
Third Place: Studio Lifestyle, Ketan Kapasi, for Chrysalis Spa

Image: Rottet Studio for Artis Capital.

Out of Area

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:48:39 GMT

One of the city%26rsquo;s chicest home shops has more room to spread out. Area on Kirby Drive recently expanded into the 1,500-square-foot space next door %26mdash; which means a grand total of 5,000 square feet of covetable furnishings and accessories. %26ldquo;We get new pieces in daily,%26rdquo; says store director Daniel Cuellar who, along with Area owner Don Connelly, travels east and west and to Europe to procure Area%26rsquo;s ever-changing inventory, which also includes antiques and vintage pieces from the Continent. %26ldquo;Chances are, if you come in every couple of weeks, the place will look completely different,%26rdquo; says Cuellar. Also new to the store is a floor-to-ceiling wall with provenance: A farm neighbor gifted Area owner and decorator Connelly with the wide-planked, reclaimed wood from an old barn in Flatonia, and here it provides warmth and texture to the crisp interior. Area has always drawn designers and the style-minded seeking the perfect objet. Just imagine the magnetism now. 5600 Kirby Dr., 713.668.1668.

Image: Daniel Cuellar and Don Connelly. Photo Jenny Antill.

McQueen for the Manse

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:00:49 GMT

The pure genius of late fashion designer Alexander McQueen extended, it seems, off the shoulder, down the thigh and right onto the floor. Feathers all over a cashmere floor covering? Smiling skulls beaming up from a silk-and-wool carpet? Indeed %26mdash; plus a pillow sporting hummingbirds who flap their wings so fast that the little fellows are sending up trails of smoke. Mr. McQueen%26rsquo;s chicly sinister collection for The Rug Company took three years to pull off (it took a lot of time to get the goods truly couture-worthy), but the change it will make to your own environs will be rather instant. To the trade through therugcompany.info.

Image: Alexander McWings: McQueen%26rsquo;s furiously flapping hummingbirds for The Rug Company.

Pssst: The Season’s Hottest Collaboration

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:59:12 GMT

It%26rsquo;s a bit like the lighter fluid meeting the match. Houston%26rsquo;s super-sleek Jawda sisters (Saba the architect, Sarah the graphic designer) are joining forces with flamboyant Dallas decorator Michelle Nussbaumer (she the proprietress of design showroom Ceylon et Cie) for a line of painfully chic, dual-personality furniture. Just think: Straight-lined chairs and sofas that channel Zaha Hadid in their severe angularity, raised on legs of wood or steel, then revved up with Nussbaumer%26rsquo;s wildly graphic cottons and ikats, designed by the world-traveling woman herself %26mdash; and that look like something in which Tony Duquette would%26rsquo;ve festooned an ashram. We can%26rsquo;t wait: A chair debuts this spring, followed by sofas, tables and ottomans. Don%26rsquo;t touch that (terribly well-designed) dial. jawdaandjawda.com, ceylonetcie.com.

Image: A yin for your yang: Jawda %26amp; Jawda Design + Ceylon et Cie. Photo Jawda %26amp; Jawda Design.

Dallas Art Fair Does Design

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:56:23 GMT

Design continues to infiltrate the contemporary art scene, and one need look no further than the Dallas Art Fair %26mdash;%26nbsp;coming this April %26mdash; for examples of its role front and center. For the first time, the Fair will have a designated area for design. Returning to the Fair are San Francisco%26ndash;based haute furnishings mecca Hedge Gallery, with its global focus and litany of historic-and-now accessories, ceramics, seating, mirrors and lighting, including editioned works by talents from French master Arik Levy, whose faceted objects resemble oversized gemstones, to the wit, whimsy and stuffed-animal wizardry of Brazil%26rsquo;s Campana Brothers. New this year %26mdash; and one of the must-stop stands heralding year three of the Fair at Fashion Industry Gallery in the Dallas Arts District %26mdash; is Dallas-based Collage 20th Century Classics, taking up court in the design section, where it will join additional dealers still being confirmed at press time. Owned and directed by savvy couple Abby and Wlodek Malowanczyk, this celebrated modernist proponent will tap international artist Richard Patterson to craft a custom installation within their booth, as Patterson concurrently prepares for his upcoming show at London power broker Timothy Taylor Gallery. No surprise that Rice Design Alliance and Dallas Architecture Forum are among the groups that have signed up to check out the action come April. Dallas Art Fair 2011, Friday through%26nbsp;Sunday, April 8 through 10; Preview Gala, Thursday, April 7; dallasartfair.com.

Image: Campana Brothers%26rsquo; Cake Stool, 2008, at Hedge Gallery, San Francisco, exhibiting at the Dallas Art Fair 2011. Photo courtesy Hedge Gallery, San Francisco.

Where ‘Sale’ Means Sophisticated

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:55:18 GMT

Saarinen on special? Mies marked down? If that doesn%26rsquo;t send a shiver, then we%26rsquo;re reaching for the defibrillator. After you%26rsquo;ve come to, meet us at Collage 20th Century Classics, where a rare sale is happening on the shop%26rsquo;s hyper-chic pieces. Just think: From 20 to 50 percent off on T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, George Nelson, Hans Wegner, et al. But it%26rsquo;s not just the icons who are sporting sale tags: This is your chance to score under-the-radar pieces by Gideon Kramer, Barringer %26amp; Muller, even Pierre Cardin, whose angular 1970s burled-elm dining table (signed, and with a coordinating buffet available) is just thing upon which to faint, once you see how much you%26rsquo;re saving. Winter sale through January 31, at 1300 N. Riverfront Blvd., 214.828.9888; collageclassics.com (don%26rsquo;t miss the %26ldquo;Sale%26rdquo; tab).

Image: Saarinen (and cronies!) on sale at Collage

Where ‘Sale’ Means Chic

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:54:25 GMT

You already have an AmEx bill riddled with %26ldquo;Wisteria.com.%26rdquo; You may even have a Wisteria addiction. (We recognize the signs among the townspeople: the glazed look; the hoarding of cement statuary; the prattling on about trestle tables, French Colonial chairs and Moorish chests.) This may propel so many moths to the flame, but now there is brick-and-mortar gratification where there once was only a catalog and a Web site. Flitter to 6500 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 100, where you will discover the new Wisteria Outlet, 20,000 square feet of goods from the Dallas-based company, presented in elegant vignettes, from fetching sofas to shell wreaths to plump pillows to garden seating. What%26rsquo;s more, a fair amount of the goods never, ever appeared on Wisteria%26rsquo;s Web site or in its famous catalogs %26mdash; meaning you diehard moths can fly directly to those dhurrie rugs and sparkling mirrors without thumbing or clicking a thing. Wisteria Outlet, 6500 Cedar Springs Road (closed Sundays), 214.350.3115; wisteriaoutlet.com.

Feeling Blue, in a Good Way

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:50:18 GMT

Five friends. European road trips. A decorating addiction. A business idea. That, in a nutshell, is the story of Blue Print, a terribly charming design shop that now inhabits the terribly charming old house at 2707 Fairmount Street, once the jam-packed Uncommon Market. Inside, fresh white paint was thrown everywhere and grass matting was unfurled %26mdash; and on it you%26rsquo;ll find the pals%26rsquo; carted-home collection of berg%26egrave;res, secretaries, garden stools, settees and small decoratives, everything from chuckling Buddhas to little wooden treasure boxes. The interpretation of the wares is as fresh as the paint, by way of clever colors (a pair of French armchairs slicked in robin%26rsquo;s-egg blue, for example) and coolly regarded juxtapositions (a contemporary abstract oil dangling over an Art Deco chest). The house itself is a star here, too, with marble fireplaces and a Hollywood-glam grand staircase that Joan Crawford would%26rsquo;ve worked for all its worth. Blue Print, 2707 Fairmount St., 214.954.9511; blueprintstore.com.

Image: Ira Montgomery, iramontgomery.com.

Smink %26 Molteni %26 C

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:49:16 GMT

The inimitable sisters Smink know what%26rsquo;s good %26mdash; good design, good living, good cocktail parties %26mdash; which is why we trust their taste implicitly. And so should you. Get thee to 1019 Dragon Street, where the Sminks have stirred in the wares of Italian design house Molteni %26amp; C to their delicious mix of sophisticated furniture and accessories. Since 1934, Molteni has pushed and pulled wood and upholstery into some of the sleekest and most tactile shapes possible %26mdash; sofas, tables, chairs, casegoods %26mdash;%26nbsp;all with that heady Italian sensibility. (May we remind you that this is the country that brought us Ferraris, Sophia Loren and Giuseppe Verdi.) Molteni often enlists the services of tip-top architects, too (think Jean Nouvel, Arik Levy, Sir Norman Foster), which adds even more cut to that elegant edge. Molteni %26amp; C at Smink Modern Living, 1019 Dragon St., 214.350.0542; sminkinc.com.

Image: Patricia Urquiola%26rsquo;s Glove chair for Molteni %26amp; C, at Smink Modern Living

Divine Design Books for Gifting (or Keeping)

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:27:37 GMT

I love the word %26ldquo;tastemaker,%26rdquo; and Madeleine Castaing was one of the best. I happened upon her cubbyhole shop years ago on rue Jacob on the Left Bank, where this eccentric doyenne of the French decorating world sat in a corner in a tufted chair with her bows in her hair. In The World of Madeleine Castaing (by Emily Evans Eerdmans; Rizzoli, $65), you%26rsquo;ll revel in Leves, her extraordinary country house packed with her beloved leopard carpeting, opaline blue, black lacquer and neoclassical furnishings. She was earth-shattering and Proustian in the same breath.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Living Jewels: Masterpieces from Nature (by Ruth Peltason; The Vendome Press, $50) is a book after my coral-loving, shell-obsessed heart. The author assembled two centuries of%26nbsp; spectacular examples of jewels that showcase art in nature, utilizing coral, pearls, horn, amber and rare woods.

The Noel Coward Reader (edited by Barry Day, foreword by Cameron Mackintosh; Knopf, $39.95) has scenes from Coward%26rsquo;s plays and film screenplays, letters and diary entries. Most witty and bright, it%26rsquo;s%26nbsp;a wonderful hostess gift. Diane Dorrans Saeks

I look at Alfred Hitchcock and see Tippi Hedren %26mdash; thus is the power of his visceral imagery. In Hitchcock: Piece by Piece (by Laurent Bouzereau, foreword Patricia Hitchcock O%26rsquo;Connell; Abrams, $45), the mythic man%26rsquo;s%26nbsp; archives are unpacked letter by letter, including memos and other ephemera %26mdash; a time capsule of the private life and the director%26rsquo;s%26nbsp; life%26rsquo;s work. The 50th anniversary of Psycho looms, and the film has been released on Blu-ray with 5.1 surround sound. Get the book and film, and thrill with Janet Leigh at the Bates Motel.

Savile Row to a man is like the Paris couture to a woman. In Bespoke: The Men%26rsquo;s Style of Savile Row (by James Sherwood, foreword Tom Ford; Rizzoli, $65), the author takes us up and down the famed London Street and into the individual tailoring houses, each with its own following and specialties.

Lars Bolander%26rsquo;s spectacular shop in New York City is the tip of the iceberg of his Scandinavian vision. Clean elegant lines, washed colors and natural materials fill the rooms of the shop and the pages of Lars Bolander%26rsquo;s Scandinavian Design (by Heather Smith McIssac; The Vendome Press, $40).

Chic, chic, chic %26hellip; Those three words describe the enigmatic, hugely talented Mary McDonald %26mdash;%26nbsp;one %26ldquo;chic%26rdquo; for her interiors, one for her looks and a third for her charm. L.A.%26ndash;based McDonald%26rsquo;s wildly elegant projects mix bold patterns, extraordinary color, chinoiserie and Indian influences, and are showcased in Mary McDonald Interiors (Rizzoli, $55).

Allegra Hicks, daughter of the famed %26rsquo;70s London decorator David Hicks, comes by her vision and talent organically. In Allegra Hicks: An Eye for Design (Abrams, $40), the textile, fashion and lifestyle designer retraces the genesis of her patterns over the past decades of work. A great progenitor of boho chic.

Decorator Victoria Hagan%26rsquo;s 20 years of seamless style fill the pages of Victoria Hagan: Interior Portraits (by Marianne Hagan; Rizzoli, $50).

Andr%26eacute;e Putman, the great dame of modernist decorating, became known to the style world when she designed the interior of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager%26rsquo;s Morgans hotel in New York City in the %26rsquo;80s. She%26rsquo;s since gone on to design Karl Lagerfeld%26rsquo;s art gallery, the French Ministry of Culture, the interior of the%26nbsp; supersonic Concorde and, lucky for us,%26nbsp; Marguerite and Robert Hoffman%26rsquo;s private art gallery in Dallas, The monograph Andr%26eacute;e Putman: Complete Works (by Donald Albrecht, preface Jean Nouvel; Rizzoli, $85) chronicles the best of her hundreds of stunning projects.

For the sheer poetic beauty of the photography, you should own Casa No Name by Deborah Turbeville (Rizzoli, $60). An iconic imagist of the %26rsquo;70s, Turbeville uses her own home in San Miguel as her canvas for painterly, moody, somewhat gothic photographs. Stunning. I don%26rsquo;t know whether to grab a retablo or a camera.

Oh, poor Isabella Blow. Such a great stylist and mentor and muse. In Isabella Blow (by Martina Rink; Thames %26amp; Hudson, $50), the tragic fashion figure is chronicled and celebrated by her former assistant.

If you were going to have an authorized biography, you could do no better than to have it authored by The New York Times writer Wendy Goodman, with foreword by your own son %26mdash; in this case, CNN%26rsquo;s Anderson Cooper. The first authorized biography of legendary Gloria Vanderbilt, The World of Gloria Vanderbilt (Abrams, $40), offers up Vanderbilt%26rsquo;s life in delicious slices, from her early days growing up Vanderbilt through her marriages and creative%26nbsp; reimaginings of model, muse, artist and designer.

The cult book of the moment, Monster in River Oaks (by Michael Phillips; SpindleTop Publishing, $21.95), is flying off the shelves at River Oaks Bookstore. Let me excerpt the prologue: %26ldquo;A story of a predatory monster that set out to control and then dominate a famous Houston family, a family whose grandfather founded a company that would become Exxon. It is a story of child abuse, pedophilia, squandered fortunes, covered-up homosexual affairs, generous charitable donations, misguided parents, and desperate children%26rdquo; %26hellip; all at 2933 Del Monte Drive. Nuff said.

Who doesn%26rsquo;t want to know how to tie an Herm%26egrave;s scarf 60 ways. In The Herm%26egrave;s Scarf: History %26amp; Mystique (by Nadine Coleno; Thames %26amp; Hudson, $95), you%26rsquo;ll read the story behind a selection of the 2,000 designs produced since 1937. A gorgeous book.

Books available at Curate pop-up book boutique in Tootsies Highland Village and other bookstores.

Designs for the Kuhl Kids

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:27:46 GMT

Design-minded moms and moms-to-be will love Kuhl- Linscomb%26rsquo;s expanded offerings for trendy tykes. Located in showrooms 1 and 2, in a separate building near the bath section and linens, the new area occupies 2,700 square feet. Owners Pam Kuhl Linscomb and Dan Linscomb have stocked up with stylish children%26rsquo;s furniture by Netto Collection, Ouef, Dwell and Kartell, as well as for linens by John Robshaw, Dwell, Serena %26amp; Lily, Coyuchi, Matteo and Belle Notte. Toys abound, including an expanded selection of quality educational play things and puzzles by Melissa %26amp; Doug. Also, shop a vast collection of books and baby clothes. And moms-to-be can sign up for the baby gift registry. 2424 W. Alabama, 713.526.6000; kuhl-linscomb.com.

Image: Cool kids Daria and Henry play in the new section of Kuhl-Linscomb. Photo by Jenny Antill.

C. Damien Fox Lighting Design Studio

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 02:53:25 GMT

While working on several interior design commissions, architect-in-training C. Damien Fox couldn%26rsquo;t find the kind of artful lighting his clients wanted. He began sourcing Murano glass vases, driftwood, mercury glass and other objects, then added Lucite bases, solid or nickel-plated brass sockets and hardware to create his own distinctive lighting pieces. For years his work was sold to the trade; now he%26rsquo;s gone retail, with lots of leeway to customize. Have a color in mind? A jewel-like finial? Entrust Fox with your vision, and you%26rsquo;ll never look at lighting the same way again. 2313 Brun St., 713.828.6925; cdamienfoxlamps.com.

Image: C. Damien Fox. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Boxwood Interiors

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:04:33 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Dennis Brackeen, Bret Duhon, Linda Chan and Mimi Wadsworth.

Stocked Goods: What opened as a pretty little home-decoratives shop (the operative word being %26ldquo;little%26rdquo;) in a center off Dunlavy and Alabama has expanded extravagantly. Boxwood Interiors%26rsquo; owners (the stockists who also run Foxglove Interiors, a stone%26rsquo;s throw away) make quite a design statement in their new digs. The inventory includes pillows in all manner of patterns and styles, with a seamstress on staff to craft nearly 100 varieties; classic lamp shades in linen, paper and silk; vintage and antique furnishings; plus custom case goods and upholstered pieces such as a Parsons-style end table covered with faux shagreen ($2,200). And the big news is that Boxwood Interiors is one of just two retailers in Texas to carry Farrow %26amp; Ball, the lauded line of English historic paints and wallpapers. Those with a keen eye will note that the color of the intricately carved front doors periodically changes to showcase a new F%26amp;B hue. (As we go to press, they%26rsquo;re #217 Rectory Red.) 3833 Dunlavy, 713.528.1501; boxwoodhouston.com.

Photo: Designer Dennis Brackeen with owners Linda Chan, Mimi Wadsworth (sitting) and Bret Duhon. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Dear Ferris Bueller … I Finally Understand

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:22:26 GMT

I am piloting a Ferrari that costs upwards of $200,000 %26#8212; but I don%26#8217;t have two quarters to rub together. And I need them fast, to get through a certain booth on the Dallas North Tollway. %26#8220;How much do I owe you?%26#8221; I yell out to the smiling gentleman waiting for me to produce some coins %26#8212; which do not present themselves anywhere on my person, nor in my wallet. %26#8220;Fifty cents!%26#8221; he yells back, %26#8220;and the keys to your car! What a beauuuuuuutiful machine!%26#8221; He just smiles and smiles and smiles %26#8212; then punches some secret button that sends the tollbooth gate flying up to let me through.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

This will be the first of many such capitulations in six beautiful hours in %26#8220;my%26#8221; hyper-beautiful new California convertible %26#8212;%26nbsp;yes, the direct descendant of the swoopy 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California piloted by one Mr. Ferris Bueller, who had a similar day off in 1986 that I%26#8217;m about to have in 2010. Ferris and me? Even the colors of our cars are identical, Ferrari%26#8217;s famous Rosso Corsa red. %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

So off I shoot in my Rosso Corsa California, retractable hardtop down, waving gratefully to the toll-booth man but resisting the urge to bellow out, %26#8220;Keep the change!%26#8221; (Bueller would%26#8217;ve, right?) My day begins to blur from there, thanks in part to the 460 Italian horses pulling me south down the Tollway, at a gallop so smooth and supple that it is literally hard to believe. Allow me to get some impressions out of the way:

%26nbsp;

%26#8226; This is the most confidence-inspiring car I have ever driven. The faster you go in the Ferrari California, the faster you want to go.

%26#8226; Why? It is absolutely stable at 100-plus miles per hour. (Note to the Dallas Police Department: Or so I%26#8217;ve been told.) There is zero vibration in the suspension or steering wheel. The tracking is glassy-smooth.

%26nbsp;

%26#8226; There is a delicious gurgle/burble/snort coming from the engine and exhaust at almost any speed. The 4.3-liter V8 powerplant seems to have a mind of its own when it comes to opening its valves and releasing its guttural little sounds %26#8212; but at speed, if you stomp on the throttle, things change: You unleash that famous Ferrari %26#8220;ripping-silk%26#8221; sound. There is nothing like it. Positively marvelous. I didn%26#8217;t turn on the stereo once in six hours.

%26#8226; That folding hardtop is a pretty miraculous feat of engineering, too. Half of the rear of the car hinges upward to swallow it, and the rump of the California kind of shakes and bounces as the top performs its origami tricks. (Maybe its excited to be taking its top off?) The show doesn%26#8217;t take long: The whole thing disappears in 14 seconds.

%26nbsp;

%26#8226; The interior smells like the best Birkin bag ever. The California is fully %26#8212; and I mean fully %26#8212; upholstered in hand-sewn leather. The A-pillars, the sliding covers for the sunvisor mirrors, even the seatbelt buckles are wrapped in the stuff.

%26#8226; I concur with Ferris: %26#8220;If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.%26#8221;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

But here%26#8217;s the thing about the California. Yes, it is packed with modern engineering. The seats%26#8217; inner backrest frames? Magnesium. The transmission? Seven speeds. The little button on the console that says %26#8220;Launch%26#8221;? I didn%26#8217;t dare. (Though maybe now we know how the garage attendants went flying in the Ferris Ferrari.) But none of it gets in the way of the soul of this car. You can%26#8217;t help but grin when you realize that this gorgeous, growling thing was dreamt up and built by passionate people. In fact, you become more and more proud of humanity the more time you spend in the cozy California. Mind you, this revelation comes from a Ferrari neophyte: I%26#8217;ve got a thing for German cars, not Italian, and I never really paid attention to Ferraris until now. It took only six surreal hours %26#8212; punctuated by waving kids, drop-jawed friends, horn honks, thumbs up, hoots, hollers and one very excitable drive-thru lady at a Taco Cabana %26#8212; to convert me to Ferrarism. There is somebody who might%26#8217;ve seen this coming: Enver Kaba, the very nice sales manager at Boardwalk Ferrari Plano, who loaned me the California for the day. He slid the car%26#8217;s bright-red key across his desk that beautiful morning. %26#8220;It would be good to have the car back by four,%26#8221; he said. %26#8220;But we close at five.%26#8221;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Thank you, Enver. Thank you, Italy. Thank you, all of humanity. I%26#8217;m yours.

%26nbsp;

Dear Ferris Bueller … I Finally Understand

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:21:09 GMT

I am piloting a Ferrari that costs upwards of $200,000 %26#8212; but I don%26#8217;t have two quarters to rub together. And I need them fast, to get through the tollbooth where I am halted. %26#8220;How much do I owe you?%26#8221; I yell out to the smiling gentleman waiting for me to produce some coins %26#8212; which do not present themselves anywhere on my person, nor in my wallet. %26#8220;Fifty cents!%26#8221; he yells back, %26#8220;and the keys to your car! What a beauuuuuuutiful machine!%26#8221; He just smiles and smiles and smiles %26#8212; then punches some secret button that sends the tollbooth gate flying up to let me through.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

So off I shoot in my Rosso Corsa California, retractable hardtop down, waving gratefully to the toll-booth man but resisting the urge to bellow out, %26#8220;Keep the change!%26#8221; (Bueller would%26#8217;ve, right?) My day begins to blur from there, thanks in part to the 460 Italian horses pulling me south down the freeway, at a gallop so smooth and supple that it is literally hard to believe. Allow me to get some impressions out of the way:

%26nbsp;

But here%26#8217;s the thing about the California. Yes, it is packed with modern engineering. The seats%26#8217; inner backrest frames? Magnesium. The transmission? Seven speeds. The little button on the console that says %26#8220;Launch%26#8221;? I didn%26#8217;t dare. (Though maybe now we know how the garage attendants went flying in the Ferris Ferrari.) But none of it gets in the way of the soul of this car. You can%26#8217;t help but grin when you realize that this gorgeous, growling thing was dreamt up and built by passionate people. In fact, you become more and more proud of humanity the more time you spend in the cozy California. Mind you, this revelation comes from a Ferrari neophyte: I%26#8217;ve got a thing for German cars, not Italian, and I never really paid attention to Ferraris until now. It took only six surreal hours %26#8212; punctuated by waving kids, drop-jawed friends, horn honks, thumbs up, hoots, hollers and one very excitable drive-thru lady at a Taco Cabana %26#8212; to convert me to Ferrarism. There is somebody who might%26#8217;ve seen this coming: Enver Kaba, the very nice sales manager at Boardwalk Ferrari, near Dallas, who loaned me the California for the day. He slid the car%26#8217;s bright-red key across his desk that beautiful morning. %26#8220;It would be good to have the car back by four,%26#8221; he said. %26#8220;But we close at five.%26#8221;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Thank you, Enver. Thank you, Italy. Thank you, all of humanity. I%26#8217;m yours.

Design Buzz

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:13:02 GMT

%26nbsp;Hear ye, hear ye:

%26#8226; Our own Rob Brinkley tells you where to go %26#8212;%26nbsp;in Houston, for once, in his latest feature for Elle Decor, where he is a regular contributor. Brinkley spins a tip-top travelogue of Houston%26#8217;s best shops and restaurants, and some lore about the city, too. Pick up the gorgeous November Elle Decor, then pack your valise.

%26#8226; Dallas designer and writer Betty Lou Phillips conquers French living, but with a twist. Her new book, French Impressions ($50, Gibbs Smith), is an illustrated crash between historical French style and les vies today. (How do you reconcile a love of berg%26#232;res and commodes with media rooms and master suites? Phillips%26#8217; photograph-laden book proffers some answers.)

%26#8226; Now this is our kind of pop-up shop. Antiques purveyor Highgate House loads the former Harold%26#8217;s space in Highland Park Village with all manner of art, accessories, mirrors and furniture %26#8212; heavy on the French and English %26#8212;%26nbsp;and sells it all in one chic flea. Hurry: It vanishes after November 13. Details at 214.537.0154 and highgatehouseonline.com.

POP. It’s a Shop.

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:05:46 GMT

Curate, a design bookshop by PaperCity, opens Wednesday, November 10, in Highland Village Shopping Center next to Sprinkles. The library of design books %26#8212; more than 500 titles %26#8212; is curated by PaperCity%26#8217;s editor in chief, Holly Moore. It%26#8217;s the best of home design, architecture and design books, both new and out-of-print %26#8212; from the magnificent new tomes The World of Madeleine Castaing and Billy Baldwin: The Great American Decorator to vintage sets of David Hicks and esoteric titles such as Entertaining With Betsy Bloomingdale and C.Z. Guest%26#8217;s 5 Seasons of Gardening. Open Thursday through Sunday until December 31. Sign up at papercitymag.com for e-mails about visiting design authors and book signings.

Santa Baby, Here's Our List

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:59:29 GMT

When the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book hits your mailbox, it%26#8217;s officially the holiday season. This year%26#8217;s 84th edition also marks the 50th anniversary of those famous %26#8220;His and Hers%26#8221; gifts. Always clever and immensely extravagant, this year%26#8217;s crop includes the MetroShip houseboat %26#8212; a mod 48-by-12-foot house on water with an open floor plan, seven-foot ceilings and translucent thermal aluminum walls ($250,000). Need a his, hers and theirs gift? Have your little ones unwrap Dylan Candy Bar%26#8217;s edible, life-size gingerbread playhouse, made with 381 pounds of gingerbread and 517 pounds of icing ($15,000). But the fantasy gift that keeps us off Santa%26#8217;s naughty list is Dale Chihuly%26#8217;s pool installation. Imagine having the renowned glass artist create a private commission for the bottom of your swimming pool. That%26#8217;s an excellent way to coax us into the deep end.

Image: Dale Chihuly pool installation

Paint By Numbers

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:54:42 GMT

Calling all anglophiles: You officially have a Houston stockist for Farrow %26amp; Ball, the English house paints famed for its heavily pigmented hues and depth of color, and evocative names like String, Skimming Stone, Book Room Red and Ointment Pink. Dennis Bracken, one of the four owners of Houston%26#8217;s Boxwood Interiors, tells us that they simply rang the lauded paint and paper maker and asked to carry the line in their newly expanded interiors shop. Boxwood now offers a slew of Farrow %26amp; Ball colors in gallons, quarts and even tiny test pots ($7 each). From a dead-flat finish to a gleaming high gloss, the all-green, VOC-free latex has 25 percent greater coverage than other paints. Best of all, if you need to order a shade Boxwood doesn%26#8217;t carry, shipments arrive weekly and include free shipping. As for Farrow %26amp; Ball%26#8217;s hand-printed papers, just place your order, and the lot is custom-made (never pulled from a warehouse) within two weeks. 3833 Dunlavy, 713.528.1501.

Carol Piper Redux, and Randy Twaddle, Too

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:51:23 GMT

Carol Piper now has quite a bit of room to stretch out: The effervescent redhead has doubled the size of her lauded West Gray showroom, Carol Piper Rugs, to house her ever-expanding line of broadloom and custom carpets, as well as the kind of stunning, one-of-a-kind rugs that designers snap up. After an exhaustive yearlong renovation by architect Stephanie Eugster and interior designer Pam Pierce, Piper celebrates with a grand reopening Tuesday, November 16, from 6 to 9 pm. The evening honors artist Randy Twaddle, who this month launches a collection of seven rugs, as well as a handmade tapestry he%26#8217;s designed exclusively for Carol Piper Rugs. It seems Twaddle, known for his large charcoal drawings, searched high and low for the perfect rug for his living room a couple of years back. Finally he approached the famed rug dealer about creating one of his very own. From one came seven, and a collaboration was born. 1809 W. Gray, 713.524.2442; carolpiperrugs.com.%26nbsp;

Image:%26nbsp; Randy Twaddle%26#8217;s %26nbsp;Transformer rug

Nest-ing Instincts — Bigger %26 Better

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:05:05 GMT

Pardon the bigger-in-Texas reference, but there%26#8217;s just no other way to put it: Everything is better in jumbo size. Exhibit A? The new Nest. The quaint shop in Snider Plaza has grown into a seriously chic destination in McKinney Avenue%26#8217;s mini design district, where its next-door neighbor is Design Within Reach, and where Forty Five Ten and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams are mere hops and skips away. Inside, behold 5,000 square feet lined with industrial shelves %26#8212; brimming with bowls, candles, frames and gifts %26#8212; all leading back to rear quarters propped with tables that are positively laden with books, everything from decorating to font design to status dogs. The new expanse allows Nest to show off clever vignettes of furniture, too, from sofas and chairs to dining and cocktail tables. All of Nest%26#8217;s staple wares are here %26#8212; pillows, throws, Jonathan Adler goodies, jewelry, Bell%26#8217;Invito stationery %26#8212; but it%26#8217;s all augmented by something new and equally fetching: Owner Heather Wiese-Alexander%26#8217;s glass-walled office in the back %26#8212; just the place for surveying her stylish (and rather big) new world. 4524 McKinney Ave., 214.373.4444; nestdallas.com; nestdallasdesign.com.

Laura Hunt Puts on the Ritz

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:03:57 GMT

As trinities go, this one is the Linda, Christy and Naomi of decorating. First we had Francophile Jan Showers and her ooh-la-la interpretation of the high life. Then, the exuberant Carleton Varney painted more than the town red %26#8212; he painted his condominium red, too. Now, the third and final Designer Showcase Home at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, is open for gawking. Decorator Laura Hunt %26#8212; she a darling of Architectural Digest and a fixture on their AD 100 list %26#8212; just snipped the ribbons on her fantasy abode, a tony two-bedroom confection of gray-and-white stripes, scenic Gracie wallpaper and creamy upholstered pieces swirled together with dark-wood antiques. Hunt fancied it %26#8220;an elegant and sophisticated space, playing on the Regency theme %26#8212; where one would feel as if they were in a London or New York apartment.%26#8221; Our favorite moment? That long, super-glamorous entry hall, zinged with horizontally striped Stark wallpaper, in gray and ivory %26#8212; the perfect backdrop for a little spontaneous catwalking of your own. The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 800.549.7489; theresidencesdallas.com.

%26nbsp;

Image: Hunt seats: Decorator Laura Hunt conjures a model dwelling at The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Photo by Jim Ritz.

Dropping the Bomb

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:59:53 GMT

%26#8230; by way of tiny vials filled with intense home fragrance. Grind one under your Louboutin, et voil%26#224; %26#8212; the glass breaks, and heady parfum is unleashed. Name your poison: leathery tobacco, minty tea, clove/orange, orange blossom, incense or, appropriately, the waxy wood floors of Versailles. Simply smashing, and all from Cire Trudon, the circa-1643 French candle house that counted Napoleon as a customer. (Bet the little guy would love throwing these bombs about.) Parfumed Stink Bombs $41 for 10, at Grange Hall.

Heads Will Roll

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:52:30 GMT

Bits of Roman statuary lying about the lawn %26#8212; how divine. We would have Golden Boy half-in, half-out of the ground, looking a tad excavated. Each is unique, crafted in a Cathedral White fiberglass and stone cast mixture %26#8212; a heraldic 24 by 24 by 30 inches. For indoors or out. $480, at Mecox.

%26nbsp;

Image: Photo by Jenny Antill

This Just In

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:36:50 GMT

Restoration Hardware is scooting across Westheimer in Highland Village Shopping Center to a larger space, where a complete re-conceptualization will take place to create the first from-the-ground-up Restoration Hardware flagship gallery store in the country.%26nbsp;Co-CEO Gary Friedman has taken Picasso%26#8217;s words as a mantra %26#8212; %26#8220;Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction%26#8221; %26#8212;%26nbsp;and was inspired to rethink and retool to become curators of exacting historical design. You%26#8217;ll see this liberated concept in the catalog%26nbsp;and the present store, but its full glory unfurls in the new%26nbsp;immense gallery setting, filled with faithful reproductions of one-of-a-kind pieces, such as a five-foot French tower clock, antique barn-door hardware fashioned into a cast iron trolley and a baluster dining table of planks from a 19th-century Lyon courtyard. It takes restoration to a new level. Opening May 1, 2011.

Laura Lee Clark Interior Design

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:33:02 GMT

Keys to the Door: Founder Laura Lee Clark Falconer, manager Kimbra Elgin.

When Worlds Collide: She%26#8217;s taken her love of the Old World and made herself a new one. Pack your passport for 1615 Dragon Street, where designer Laura Lee Clark Falconer has filled the space with all manner of fanciful tables, upholstered furniture, glossy garden stools, lyre-back chairs, lamps, even books and gifts. It%26#8217;s all here at retail, ready to go, curated by the woman with 20-plus years in the interior-design business and a bit of a thing for Italy %26#8212; she summer-studied with Parsons in Rome, Venice and Florence. That worldly flair is evident, but it%26#8217;s braced with a contemporary splash: The art here, also for sale, is by edgy galleries Barry Whistler and Dunn and Brown Contemporary. Now that%26#8217;s what we call mixing it up. 1615 Dragon St., 214.265.7272; lauraleeclark.com.

%26nbsp;

Image: Photo by%26nbsp;Stephen Karlisch %26nbsp;

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:33:55 GMT

Keys to the Door: Store owners Scott Touchstone, Ben Collins and Travis Mathews, manager Brian Jordan.

Home at Last: Intrigue. Innuendo. Elation. We%26#8217;ve been through all three, that last one courtesy of the cutting of real ribbons at 4519 McKinney Avenue. Rumored for years, there really is a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store on Dallas firma now, and it couldn%26#8217;t be in finer company. Just a hop across McKinney Avenue from Forty Five Ten, the groovy new MG + BW brings 7,500 square feet of sofas, lighting, tables, %26#233;tag%26#232;res and accessories, all swirled together by Mitchell and Bob themselves, and all with the company%26#8217;s signature air: modern, yes, but more Colin Firth than Colin Ferrell. It%26#8217;s all here %26#8212; much of it available right away %26#8212; from punchy Chesterfield sofas and low-slung club chairs to shapely lamps and architectural tables. There are pillows, rugs, sconces, spheres, bowls and boxes, plus photography (for sale) by none other than Tipper Gore. Told you this place has everything %26#8212; and what they don%26#8217;t have on the floor, they will custom-order, then it%26#8217;s yours in about 45 days. So when we say, %26#8220;There goes the neighborhood,%26#8221; we mean it in the most utterly stylish way, indeed. 4519 McKinney Ave., 214.753.8700; mgbwhome.com.

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Image: The Chester Sofa at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Call for Entries for the Design Excellence Awards

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:38:34 GMT

Get your swatches in a row %26#8212; it%26#8217;s time to organize your entries for the biennial Decorative Center Houston and PaperCity magazine Design Excellence Awards in recognition of outstanding interior design and interior architecture. Enter in five categories: residential interior design (in a single residence); residential interior architecture (in a single residence); residential single-space kitchen, bath, bedroom, living room, etc.; retail (stores, galleries, boutiques, salons, spas, restaurants, offices); and preservation (both residential and commercial). Winning entries will be announced at a cocktail reception honoring the winners Wednesday, November 17, during Fall Market at Decorative Center Houston, then published in the February 2011 issue of PaperCity. Entries must be received by Friday, October 22, 2010, and each entry is $100. Entry information and submission forms are available at decorativecenter.com and at Decorative Center Houston, Suite 3002. Information Kristina Larson at DCH, 713.961.9292, ext. 1320; klarson@decorativecenter.com.

Design Buzz

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:17:15 GMT

Bits of news from the interiors world, whether you%26#8217;re into minimalism or maximalism %26#8212; or both:

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%26#8226; The sleek, chic Eddie Chiles house in Westover Hills, Fort Worth (above, featured in our April issue), turns laboratory for fine living as 19 designers take over its myriad rooms and decorate their hearts out. Alchemists transforming the house %26#8212;%26nbsp;designed in 1966 by A. Quincy Jones, and originally decorated by Billy Haines %26#8212;%26nbsp;include Joe Minton, John Bobbitt, Leigh Taylor and Cathy Kincaid. October 2 through 24. Information and tickets: 817.336.2344; historicfortworth.org.

%26nbsp;%26#8226; Nest is re-feathering itself %26#8212; and just in time for its fifth birthday. The beloved design and gift haunt has big new digs (5,000 square feet at 4524 McKinney Avenue, neighbors to Design Within Reach and Forty Five Ten), a chic new logo, a sweet new Web site (nestdallas.com) and a new line of private-label goodies. Feast your eyes when Nest reveals it all, mid-month.

%26nbsp;%26#8226; We love good Dirt. (Don%26#8217;t you?) Get thee to 417 North Bishop Avenue in Oak Cliff%26#8217;s Bishop Arts District, where a clever little shop awaits. Dig into Dirt%26#8217;s cut flowers, arrangements, plants, gifts and custom invitations %26#8212; the first retail venture from floral and event designer Sonya Eudaley and her husband Chris, who handles the photography and graphic design while Sonya spins her magic with hydrangeas, roses and rustic branches. 817.240.6015; dirtdallas.com. %26nbsp;

%26#8226; Finally, we find Mary%26#8217;s Finds, a stash of %26#8220;found treasures refurbished or untouched,%26#8221; says the young proprietor of a new Design District shop jammed with everything from vintage furniture, art and lighting to an antique wooden bear and a black-glass Italian ashtray that Gianni Agnelli would%26#8217;ve loved. Find yourself wandering to 1616 Market Center Boulevard or marysfinds.com.

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Image: The Eddie Chiles house. Photo by Glen Ellman.%26nbsp;

Fantasy Turns 50

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:15:31 GMT

%26nbsp;Remember the polo ponies (a cool $17,500 each) in 1985? The %26#8220;His %26amp; Hers Jaguars%26#8221; (she got the jaguar-fur coat trimmed in mink; he got the Jag XKE coupe) of 1968? We%26#8217;re going to relive all 50 thrills this month, one page at a time, in Over the Top, Assouline%26#8217;s stylish new book of Neiman Marcus%26#8217; deliciously anticipated annual Fantasy Gifts. All five decades are here, from the black-angus steer of 1959 (led right to the door on Christmas morning, accompanied by a rolling silver beef cart for the inevitable) to the sexy electric motorcycle of 2009. His-and-hers camels? A leather-lined helicopter? A private seat on the Stock Exchange? We%26#8217;ll take it (all!) %26#8212; and gift-wrap it, please. $50, at Neiman Marcus; neimanmarcus.com; assouline.com.%26nbsp;

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Images: Photos by Rob Brinkley%26nbsp;

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere … at BubblyQ Bash

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:12:56 GMT

Bright young things will be on the scene for Young Texans Against Cancer%26#8217;s Third Annual BubblyQ bash Thursday, October 7, at Fearing%26#8217;s at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. The fizzy philanthropic f%26#234;te is chaired by Marjon Zabihi, who has tapped Dean Fearing as chef chair, with 15 eateries %26#8212; such as Park, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck and Craft %26#8212; offering a bevy of culinary tasting stations. Raffle items will include a yummy pair of David Yurman black-diamond hoop earrings and a first-class trip to Los Angeles, among other temptations. Proceeds will benefit cancer research, natch. Media sponsor PaperCity. Tickets ytac.org/dallas.%26nbsp;

Charity Chat

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:12:10 GMT

If there%26#8217;s one thing we know, it%26#8217;s that our bustling charity scene is alive and well and swirling with noteworthy news. Wednesday%26#8217;s Child Benefit Corporation, which raises funds supporting North Texas foster children, now goes by a new name, Friends of Wednesday%26#8217;s Child, and is conducting all its good deeds from a new Wilson Historic District location at 2801 Swiss Avenue (972.231.1433; wedchild.org). We also have word of a benevolent merger: Gilda%26#8217;s Club North Texas and West Coast%26#8211;based The Wellness Community have formed the new Cancer Support Community North Texas, combining their goals of building free support communities for those living with cancer. The first of the new Cancer Support facilities is up and running in Collin County under the guidance of new executive director Kelly Counts %26#8212; a match made in charitable heaven (214.219.8877; cancersupporttexas.org).%26nbsp;

TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:06:23 GMT

Consider your fixation on art, fashion and glamorous party-hopping fulfilled, as TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art benefitting amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art is back for the 12th year on Thursday and Saturday, October 21 and 23. Thursday night%26#8217;s First Look Preview Party ($250 for tickets) at the Rachofsky House boasts dozens of details to be excited about, such as co-chairs Rob Dailey and Todd Fiscus and Tracy and Josh Madans, bites from Kenichi, saketinis from Belvedere Vodka and plenty of fashion sense via presenting sponsor Neiman Marcus and 7 For All Mankind. Saturday night is the dazzling black- tie, invite-only TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala and art auction, also held at the Rachofsky House and chaired by Suzanne Droese and Lucilo Pe%26#241;a, with hosts Cindy and Howard Rachofsky and honored artist Christopher Wool. Multitalented actor/entertainer Alan Cumming will perform, making this one of the hottest tickets in town. So hot, in fact, that this gala is already sold out. Media sponsor PaperCity. Information 212.806.1615, david.yu@amfar.org; 2x2online.org.

Forty Five Ten’s Fall Frenzy

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:26:52 GMT

Shelly Musselman and Brian Bolke always have something sartorial up their sleeves. Two tony bits of news:

%26#8226; Gentlemen%26#8217;s Club: Lads who love Yves Saint Laurent, Rick Owens and Dries Van Noten will exult upon learning that those designers (and more) are joining FFT%26#8217;s enlarged menswear ranks. A-list labels Givenchy, Maison Martin Margiela, Lanvin, Viktor %26amp; Rolf, et al are gladly making room.
%26#8226; Bow to Balenciaga: Should your wardrobe resemble that of Pauline de Rothschild, you must attend the Balenciaga Edition trunk show September 22 through 24. Not to be confused with Balenciaga%26#8217;s ready-to-wear, the Edition collection includes intricate re-creations of haute couture pieces produced by the master himself, Cristobal Balenciaga, between 1952 and 1968. The show has toured only to Bergdorf Goodman and Jeffrey thus far %26#8212; all the more reason to revel in the yardages of expressive duchess satin.

%26nbsp;Image: It%26#8217;s raining menswear: The expanded men%26#8217;s department at Forty Five Ten. Photo by Steve Wrubel.

Everything Old Is New Again

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:28:11 GMT

Get ready for an encounter with history. This fall, one of America%26#8217;s most heralded decorative arts house museums gets a grand redux that unites the present with the past when Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the former home of Houston philanthropist Miss Ima Hogg, unfurls its new contemporary building. At 18,000 square feet, the gleaming two-story, metal-clad structure is silver LEED certified and christened the Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center after its lead benefactor, long-time Bayou Bend supporter Houston philanthropist and doyenne of history, Jeanie Kilroy. While the handsome mecca designed by Leslie Elkins %26#8212; the architect of another well-regarded hometown art destination, the Quaker Friends Live Oak Meeting House that houses the James Turrell skyspace %26#8212; promises to lure the next generation of cultural tourists, what is also notable is the reinstallation of seven period rooms from the graceful John Staub-designed 1927%26#8211;1928 home that sits on the museum%26#8217;s original lush, 14-landscaped acres. The McIntire Bedroom, Washington Hall, Folk Art Room, Metals Study Room, Ceramic Study Room, Federal Parlor and Music Room all boast handsome redos down to new period-style carpeting, woven fresh by the firm Grosvenor Wilton of Kidderminster, England whose pedigree extends back to 1790, and period wallpaper crafted anew by the American firm Alelphi. These restorations give new life to rooms brimming with treasures culled from Bayou Bend%26#8217;s stellar cache of American decorative and fine art that date from the Colonial period to the mid-Victorian epoch.

The public is invited when the new building and reborn rooms are opened Saturday, September 25, 1 to 5 pm. mfah.org/bayoubend.

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Image: Bayou Bend's Federal Parlor. Photo by Robb Williamson.

I HADA Be There. A Louis Was Calling my Name

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:20:06 GMT

When 150 venerable antiques dealers set up shop in Houston for three days of show and sale, then it must be time for the Houston Antiques Dealers Association Show %26amp; Sale. HADA is the nation%26#8217;s oldest antiques association, and this year%26#8217;s sale is amped up. Thursday, September 16, is the coveted preview cocktail party, co-hosted by PaperCity, where you%26#8217;ll get first dibs on treasures and meet and greet design greats who will be signing books and speaking throughout the show. The local, national and international antiquarians are vetted, with offerings as diverse as European and American antiques to Georgian silver and antique maps. New this year and adding buzz to the pomp are the Collector%26#8217;s Nook of treasures under $200 and %26#8220;Ask a Decorator,%26#8221; where you can sign up to spend an hour with an ASID designer. Don%26#8217;t miss the PaperCity Style Salon and Book Boutique, with designers flying in for book signings and talks, including Hutton Wilkinson, legendary artist and designer Tony Duquette%26#8217;s prot%26#233;g%26#233; and business partner, who will sign Tony Duquette and More Is More: Tony Duquette; designer Jan Showers signing Glamorous Rooms; architect and designer Bobby McAlpine signing The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms; and a host of others. HADA Antiques Show %26amp; Sale, Friday through Sunday, September 17 through 19, at the George R. Brown Convention Center. For dealers, show times and Style Salon speakers schedule, go to hadaantiques.com.%26nbsp;

Meredith O’Donnell Fine Furniture, Accessories %26 Rugs

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:16:37 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Meredith and Gene O%26#8217;Donnell.
Stocked Goods: For 16 years, Meredith O%26#8217;Donnell was happily ensconced at her shop on Kirby Drive. But when the perfect space on Post Oak materialized (next to swanky neighbors Zadok Jewelers and soon-to-open Edgar Kelly Rugs, no less), fate compelled her to sign on the dotted line and make the massive display space %26#8212; double the size of her former space %26#8212; hers. A year later, she%26#8217;s moved in, tweaking the rooms where she displays vignettes of furnishings and lighting by Hickory Chair, McGuire, Milling Road, Brown Jordan, Stickley, Nichols %26amp; Stone, as well as Baker%26#8217;s boldfaced cast of designers, from Barbara Barry to Jacques Garcia and Michael Smith (Smith is coming later this fall). The Ralph Lauren Home Gallery also takes up residence here %26#8212; exclusively in Houston %26#8212; with furnishings, fabrics, bedding, lighting and accessories. O%26#8217;Donnell has also gone into the wholesale biz and bought out retiring furniture manufacturer Trosby of England %26#8212; and with it, the honed skills of generations of artisans who make gorgeous reproduction pieces, as well as new transitional furniture created by O%26#8217;Donnell herself. In the sprawling showroom you%26#8217;ll also find three fabric rooms filled with hundreds of swatches; walls shimmering with sconces, lamps and chandeliers; a conference room; and a coffee bar. 1751 Post Oak Blvd.; 713.526.7332; meredithodonnell.com.

Image: Meredith and Gene O'Donnell. Photo by Jenny Antill.

The Picnic, Redefined

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:36:33 GMT

Chateaubriand alfresco takes a contemporary turn with the debut of a smart mealtime carryall, the Boxsal, created by Dallas-based Three Blind Ants. For the discerning modernist, wicker picnic baskets and plasticware are replaced by a recyclable cardboard box filled with compostable cups, bowls, utensils, napkins and trash bags. Not just any box, The Boxsal is compartmentalized and can tote more than 20 pounds, and comes in three clever box designs: Office Escape, which wittily channels a briefcase; Urban Picnic, which takes shape as a two-dimensional, graffiti%26#8217;d boom box; and Today%26#8217;s Date, offering artistic picnickers a paint-by-number experience. Now this is thinking outside the box %26#8212; outside. At the Nasher Sculpture Center Stores, 2001 Flora St., 214.242.5100; 8687 North Central Expwy. (at NorthPark Center), 214.363.6600 and at boxsal.com.

Images:%26nbsp; Boxsal%26#8217;s modern picnic solution; photo courtesy of Boxsal. Closed boxsal; image by Adam Fish.

Divine, Deviled Eggs, Lovey!

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:59:05 GMT

How to transport the caviar and canap%26#233;s across the lawn? On La Plates%26#8217; monogrammed, melamine plates in gingham, stripes, plaids, clover and vine patterns, in all the right hue combos. Choose your design, monogram style and colors. Save a tree %26#8212; have someone give the plates a wash when done. Through laplates.com.

Editorial Installation

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:44:23 GMT

In late June, Barneys New York rang with a rather exciting proposition: Three hundred copies of that month%26#8217;s PaperCity were needed for the Dallas store%26#8217;s windows. We couldn%26#8217;t bundle up the copies fast enough %26#8212; and what followed was a clever installation by the store%26#8217;s Dallas display manager, Kevin McCartney. On level one? Men%26#8217;s suits and trenches by Jil Sander and Alexander McQueen, propped atop a mosaic of folded PaperCitys. Upstairs? A swirly installation set behind three more mannequin gents, this time in fedoras and hipster attire from Marc by Marc Jacobs. Alas, it%26#8217;s all gone now %26#8212; but we loved our fashionable 15 minutes.

Image: PaperCitys galore in the windows %26nbsp;at Barneys New York in NorthPark Center, Dallas. Photo by Christina Geyer.

Paper Source

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:59:37 GMT

Keys to the Door: Store manager Dina Barias.
Stocked Goods: Some of us can%26#8217;t pass a paper-product store without feeling a gravitational pull. Newton can%26#8217;t explain it, but in the case of the new Highland Village outpost of Paper Source (the company%26#8217;s 35th store), we can: We simply adore the colorful, pretty patterned stationery, wrapping papers, seals and embossers, clever cards, gift bags and such that personalize a present and speak to all note writers. (Yes, there are still plenty of us around.) This paperie and gift shop stocks all that, plus anything-but-drab office supplies, gifty books, and those proverbial Christmas stocking stuffers you can pick up year round. These stockists of artisanal papers %26#8212; many cut in mod, fun styles and colors that coordinate with whatever you%26#8217;re planning %26#8212; hope to inspire you to put all your party details on paper, via accoutrements that give it all a fun twist. Highland Village Shopping Center, 4016 Westheimer Road, 713.888.0418; paper-source.com.

Chic à Deux

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:35:51 GMT

We love Pierre Deux%26#8217;s new collection of heavily embroidered pillows, linens and accessories, in partnership with the famed Ankasa embroidery house, which supplies opulent passementerie for Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang. The Gardenia pillow is inspired by Toile de Nantes with tulle-layered flowers ($300), while the Marie Antoinette pillow boasts deep-red embroidery ($295). At Pierre Deux, 1525 Hi Line Dr., 214.749.7775; pierredeux.com.

Chic à Deux

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:33:35 GMT

We love Pierre Deux%26#8217;s new collection of heavily embroidered pillows, linens and accessories, in partnership with the famed Ankasa embroidery house, which supplies opulent passementerie for Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang. The Gardenia pillow is inspired by Toile de Nantes with tulle-layered flowers ($300), while the Marie Antoinette pillow has deep-red embroidery ($295). At Pierre Deux, 4003 Westheimer in Highland Village Shopping Center, 713.622.8686; pierredeux.com.

Pack Nothing. Drive to Ritz-Carlton. Throw Housewarming Party.

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:39:01 GMT

The work%26#8217;s been done for you %26#8212; by three rather colorful characters, no less. We%26#8217;re keeping tabs on the new model dwellings at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, where decorators Jan Showers, Carleton Varney and Laura Hunt have spun three distinct fantasies out of thin air. (After all, we are talking high-rise living here.) Showers concocted a Paris-meets-Park Avenue lair, a cream-colored two-bedroom unit propped with French %26#8217;40s glamour, Murano chandeliers and blonde cowhide rugs. Varney went GQ/cowboy, splashing his one-bedroom pad with vermillion red paint, then stirring in dark-wood furnishings, a Remington bronze and black-and-white photography. As for number three? We can%26#8217;t wait to see what the versatile, vivacious Hunt pulls off %26#8212;%26nbsp;she%26#8217;s as adept at Manhattan apartments as she is at mountain lodges, and is finishing her model as we type. No matter which mode is for you, know that you%26#8217;ll be surrounded by all the necessaries at the 23-story tower, the second of two phases: Wolf ranges, marble baths, a wine cellar down below, 24-hour everything, a private auto court, even a glass skyway that connects you to the spa level at the original Ritz-Carlton tower across the way. No word yet if they%26#8217;re retrofitting Murano chandeliers and Remington bronzes over there. From $615,000 to $3.7 million, offered by Allie Beth Allman %26amp; Associates. The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 2555 N. Pearl St., 214.855.2020; theresidencesdallas.com.

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Images: Above, Jan Showers' haute monde entry hall. Below, Carleton Varney's red-hot dining room. Photos by James Moritz Photography.

Slicker Wicker

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:31:51 GMT

Somewhere, Harry Bertoia must be smiling. Behold these curvy, crunchy riffs on the sculptor%26#8217;s famous Diamond chair, wherein the original%26#8217;s seat of bent metal rods is re-imagined in warm, woodsy wicker. Only 40 each year are made, by hand, in Panama %26#8212; so while we normally suggest slowing down in summer, that%26#8217;s probably not a wise move if you envision these beauties on your back lawn. Ellipse chairs $1,890 the pair, at B. Gover Limited, 1436 Slocum St., 214.571.9675; bgoverlimited.com.

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Image: Photo by Rob Brinkley.

Gators with Glamorous Leanings

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:30:29 GMT

Leather artisan Cowden Bell, the former horse-tack maker based in Weatherford, Texas, works Italian cowhide into unbelievably textured mock alligator, then finishes it in super-chic hues %26#8212; mint green, chocolate brown, a snowy white, a delicious cream. It%26#8217;s just the thing for walls, floors (imagine it in a library) or that hunting Range Rover of yours that desperately needs new upholstery. To the trade at ID Collection, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., 214.698.0226; interiordesigncollection.com.

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Image: Photo by Rob Brinkley.

Gators with Glamorous Leanings

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:27:21 GMT

Leather artisan Cowden Bell, the former horse-tack maker based in Weatherford, Texas, works Italian cowhide into unbelievably textured mock alligator, then finishes it in super-chic hues %26#8212; mint green, chocolate brown, a snowy white, a delicious cream. It%26#8217;s just the thing for walls, floors (imagine it in a library) or that hunting Range Rover of yours that desperately needs new upholstery. To the trade at ID Collection, 5120 Woodway, 713.623.2344; interiordesigncollection.com.

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Image: Photo by Rob Brinkley.

Market Mania

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:58:44 GMT

Who knew antiquarian Tara Shaw%26#8217;s Maison line would be such a smashing success? We did! One look two years ago at the premiere of her exacting replicas of period European pieces (and the strikingly affordable price tags that came with them), and we knew the New Orleans design mind was onto something huge. Turns out, when she went to High Point Furniture Market this spring with her line in tow, total pandemonium broke out as buyers from across the country mobbed her booth. New additions (there are dozens) are coming soon to Tara Shaw Antiques, 1845A W. Alabama, 713.533.9744; tarashaw.com.

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Image: Antiquarian Tara Shaw.

Lie Low

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:53:43 GMT

While Edgar and Kelly Podezemny and showroom manager Mark Odom prepare for the mid-fall reveal of their new Edgar Kelly Rugs location on Post Oak at San Felipe, they%26#8217;re also launching a new custom Tibetan collection at the West Alabama store. There you%26#8217;ll find a dazzling array of silk and wool rugs with a modern edge, called the EK Modern line. For this exciting boutique collection, Edgar Podezemny blows up graphic designs (a leaf, a seascape, a zebra print) to create abstracted rugs that can be customized in any size and color. Also catching our eye is a Tufenkian rug by designer Vicente Wolf called Streets of Paris, inspired by a GPS image of beaucoup de rues in the City of Light. In the mood for Americana? Look no further than a colorful hooked rug %26#8212; like the one we saw in the window by Ariana with an almost Tony Oursler edge, specially purchased for Edgar Kelly ($2,915). Edgar Kelly Rugs, 2702 W. Alabama, 713.521.1492.

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Image: EK Modern at Edgar Kelly Rugs.

Tread This Way

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:31:04 GMT

My dear, fashionable friend Kristie Ramirez rang one morning and said, %26#8220;Listen, you have got to try a Tread Fitness class. It will change your life.%26#8221; She%26nbsp;and many other creative types have become, shall we say, rather addicted to this new sliver of a fitness center, near Park Place%26#8217;s Bentley Dallas. Tread Fitness is a boutique gym owned by the hyperathletic Brandon Wall (he packs personal-training certification from The Cooper Institute) and Barton Fassino (he lettered in swimming four years at SMU), where the specialty is circuit training for 28 people, max, charged by the class and all surrounded by good design %26#8212;%26nbsp;think backlit mirrors, a slatted mahogany wall, even succulents in the restroom. The typical Tread hour is divided into four 15-minute segments: sprints on the treadmill, weights, back to the treadmill for incline running, then weights again. I barely made it through my first workout %26#8212; beginners beware, it is rigorous here %26#8212;%26nbsp;but Wall%26#8217;s inspiring dialogue and his A-list clientele on the adjacent treadmills helped me keep up. It is Vilebrequin and Eres Swim season, so reserve a coveted spot at the place that doesn%26#8217;t let you rest on your laurels. Or your glutes. 5150 Lemmon Ave.; 214.599.9737; treadfitness.com.

Image:%26nbsp; Trainer Brandon Wall at Tread Fitness. Photo by carter Rose.

Spy Bag Not Included

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:24:55 GMT

Spend four seconds in this new showroom and we bet you%26#8217;ll be thinking of superyachts bobbing in Portofino and gleaming, buckle-bedecked handbags. Such is the Italian spirit coursing through Fendi Casa, a shotgun space in the Design District filled with sofas, chairs, beds and case goods, all architectural and angular, with touches that reference Fendi%26#8217;s fashion side in more ways than one. Finishes are satin-y and lacquer-y, and you%26#8217;ll see the company%26#8217;s iconic double-F logo slyly incorporated into the designs. (If there%26#8217;s any doubt you%26#8217;re furnishing with Fendi, check the drawer pulls: They are the same chunky pulls found on the house%26#8217;s famous Spy Bags.) It%26#8217;s all about sleek chic here, down to the lamps and the outdoor seating, too. Think of that great aunt who filled her villa with Scarpa and Aulenti long before anyone knew those names: She%26#8217;d find a piece or two here and ship it right back to Portofino. Fendi Casa, 1617 Hi Line Dr., Suite 240; 214.760.9111; fendi.com.

His Body of Work

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:21:45 GMT

Artist Guilhem Charneau comes from the fashion world, having worked for Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, but he seems more passionate about the inner working of the body than outer refinements. Charneau cuts images from antique books with a fine scalpel, then recopies and glues them to make collages of flesh and bone, organs and feelings %26#8212; bodies mutilated and rebuilt. Each work is handmade in Paris. Concepcion #2, $3,000, at Grange Hall, 4445 Travis St., 214.443.0600; urbanflowergrangehall.com.

Suddenly, 1963

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:14:57 GMT

Back to the future, and how. You%26#8217;re looking at the Continuum chair %26#8212; a work of Italian art penned by Mr. Gio Ponti (one of our favorites %26#8217;round here) 47 years ago, still made of rattan bent entirely by hand, then fastened with leather bindings. Bonacini Pierantonio in the Como province holds the license to craft these stunners %26#8212; good thing, because vintage Continuums rarely pop up at auction, and command a lot of lire when they do. Can you think of a sexier place to devour a little Petrarca or Puccini? Neither can we. To the trade at Scott + Cooner, 1617 Hi Line Dr., 214.748.9838; scottcooner.com.

The Lush Life

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:10:26 GMT

Viennese socials promenade in 1800s pomp and garb on these classic Biedermeier-shaped tumblers, designed by Leonid Rath for Lobmeyr and hand-painted in a fine enamel technique. $195 each, at Grange Hall, 4445 Travis St., 214.443.0600; urbanflowergrangehall.com.

Glazed Over

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:08:25 GMT

What every summerhouse needs: piles of handmade pottery, in saturated hues, from R. Wood Studio. The tiny concern in Athens, Georgia, makes each piece %26#8212; plates, bowls, mugs, pitchers %26#8212; entirely by hand, in colors called Maple, Mysteria, Rhubarb, even Baby Grass. See? It even sounds like summer. R. Wood Studio, at Forty Five Ten, 4510 McKinney Ave.; 214.559.4510; fortyfiveten.com.

Blending Generations

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 06:01:34 GMT

We love the idea of mixing period antiques with vintage or sleek contemporary furnishings, but few antiquarians stock their shops that way. Enter Carl Moore Antiques. CM%26#8217;s owner, Geoffrey Westergaard, challenges you to notice a trophy piece such as this circa-1835 Biedermeier walnut secretaire (in pristine condition, down to the drawers and hidden compartments) by juxtaposing it with a pair of simple 1930s bone-on-bronze plinth-base lamps, finished with linen-and-silk drum shades. Then he takes something like a gilded fireplace screen and turns convention on its head: If you ever find such a piece, it usually has a needlepoint insert, but Westergaard replaced that with a mod faux-ostrich-patterned ivory fabric. And the cheeky update works. Now, that%26#8217;s what we call blending generations best. At Carl Moore Antiques, 1610 Bissonnet St., 713.524.2502; carlmooreantiques.com.

Home Sweet Gaultier

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:28:51 GMT

Roche Bobois has commissioned fellow Frenchman Jean Paul Gaultier to design a limited-edition collection of home furnishings to commemorate the luxe company%26#8217;s 50th anniversary. For the occasion, Gaultier twice redesigned Hans Hopfer%26#8217;s modular Mah-Jong sofa: first in blue-and-white nautical stripes (a nod perhaps to the designer%26#8217;s love of the Breton sailor shirt), then in lace, dollar-bill, scarf, tattoo, kiss and calligraphy prints. They%26#8217;re perfect companions for Gaultier%26#8217;s designer storage units, bed screens, lighting, rugs and armchairs. Launching this fall at Roche Bobois, 5304 Alpha Road, 972.239.4430; roche-bobois.com.

Home Sweet Gaultier

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:26:15 GMT

Drinks on Damien, Sunscreen on Sam

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:23:41 GMT

At last, deck chairs that could make it into MoMA. New York%26#8211;based Artware Editions raises sunning to severely modern new levels, via folding merpauh-wood frames and digitally printed sailcloth slings %26#8212; from the flitting butterflies of Damien Hirst to the stenciled words of Sir Peter Blake (%26#8220; %26#8230; grass is green/water is blue/ground is brown%26#8221;). The roster of artists reads like a Sotheby%26#8217;s auction catalog: Hirst, Blake, Marc Quinn, Gary Hume, Bill Samios, Keith Tyson, Sam McEwen, and Rob and Nicky Carter. We say buy them all %26#8212; it would be one hell of a pool party. $375 to $425, at artwareeditions.com.

What Lies Beneath

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:46:57 GMT

Carol Piper%26#8217;s exotic spun-wool ikats with a touch of silk will inspire you to kick off your shoes and get cozy at home. Each is dyed using a small-batch technique that creates lusciously soft color striations throughout. Order a custom size or stick with a standard one, from $50 a square foot. At Carol Piper Rugs, 1809 W. Gray, 713.524.2442; carolpiperrugs.com.

The World According to Ralph

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:56:27 GMT

We%26#8217;ve said for years that we%26#8217;d be thrilled if Ralph Lauren would design our entire lives, from toothbrushes to teacups. When the Ralph Lauren Home Gallery opens within the sprawling new Meredith O%26#8217;Donnell showroom at 1751 Post Oak Boulevard on August 1, perhaps he will. O%26#8217;Donnell will stock his furniture, bedding, lighting, decorative accessories and select fabrics %26#8212; at the only Ralph Lauren Home Gallery in Houston. Meredith O%26#8217;Donnell, 713.526.7332; meredithodonnell.com.

The Little Black Dress of Lamps

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:18:33 GMT

Decorator Randy Powers has always remembered an adjustable table lamp he saw in a chic Houston apartment in the %26#8217;80s. Now he%26#8217;s updated and sleeked the design for his new collection for Visual Comfort. %26#8220;I love it so much, I have%26nbsp;four in my dining room,%26#8221; Powers says. %26#8220;It goes with everything.%26#8221; Hargett lamp in nickel $378, at Haven; Stephanie Anne; to the trade at Taylors on Ten.

The Little Black Dress of Lamps

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:16:41 GMT

Decorator Randy Powers has always remembered an adjustable table lamp he saw at furnishings icon Gerald Hargett%26#8217;s apartment in Houston in the %26#8217;80s. Now he%26#8217;s updated and sleeked the design for his new collection for Visual Comfort. %26#8220;I love it so much, I have%26nbsp;four in my dining room,%26#8221; Powers says. %26#8220;It goes with everything.%26#8221; Hargett lamp in nickel $378, at Circa Lighting, 2001A W. Gray in River Oaks Shopping Center, 713.526.4100; circalighting.com.

Drawer Fare

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:05:49 GMT

We love a console or cocktail table that doesn%26#8217;t take itself too seriously. Enter Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams%26#8217; Mondrian collection, crafted with walnut veneers and sleek, modern lines. But open one of the deep drawers and you%26#8217;ll find a lipstick-red surprise. $870 to $1,995, at the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store, opening mid-September at 4519 McKinney; mgbwhome.com.

Open and Shut Case

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:36:46 GMT

We love a console or cocktail table that doesn%26#8217;t take itself too seriously. Enter Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams%26#8217; Mondrian collection, crafted with walnut veneers and sleek, modern lines. But open one of the deep drawers and you%26#8217;ll find a lipstick-red surprise. $870 to $1,995, at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 3303 Kirby Dr., 832.242.9470; mgbwhome.com.

Laura Kirar's Double Vision

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:00:57 GMT

Her C.V. lists two degrees: interior architecture and sculpture. No wonder we%26#8217;ve fallen for Laura Kirar%26#8217;s new wares for Arteriors Home. The prolific, Dallas-based accessories/lighting/furniture company %26#8212; founded more than two decades ago and helmed by SMU alum and import vet Mark Moussa %26#8212; has tapped the equally prolific Kirar, who has studios in New York and Miami, for an entire collection. (Kirar has already spun her design magic for top lines Baker, McGuire, Ann Sacks, Kallista, Boyd Lighting and Tufenkian Artisan Carpets.) For Arteriors, her lighting and accessories are at once precise and lyrical, evoking everything from bonsai trees (cast in brass, no less) to undulating husks of corn, transformed into gorgeous lamps and tabletop torchieres. Nature is indeed a recurring theme in Kirar%26#8217;s collection %26#8212; it includes vases, candleholders, mirrors and wall decor, too %26#8212; best demonstrated in her Leaves and Seeds chandelier, an almost-three-foot cascade of brass and bronze leaves, interspersed with beads of resin. The chicest? Her Caviar Pendant Clusters, shown. Pass the beluga. Availability and collection information at arteriorshome.com.

New Design Tomes

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:07:18 GMT

In The Great Lady Decorators: The Women Who Defined Interior Design, 1870-1955 (by Adam Lewis, foreword Bunny Williams, original room portraits Jeremiah Goodman; Rizzoli, $65), we glory in work by Elsie de Wolfe, Ruby Ross Wood, Elsie Cobb Wilson, Dorothy Draper, Frances Elkins, Rose Cumming, Thedlow and Marian Hall, Syrie Maugham, Nancy Lancaster, Madeleine Castaing, Eleanor Brown and Sister Parish. Delicious.

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One of the greats, late designer Michael Taylor is credited with creating the California Look in the %26#8217;70s and %26#8217;80s, but he was %26#8212; and is %26#8212; so much more. He was the master of bringing the outdoors (logs, bark, wicker) in, stripping the floors, then painting the walls white, as hailed by Time magazine. Michael Taylor: Interior Design (by Stephen M. Salny, foreword Rose Tarlow, Rizzoli, $75) explores Taylor%26#8217;s own Sea Cliff home, Auberge du Soleil in Napa, Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and 50 other projects from around the world.

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Finally, a great design book on children%26#8217;s rooms %26#8212;%26nbsp;including several that have appeared previously in PaperCity. Room For Children (by Susanna Salk, foreword Kelly Wearstler, Rizzoli, $45) takes us inside dynamite rooms done by Jamie Drake, Charlotte Moss, Celerie Kemble, Jonathan Adler, Katie Ridder, Steven Gambrel, as well as Houston rooms by Richard Holley, Lisa Pope Westerman, Judy Nyquist and Elizabeth Arnold.

Shopping For a Shar-Pei

Wed, 26 May 2010 04:37:08 GMT

Whether you%26#8217;re a snob for coiffed pedigrees or democratically desire a mixed-breed dog or cat, you can find them all at the Highland Village Weekend Adoption Center. Every weekend for more than a year now (as well as during the previous two holiday seasons), Haidar Barbouti, CEO of Highland Village Shopping Center, has donated prime real estate in his upscale center to nonprofits run by animal lovers who rescue pets from BARC, the city pound (a kill facility where time is not on an abandoned pet%26#8217;s side). Increasingly people facing economic setbacks are leaving their often house-trained pets at these shelters, ignorant to their probable fate. Even more tragic are the cases where the owner dies and a beloved pet is left without a home. Adoptive owners are desperately needed %26#8212; as are volunteers who can spare a couple of hours to walk and play with the rescued animals, and benefactors who can open their wallets to keep the grass-roots cause afloat. (As for landlords with vacant properties, why not follow Barbouti%26#8217;s example? No doubt there are many organizations anxious to fill your temporary spaces.) Adoptions take place Fridays, noon to 6 pm; Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm; and Sundays 11 am to 5 pm, at Highland Village, 4056 Westheimer (next to Williams-Sonoma). Information volunteers@bustersfriends.org.%26nbsp;

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Image: Photo by Jenny Antill

Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers %26 Appraisers

Wed, 26 May 2010 04:41:13 GMT

Keys to the Door: Managing director Patricia Kuehnert-Gillespy, director Luis Lopez-Morton.
What%26#8217;s On the Block: A trusted Houston name that%26#8217;s set to become a major regional player, Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers %26amp; Appraisers just unveiled its handsome new digs this spring. The fine art and antiques auction house relocated from the Memorial-Town %26amp; Country neighborhood where its founders began some 22 years earlier, to the handsome two-story building on Richmond Avenue by Loop 610 that formerly housed Parvizian%26#8217;s rug empire. What%26#8217;s new for Kuehnert%26#8217;s, besides its amped-up square footage %26#8212;%26nbsp;24,000 now %26#8212; is a new global vision, via the arrival of director Luis Lopez-Morton; his Mexico City auction house, Casas de Subastas Morton, has been a prestigious and formidable force in Latin America for decades. He joins the co-founder of the original Kuehnert brand, managing director Patricia Kuehnert-Gillespy %26#8212; an auctioneer known for her broad knowledge of both furniture and decorative art, and her ability to move as many as 100 lots an hour on the block with great aplomb. This powerhouse pair met when Morton-Lopez was Kuehnert-Gillespy%26#8217;s client, some 20 years ago. The Morton Kuehnert union, forged in January 2009, signifies border diplomacy and an intriguing melding of Texas and Mexico resources in terms of international connections, experts and consignments. %26#8220;If you have good consignments, you have a good auction,%26#8221; says Lopez-Morton. He and Kuehnert-Gillespy have expanded their team by bringing on such eagle-eyed authorities as John Dabney from London (previously with Phillips), whose 30-year expertise includes Old Master and 19th- and 20th-century European painting, and Luis Arce in the oriental rug department, who boasts contacts from North to South America as well as sources in India and Pakistan. Kuehnert-Gillespy foresees an increased emphasis on fine jewelry and the enhanced ability to procure major estates. The new Morton Kuehnert HQ also features consignment suites for valuations and appraisals (appointments recommended). Mark your Smythson for auctions every Thursday at 7 pm, as well as expanded monthly catalog auctions (upcoming: Fine European Antiques and Decorative Objects on Thursday, June 24 and Latin American Art and Spanish Colonial Furniture on Saturday, June 26) that cull the most important collections from notable estates. 4901 Richmond Ave.713.827.7835; mortonkuehnert.com.

Image: Luis Lopez-Morton and Patricia Kuehnert-Gillespy; photos by Jenny Antill

The Great Outdoors

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:22:45 GMT

We%26#8217;re simply mad for the last two warm-weather collections created by Z Gallerie. Yes, this wonderfully affordable chain, chockablock with home accessories, is tempting us to throw a summer soir%26#233;e, perhaps under its crisp, black-and-white-striped Venezia Pavilion, a steal at $599. Imagine dressing up an infinity pool by the rose garden with exotic fuchsia-hued Casablanca lanterns (also available in black or lemon, if you must; $8 to $15 each). They%26#8217;d look lovely paired with Z Gallerie%26#8217;s fetching, lacy Shangri-La umbrellas ($159 each).%26nbsp; And what, pray tell, shall we serve? Apricot nectar and pinot grigio white sangr%26#237;a would look gorgeous dispensed from Z%26#8217;s Duo Glass Beverage Dispenser ($70).

Art Underfoot

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:19:07 GMT

We think this Joe Carini%26#8211;designed silk rug looks just like a Curtis Jere metal sculpture. Carol Piper Rugs is one of only three firms in the country that carry this influential rug designer (aka Carini Lang), whose inspirations range from Willem de Kooning to mathematic fractals and the natural world. At Carol Piper Rugs, 1809 W. Gray, 713.524.2442; info@carolpiperrugs.com.

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Image: Ocean Jasper silk rug by Carini Lang

Glamour Lights

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:17:52 GMT

We love sparkly spots of glamour in an interior %26#8212; such as this 1970s Lucite-and-brass sconce, $795 for a pair, at Kirby Antiques %26#8230;%26nbsp;and Billy Haines%26#8217; reissued Ice Crystals sconces of original acrylic (not Lucite), available only in left-and-right opposing pairs, to the trade through the Allan Knight showroom, Dallas.

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Image above: Billy Haines

Image below credit: Jenny Antill

Designing Your Den

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:15:29 GMT

In the newly released home tome Designers Here and There (The Monacelli Press, $50), author Michele Keith does what most of us long to do: She takes a long, extended glance into the domestic domains of some of America%26#8217;s most talented interior designers, to see how they deck their own halls. Whether the home in question is a city residence or a weekend retreat (or both, as is the case for Houston designers Beverly Jacomini and Renea Abbott), Keith reveals that designers from Michael Berman to Stephen Shubel often use their own domiciles first to perfect details and techniques they later apply in their trade. Pick up a copy and see from where inspiration springs.%26nbsp;

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Image below: Stephen Shubel

History in the Making

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:25:57 GMT

You don%26#8217;t have to live in a house on a historic registry to be surrounded by our country%26#8217;s storied past. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has partnered with Lowe%26#8217;s EverTrue brand to create a collection of moldings inspired by six architecturally varied homes in the National Trust of Historic Sites. Choose crown, chair, casing and base moldings from New England%26#8217;s Chesterwood in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, or a Southern plantation such as Shadows-on-the-Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. Feeling rather presidential? Take a page from Woodrow Wilson%26#8217;s house in Washington, D.C. At Lowe%26#8217;s.

Chic, in Triplicate

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:23:29 GMT

%26#8220;More is more%26#8221; has always been an unofficial mantra at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas %26#8212;%26nbsp;which is why there is not one but three model dwellings at the newest phase of the hotel%26#8217;s glittery Tower Residences. And which is why they are not concocted by one anonymous designer but instead by three tip-top decorators %26#8212; Dallas%26#8217; own Laura Hunt and Jan Showers, plus the outrageous Carleton Varney, he of Dorothy Draper fame. The dynamic trio has been waving their wands at the 23-story second tower, propping the three fantasy units with their own brand of chic %26#8212; Hunt%26#8217;s fresh elegance, Showers%26#8217; Hollywood glam and Varney%26#8217;s, well, he%26#8217;s got something special cooked up: %26#8220;an amazing GQ suite %26#8230; for an executive who travels extensively, jets in and out, but with a little cowboy in him.%26#8221; The ribbons will be cut as each model is finished: La Showers%26#8217; version this month, then Hunt%26#8217;s and Varney%26#8217;s interpretations sometime this summer. As for what%26#8217;s on the market in the new tower, best prepare your bank draft to the tune of $800,000-plus to $5.5 million %26#8212; fantasy decor not included. The Tower Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, 214.855.2020; theresidencesdallas.com.

Sleep Well with Organic Mattresses, Inc.

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:13:58 GMT

You spend more at the market for organic produce and go out of your way to recycle bottles, plastic bags and newspapers. Now you can take that organic mandate to bed with you. New Living, our local home retailer for all things green, has brought in Organic Mattresses, Inc. (OMI), which purports to offer the world%26#8217;s purest mattress. While government mandates once forced manufacturers to build beds with toxic flame-retardants made with nonrenewable resources such as petrochemicals that are difficult for those with allergies and chemical sensitivities to bear, now there%26#8217;s another option. OMI mattresses are handmade with organic cotton and wool, 100 percent natural rubber latex and renewable, biodegradable resources, making them hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant. They also meet all the federal open-flame standards. Approximately $1,700 to $4,400 (queen size), at New Living, 6111 Kirby Dr., 713.521.1921. Information organicpedicbyomi.com.

New Design Books for the Spring

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:20:28 GMT

Duane Hampton, the wife of late decorator Mark Hampton, has written Mark Hampton: An American Decorator (Rizzoli, $60). This thorough and engaging look at Hampton%26#8217;s career includes his charming watercolors and photographs of some of his most important commissions, from his early years in the mid-%26#8217;60s through 1998.

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Photographer Todd Selby and his Selby series, which was first posted on his Web site, theselby.com, have taken the art, fashion and design worlds by storm. This voyeuristic, nosy project reveals how Selby finds interesting, creative people and shoots them in their homes %26#8212; wrinkled sheets, taxidermy, spare parts and all. Snoop for yourself inside his first book, The Selby is in Your Place (Abrams, $35).

Coming Up Boxwoods

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:10:14 GMT

It%26#8217;s all about boxwoods this summer %26#8212; from Wayne Smith%26#8217;s jeweled boxwood topiary brooch, 3 1/2 inches high, in mixed-color sapphires, tourmalines and garnets with a citrine, blue topaz and aquamarine jardini%26#232;re ($9,500), to Thompson + Hanson%26#8217;s dried topiary balls ($35 to $205 each), which just need spritzing once a month to keep them fresh, and the chicest little restaurant in town, Tiny Boxwood%26#8217;s.

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Jeweled topiary boxwood brooch designed by Wayne Smith, at Smith %26amp; Co., 2736-D Virginia, 713.524.1000. Dried topiary balls at Thompson + Hanson shop, 3600 W. Alabama, 713.622.6973. Tiny Boxwood%26#8217;s cafe, 3614 W. Alabama, 713.622.4224.

Florals Even a Bauhaus Lover Could Love

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:37:14 GMT

These are not your mother%26#8217;s flowers (though that is where Camilla David divined her inspiration). Unfurl a garden of enlightened roses, gardenias, tulips and vartouli, all designed by an art-history maven turned theater director %26#8212; which explains her %26#8220;flair for the dramatic,%26#8221; says camilladavidtextiles.com. (Our kind of gal.) David%26#8217;s spare, chic florals and dots look romantic at first, but move in closer and you discover that they channel modernists like Mackintosh, even Lichtenstein. The contemporary cottons and linens make their Texas debut here, to the trade, at I.D. Collection.

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Image: Gardens for the zeitgeist: Camilla David%26#8217;s elegant fabrics with edge.

Our Secret Source Uncovered

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:57:13 GMT

When PaperCity published several projects by interior designer Jon Green (including his own Montrose abode), we couldn%26#8217;t help noticing that he mentioned Designer%26#8217;s Furniture Mfg. in nearly every photo credit. But it wasn%26#8217;t until we journeyed to owner David Longwood%26#8217;s expansive new 38,000-square-foot warehouse that we could wrap our heads around what these amazing artisans can create. After 20 years building custom upholstery and case goods for residential and commercial clients, Longwood longed to house his craftsmen under one roof; he found the ideal space situated between the city%26#8217;s two decorative centers. This fully appointed, to-the-trade resource can, within six to eight weeks (eight to 12 for cabinetry production), bring to reality any napkin sketch or interior musing. In fact, the hush-hush list of decorators and architects nationwide who commission Longwood to carry out their visions is astonishing %26#8212; a who%26#8217;s who of the design trade. At any time, you%26#8217;ll find inspiring sample pieces both new and very old, such as tufted banquettes, slipper and lounge chairs, headboards detailed with hand-hammered nail heads and an intricate mirror frame covered in Fortuny fabric. Then there are the custom-made case goods: hardwood furniture, from chests to dining tables and hand-carved dining chairs %26#8212; just a smattering of what Longwood%26#8217;s talented crew can create. Each piece is made from the ground up of select kiln-dried lumber (ash, walnut, alder, maple or popular) by this team of 30 artisans, craftsmen and upholsterers. And did we mention monograms? Marsha Henshaw at DFM can produce intricate initials on the backs of your upholstered dining chairs, throw pillows, towels %26#8212; anything you can imagine. 5821 Westview Dr., 713.973.0315; designersfurnituremfg.com.

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Image above: David Longwood

Image below: Marsha Henshaw; credit: Jenny Antill

Fuzzy Was He

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:02:45 GMT

A recent opening at Peel Gallery featured French-born, Houston-based impresario Frank Fuzzy, who creates under the moniker Frank Fuzzy Paris, and launched a velvet wall-couture collection. The Peel show followed the big buzz generated by Fuzzy%26#8217;s debut at the 2009 International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, which led to high-profile commissions including a design job for the W Hotel, Hollywood. Talk about wall drama %26#8230;%26nbsp;What caught our eye was the velvet flocking%26#8217;s assured attitude, which raids decorative-art history and puts a spin on time periods from Baroque 17th-century France to the clean-lined 1960s geometric aesthetic in Fuzzy%26#8217;s refined contemporary palette %26#8212; think light gray, purple, ghostly blue, soft green and black. Fuzzy%26#8217;s velvet is imported from France, then manufactured into vinyl-backed rolls in Houston. $25 to $50 per square foot including installation; custom designs available; through frankfuzzyparis.com.

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Image: Photo by Shau Lin Hon.

Matt Camron Rugs %26 Tapestries

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:05:34 GMT

Like father, like daughter %26#8212; or so is the case of Sarah Esfahani, the doe-eyed offspring following in the footsteps of her dad Matt Esfahani, owner of Houston-based Matt Camron Rugs %26amp; Tapestries, which is celebrating 30 years in business. Their half-dozen showrooms (in Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Denver and Scottsdale) mostly do business direct to the design trade, but those building a house or yearning for antique or replica rugs are welcome to shop sans decorator at the Sackett locale. Educated as an engineer, Persian-born Esfahani began collecting antique textiles with his wife Jennifer decades ago while traveling to Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and Turkey %26#8212; the same terrain he now frequents to replicate rare 18th- and 19th-century antique rugs created with vegetable-dyed yarn and age-old weaving techniques. (As a member of the MFAH%26#8217;s committee for the development of the new Islamic art wing, he even has a hand in selecting possible acquisitions). Now he%26#8217;s bringing the next generation into his business: He tutors his prot%26#233;g%26#233;/daughter in everything from museum-quality Aubussons to casual, beach-friendly cotton dhurries, to six-figure Oushaks. 2702 Sackett, 713.528.2666; mattcamron.com.

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Image, above: Matt Camron Rugs %26amp; Tapestries.

Image, below: Matt Esfahani, Sarah Esfahani; photo by Jenny Antill.

Spring Follies

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:01:24 GMT

We%26#8217;ve simply mad for the last two warm-weather collections created by Z Gallerie. Yes, this wonderfully affordable chain, chockablock with home accessories, is tempting us to throw a summer soir%26#233;e, perhaps under Z Gallerie%26#8217;s crisp black-and-white-striped Venezia Pavilion (a steal at $599). Imagine dressing up an infinity pool by the rose garden with exotic fuchsia-hued Casablanca lanterns (also available in black or lemon, if you must; $8 to $15 each). They%26#8217;d look lovely paired with these wonderful, lacy Shangri-La umbrellas ($159 each). And what, pray tell, shall we serve? Apricot nectar and pinot grigio white sangr%26#237;a would look gorgeous dispensed from Z%26#8217;s Duo Glass Beverage Dispenser ($70), don%26#8217;t you think?At Z Gallerie.

A Life Behind the Lens

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:36:35 GMT

Longtime subscribers to Vogue recognize the still lifes and fashion photography of Irving Penn, one of the storied mag%26#8217;s most prolific contributors. On Wednesday, April 14, Christie%26#8217;s New York brings fans an opportunity to own some of his rarest pieces. The auction, %26#8220;Three Decades with Irving Penn: Photographs from the Collection of Patricia McCabe,%26#8221; expunges the archives of his trusted personal assistant %26#8212; a total of 67 works, which the shy, reserved artist gifted to McCabe during their 30-year working relationship. Accompanied with affectionate inscriptions, the largely platinum prints include not only Penn%26#8217;s iconic still lifes, but also tribal images, cigarette photographs, a self-portrait and street scenes captured during his extensive travels with Vogue. Unique indeed, many lots are estimated to catch from $20,000 to $150,000 each when the hammer comes down. Information christies.com.

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Image:%26nbsp; Irving Penn%26#8217;s Hell%26#8217;s Angel: Doug, 1967, estimated $18,000 to $22,000; photo courtesy Christie%26#8217;s Images Ltd., 2010; %26#169; The Irving Penn Foundation.

The Stately Outdoors

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:38:47 GMT

As the weather warms, we%26#8217;re transfixed by Restoration Hardware Garden%26#8217;s new outdoor furnishings and accessories collection. The zinc Selene tapered planter with a portrait of the Greek goddess of the moon %26#8212; a touch inspired by a fin-de-si%26#232;cle English garden sculpture %26#8212; would be perfect for repotting the olive tree. The furnishings and objets are handcrafted by artisans around the world, including Azobe planters made of reclaimed wood from Belgium, zinc containers from Bulgaria with a beautiful chalky patina, and clay pots and planters that will age with a brushing of moss. For more, pick up a catalog or log onto restorationhardware.com.

Design Buzz

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:57:27 GMT

Have you heard? Tara Shaw Antiques, the New Orleans import, now sells retail, as well as to the trade. No more cajoling your decorating friends to take you along on their next scouting trip %26#8212; now you, too, can stroll in anytime and feast your eyes on Shaw%26#8217;s extraordinary European antiques mixed masterfully with her reproduction line, Tara Shaw Maison.

Bath Inspired

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:48:40 GMT

Julie Koch %26#8212; owner of Elegant Additions, emporium of all wonderful fixtures and hardware for the bath and kitchen %26#8212; has installed a Kallista boutique showcasing the faucets, tubs and lavatories designed for Kallista by interior greats Barbara Barry, Michael S. Smith, Bill Sofield and Laura Kirar. J%26#8217;adore Smith%26#8217;s For Town collection basin set with French-crystal cross handles inspired by cinematic architecture of the %26#8217;30s and %26#8217;40s, and Barbara Barry%26#8217;s Tuxedo collection inspired by antique sterling flatware. It%26#8217;s The Connaught with a splash of Crillon. To the trade at Elegant Additions, 2426 Bartlett, 713.522.0088.

Dazzling Design Days (and Nights)

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:49:20 GMT

After more than a decade of hosting the ultimate mid-century shopathon, Lawndale Art Center has rebranded Modern Market Weekend. You%26#8217;ll still be able to peruse and acquire from your fave %26#8216;50s- and %26#8216;60s-era dealers %26#8212;%26nbsp;Cool Stuff Houston, Don Browne, Lackey/Prince, Coronation Vintage, Metro Modern, Gen%26#8217;s Antiques and Replay on 19th Street %26#8212; but now LAC is bursting into the 21st century with the debut of %26#8220;Design Fair 2010. Learn. Shop. Connect,%26#8221; April 21 through 25, at the nonprofit%26#8217;s Museum District digs. Alongside timeless offerings by Bertoia, Nelson, Eames and Saarinen, watch for new design denizens Peel Gallery and Exquisite Corpse Booksellers, as well as a special Texas Co-Op section where Tootsies main man Mickey Rosmarin curates coveted objects by emerging Texas creative types such as MoMA-stocked jeweler Melissa Borrell and furnishings maestro David Tsai. Internationally celebrated interiors architect Lauren Rottet (the founding principal of Rottet Studio) launches the Fair with a free lecture, %26#8220;Conversations on the Future of Design,%26#8221; on Wednesday, April 21, 7 pm. The Preview Party on Friday, April 23 (6 pm; dress Don Draper chic; tickets $75, LAC members $60, also includes weekend admission) offers a first chance to peruse and collect. Then shop Fair days on Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25, 10 am to 5 pm; admission is $5. Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main St., 713.528.5858; lawndaleartcenter.org.

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Image: Melissa Borrell%26#8217;s Pop-Out Pendant

Materials Marketing

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:54:16 GMT

Keys to the Door: Manager Holly Pizzitola.
Stocked Goods: You really can%26#8217;t imagine all the marvelous applications you can create with stone, mosaics, ceramics, metal and glass until you stroll into the gleaming new Materials Marketing showroom on West Gray and let your imagination (not to mention your architect%26#8217;s) wander. Relocated recently to a sleek building between Montrose and River Oaks, this to-the-trade design resource also happens to be the oldest, largest and only fully integrated stone maker in the United States. Fancy a new hearth or a regal entrance with limestone columns, staircase and balustrades? Or maybe you%26#8217;ve decided you can%26#8217;t live another day with that tired %26#8217;80s bathroom, when Carrara marble entices you so? Walk in with a mind wide open to the possibilities, then ponder the design directions you can take to your home. 1335 W. Gray St., 713.960.8601; mstoneandtile.com.

Fixtures %26 Fittings

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:50:22 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Aaron Laine.

Stocked Goods: Interior designer and bath fixtures/hardware expert Aaron Laine has put out his own shingle at a sixth-story suite in a Kirby mid-rise. The nearly 1,300-square-foot, to-the-trade showroom reflects his affection for classic faucets and fittings; Laine, who was with Waterworks in Houston, has a unique expertise in all things bath-, plumbing- and hardware-related. He describes his role in this specialized trade-oriented business as someone integral to the design process, who sits down with designers or architects and their clients to map out a plan for the bath they%26#8217;ve always desired. While he has an affinity for pieces whose historical references are true to their place in design history, Laine often juxtaposes jewelry-like fittings from French and English lines with sleek, modern fixtures. He can customize many of the items for one%26#8217;s particular domestic circumstance. Whatever the customer wants, this pro can meld it together seamlessly. To make selections, appointments are recommended. 3801 Kirby Dr., Suite 601, 713.808.9069; fixturesfittings.com.

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Image: Aaron Laine; photo by Jenny Antill.

André the (Genteel) Giant

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:35:52 GMT

Few names send every decorati we know into the same, fluttery faint. (Opinions are usually wildly diametric; points of view are often oh-so-opposed.) But on Andr%26#233; Arbus, they all agree: Nobody did more purely elegant 1930s and %26#8217;40s furniture than he, a third-generation French cabinetmaker by trade. Imagine the collective keeling over, then, at the news of Baker%26#8217;s tightly edited collection %26#8212;%26nbsp;debuting this spring %26#8212; of Arbus masterpieces, from highly cosmopolitan settees and chairs to exuberant tables for books and cocktails. There are lamps, desks and cabinets, too, all with the unmistakable Arbus imprint %26#8212; a quiet sophistication spun with a bit of glamour. His mantra? %26#8220;A beautiful piece of furniture is beautiful anywhere.%26#8221; See? Another thing on which we can all agree. At Baker and Meredith O'Donnell Fine Furniture.

André the (Genteel) Giant

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:35:09 GMT

Light Up

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:31:32 GMT

Leave it to the brilliant Brits at Jo Malone, maker of alluring fragrances, and Farrow %26amp; Ball, the blue-chip paint of the British blue bloods (and then some), to create this inspired collaboration of limited-edition candles. F%26amp;B%26#8217;s subtle sense of color and historic, estate-inspired hues are the perfect match for Jo Malone%26#8217;s signature aromas. Think Lime Basil %26amp; Mandarin, dressed here in F%26amp;B%26#8217;s Breakfast Room Green; Wild Fig %26amp; Cassis in the color Pelt; Pomegranate Noir in racy Eating Room Red (perfect for your library); Blue Agava %26amp; Cacao in cool Oval Room Blue; and Grapefruit in richly hued Cream (we%26#8217;re reminded of Devonshire). $65, exclusively at Neiman Marcus.

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Image: Photo by Jenny Antill

Other People’s Lives

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:33:33 GMT

Five stately stunners %26#8212; on the good streets: Arcady, Beverly, Southwestern, Drexel and Harvard %26#8212; will have their doors flung open on Saturday, April 10, from 10 am to 4 pm. It%26#8217;s all about history, of course, on this eighth annual peek sponsored by the Park Cities Historic %26amp; Preservation Society, but isn%26#8217;t it a little bit about seeing how the neighbors are decorating with their Hockneys and their Hepplewhite? See you there. Advance tickets $15 at Tom Thumb and Simon David stores in the Park Cities; $20 at any of the houses on tour day. Information 214.528.0021; pchps.org.

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Image: 3510 Drexel Drive, one of five Park Cities manses on tour Saturday, April 10; photo by Danny Piassick.

What Gerald and Sarah Might’ve Sunned Upon

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:30:42 GMT

We can see it now: Pi%26#241;a coladas with the Picassos, gin fizzes with the Fitzgeralds. American bon vivants Sarah and Gerald Murphy were consummate hosts to all the best writers and artists in the %26#8217;20s, at their sun-kissed villa in Cap d%26#8217;Antibes. Which is why we can also see them all lounging about on the graphic stripes and florals of Link Design Solutions. Penned by brothers Doug and Gene Meyer (Doug is an alum of top art gallery Holly Solomon; Gene%26#8217;s eponymous, color-drenched fashion line won him two CFDA awards), the new Link line includes everything from MoMA-worthy zinnias to avant-garde doodles that might%26#8217;ve come from the hand of Jackson Pollock. Better still, the fabrics are woven of soft, solution-dyed acrylic, to withstand sun and splash %26#8212; and the occasional flying gin fizz. To the trade at George Cameron Nash; linkdesignsolutions.com.

Social Whirl

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:27:19 GMT

Our Smythson is bursting at the social seams. We begin with the Houston Grand Opera%26#8217;s The Rose Ball, Saturday, April 10, at the Wortham, honoring Lynn Wyatt; Denise and Philip Bahr chair (Gulya Pircher, gpircher@houstongrandopera.org) ... The next week, we%26#8217;ll be at the Heroes %26amp; Handbags Brunch, Friday, April 16, at River Oaks Country Club, chaired by Alissa Steppe Maples, with honorary chair PaperCity%26#8217;s Holly Moore. Acquire a spring bag while helping families with children undergoing cancer treatment (Mimi Bates, mbates@heroesforchildren.org) ... Saturday, April 17, begins with tykes on the runway: Houston Symphony League%26#8217;s Fashion Show and Brunch Presented by Neiman Marcus at the Junior League, chaired by Mary Ann McKeithan and Betty Tutor (Laura Woods, laura.woods@houstonsymphony.org). The evening segues into the Society for the Performing Arts Gala with an inventive Rockin%26#8217; the Blues motif at the Wortham, chaired by Georgia and Michael Foulard, honoring Ginni and Michael Mithoff (Priscilla Larson, 713.632.8104) ... Lawndale Art Center%26#8217;s rebranded Design Fair starts a week later with the Preview Party chaired by Vernon Caldera on Friday, April 23, honoring Paula Murphy, followed by the Saturday and Sunday shopathon, April 24 and 25, chaired by Eleanor Williams and Adam Gibson, all at LAC (Karen Olds, kolds@lawndaleartcenter.org) %26#8230; We%26#8217;ll trade Mad Men threads for black tie at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston%26#8217;s Fresh Treads Gala and After Party co-chaired by Judith Oudt with Brittney and Max Tribble, at the CAMH (Amanda Bredbenner, abredbenner@camh.org) ... Don your Western finery for the Cattle Baron%26#8217;s Ball, %26#8220;Get Your Kicks on Route 66,%26#8221; at the George Ranch on Saturday, April 24 (cattlebaronsball.org) ... Wrap up the month with a flourish at the Blaffer Gallery Gala on Friday, April 30 %26#8212; an evening of %26#8220;Abracadabra%26#8221; at the Art Museum of the University of Houston, chaired by Sue and John Porretto and honoring Lisa and Russell Sherrill (Susan Conaway, seconaway@uh.edu) ... On Saturday, May 3, Holocaust Museum Houston%26#8217;s 2010 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner at Hilton Americas-Houston, chaired by Heidi and David Gerger, honors author and activist John Prendergast (hmhdinner@hmh.org).

Calendar Whirl

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:01:38 GMT

%26#8216;Tis finally the season for seersucker and sundresses, so fill your Herm%26#232;s agenda with these spring f%26#234;tes. First in line: The Dallas International Film Festival, April 8 through 18. Movie premieres and celebs will make their way to the Angelika Film Center, Landmark Magnolia and the like (214.720.0555; dallasfilm.org) %26#8230; Prada totes and quilted Chanels await you on Friday, April 9, when PaperCity sponsors Heroes for Children%26#8217;s Heroes and Handbags brunch at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas (214.256.5824; heroesforchildren.org) %26#8230; On Tuesday, April 13, scurry to Union Station for New Friends New Life%26#8217;s WINGS Luncheon to meet New York Times best-selling author Greg Mortensen (214.965.0935; newfriendsnewlife.org) %26#8230; Think Abacus fare and a fab silent auction at The Nature Conservancy%26#8217;s Dallas Spring Party on Friday, April 16, at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (214.823.1828) %26#8230; Modern-day Gatsbys must attend the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Young Friends%26#8217; annual fund-raiser on Friday, April 16. PaperCity is sponsoring the speakeasy-themed event (214.624.5363; rmhdallas.org) %26#8230; Lace up to help the Dallas Art Dealers Association (DADA) kick off its 25th anniversary celebration with the Spring Gallery Walk on Saturday, April 17 (dallasartdealers.org) %26#8230; Then head to the Hotel Palomar for dinner at the Celebrity Waiter Gala benefitting the Child Abuse Prevention Center (toltmanns@excap.org; excap.org) %26#8230; The Dallas Museum of Art%26#8217;s Art Ball is back on Saturday, April 24. Chaired by Melissa Fetter and sponsored by PaperCity, the gala will feature a Neiman Marcus silent auction boutique and exhibit opening (214.922.1353; jwisler@dallasmuseumofart.org) %26#8230; Next, the Alzheimer%26#8217;s Association tips its hat to Dallas Cowboy legend Don Meredith at its A.W.A.R.E. Luncheon on Wednesday, April 28, at The Fairmont Dallas hotel (214.827.0062; alzdallas.org) %26#8230; Bookish ones will gather at Brook Hollow Golf Club on Thursday, April 29, for the Chick Lit Luncheon benefitting Community Partners of Dallas, with special guest author Jen Lancaster (communitypartnersdallas.org) %26#8230; March to Neiman Marcus Downtown on Thursday, April 29, for Stiletto Strut. Lynn McBee and Anne Stodghill are chairing the PaperCity-sponsored event, where strutters will stroll around the fashionable flagship to benefit the American Heart Association (214.712.1307; jennifer.howell@heart.org) %26#8230; Wrap up a whirlwind April with the Cattle Baron%26#8217;s Ball Casino Corral on Friday, April 30, at Trece Mexican Kitchen %26amp; Tequila Lounge.%26nbsp; (214.443.9222; cattlebaronsball.com).

Letter from the Editor

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:29:45 GMT

The sounds of silence are not always what they%26#8217;re hyped to be. The hammers and saws have stopped at our newly remodeled home, and we%26#8217;re moving out of Hotel Granduca, my residence for four months, and into the valet-less, housekeeping-challenged new house. No more room service, no ever-ready bar and piano player downstairs. (There is a bar in the house, but it%26#8217;s not impeccably stocked. Where%26#8217;s that seltzer when you need it?) So, ready or not, the dapper green moving trucks from Crowded House Services are on their way.

In a bigger move than mine, Mickey Rosmarin moves Tootsies down the street from Highland Village Shopping Center to the spanking new West Ave, corner of Westheimer and Kirby. I wish I were moving into 34,000 square feet and had all those clothes in my closet! Rosmarin and the powers at Gensler have been huddling 24/7 over plans for the delicious new design. Their move is scheduled for first of January 2011; until then, the HV store is open, brimming and bustling.

Still on the subject of momentum %26#8230; I%26#8217;ve just come out of a meeting with a dynamite Galveston-focused group: Dancie Ware and Marta Fredricks from Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations (Ware lives in and is heavily involved in all things Galveston); Armin Cantini, VP of the Galveston Arts Center; Alexandra Irvine, exec director of the Galveston Arts Center; and Steph McDougal with McDoux Preservation. These phoenixes are saving Galveston%26#8217;s historical buildings from the ashes right and left. Of course, Galveston has a beach and Schlitterbahn, but the gravitas %26#8212; the strength of the city %26#8212; lies in its historical architecture and arts. And that is exactly where our special Galveston section in PaperCity in May will focus.

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Image credit: Fulton Davenport, pwlstudio.com

Urban Speed

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:36:52 GMT

The big auto show only comes around once a year, so for those craving four-wheel adrenaline on a regular basis, Urban Speed may be your checkered flag. This auto spectacle and social event invites owners and spectators of exotics, imports, classics and muscle cars to come park for a few hours and chat with other like-minded motorheads. On any given second Sunday of the month, you%26#8217;ll find vast quantities of cars, from Lamborghinis to Cobras, plus a few exotics from the garage of Vinod Ramani, the founder of Urban Speed and owner of Urban Living, whose headquarters is across the street from where the cars gather, and who graciously offers food and drink to the motorheads and anyone else who zips in. Urban Speed, 5023 Washington, 10 am to 2 pm every second Sunday of the month; urbanspeed.com.

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Image credit: Danh Phan

HADA Antiques Spring Fling

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:35:44 GMT

The Houston Antiques Dealers Association holds its biannual Spring Antiques Show %26amp; Sale %26#8212;%26nbsp;the oldest antiques show in the country %26#8212; Friday through Sunday, March 5 through 7, with 150 prominent dealers from around the world setting up wares at the George R. Brown Convention Center. We%26#8217;re intrigued by the American Society of Interior Designers booth, which will offer 15-minute, one-on-one %26#8220;Ask a Designer%26#8221; Q%26amp;As for the public (complimentary but by appointment only). Proceeds from the event benefit the Houston Heritage Society and Houston Junior Forum. Tickets $10 at the door. To book an %26#8220;Ask a Designer%26#8221; appointment, visit asidtgcc.org. Information hadaantiques.com.

Bows and Arrows

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:08:58 GMT

Recent Brooklyn transports Adam and Alicia Rico are far from ordinary. Charming? Yes. Enviably crafty? Indeed. The husband-and-wife team%26#8217;s new shop, Bows and Arrows? Just as lovely. The former photo-shoot producer (Adam) and floral designer extraordinaire (Alicia) recently opened their store on lower Greenville Avenue, just across from Lula B%26#8217;s and Isabella Collection Design Studio. The concept is one part flower shop and another part art space, with a stash of delightful gifts scattered throughout %26#8212; think vintage milk-glass pieces, lambskin baby shoes, even dainty handmade wooden brooches with hand-embroidered embellishments. The flower component functions much like a candy store: Select your fleur of choice from vases perched atop vintage tables and Alicia will style a creation. But don%26#8217;t expect to find your everyday bouquet of roses here: Alicia utilizes unique flowers to create beautiful and distinctive arrangements. Her fave blooms? Brunia, dusty miller, Craspedia billy balls and ranunculus. She%26#8217;s even been known to remove the petals from tiny sunflowers to achieve a more unexpected shape. Rounding out the triad of creative endeavors is the Ricos%26#8217; acute eye for art, via monthly art shows featuring emerging artists and even an enormous Andy Warhol photograph on glass, watching over things from behind the back counter. 1925 Greenville Ave.214.828.2697; bowsandarrowsdeluxe.com.

Image: Photo by Adam Rico

Pome

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:04:30 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Summer Guerra and Jamie Swartz.

Fruits of Fashion Labor: What do you get when two longtime friends combine their %26#252;ber-stylish aesthetic with an affinity for pomegranates? The answer is Pome (pronounced as in %26#8220;pom-pom%26#8221;), an on-trend women%26#8217;s clothing and accessory boutique at The Plaza at Preston Center. With more than 10 years%26#8217; buying experience at Merge, Tootsies and LFT, Jamie Swartz joined forces with bff Summer Guerra %26#8212; a new mom and former law student %26#8212; to jump-start a new shop. Here, classic rock hums from the speakers and the vibe is West Coast ease, with rolling racks filled with thoughtfully chosen pieces from Sass %26amp; Bide, Kimberly Ovitz, Lotta Stensson, Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood and more. For accessories addicts, baubles by Erickson Beamon and handbags by Kara Ross top Pome%26#8217;s travertine tables. The sassy architectural design? Guerra and Swartz dreamt it up themselves. (We made note of a pair of vintage chairs from Again %26amp; Again, and of the hot-pink floral wallpaper in the dressing rooms.) The second-floor loft is clever, too, outfitted with leather couches, a flat-screen TV and an enormous fitting room for more personal shopping. Is that your wardrobe we see growing? 8320 Preston Center Plaza Dr. (in The Plaza at Preston Center)214.361.0968.

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Image: Kara Ross, exclusively in Dallas at Pome

Dueling Designers

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:41:09 GMT

Interior designers Renea Abbott, Chandos Dodson and Michael Stribling are battling for the title of best decorator as part of Redesigning Downtown: A Style Competition at One Park Place. The trio will unveil the one-bedroom apartments they%26#8217;ve designed at this high-rise residential property, and you%26#8217;re invited to play design-star judge. Starting February 17, take a tour (Wednesday through Saturday for a limited time, noon to 5 pm), then cast your ballot for your favorite. We%26#8217;ll announce the results in our pages. Tours $10; all proceeds benefit Discovery Green. Info 713.868.5933; oneparkplacehouston.com.

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Image: Chandos Dodson, Renea Abbott, Michael Stribling

Letter from the Publisher

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:33:58 GMT

I was having an interesting e-mail conversation the other day with a friend who is also a client. I was telling him that our business is already up substantially for 2010. I said, %26#8220;Everyone has hit %26#8216;reset%26#8217; and now%26#8217;s the time to draw on our years of experience and seize the upside!%26#8221; He responded, %26#8220;Amen, brother.%26#8221; Then I reflected: We%26#8217;ve learned a lot in the past 16 years about how to grow our clients%26#8217; brands %26#8212; and businesses %26#8212; and now is the time to help them grow out of that pesky recession. We have an uncommon set of assets that we can activate: highly edited direct mail and e-mail lists; sponsorships and cause-marketing opportunities (and the pre- and post-coverage in print and online that comes with those); sampling; creative and print services; oh, and traditional advertising %26#8212;%26nbsp;it%26#8217;s hard not to have impact by having an ad in 85,000 issues each month in the most popular luxury publication in town. Plus, new online opportunities at papercitymag.com can cement the power of the message. In collaboration with our Web partners, we are also set to offer Web and eCommerce integration. (Dear business owner: It%26#8217;s about sales!) What makes these assets so uncommon and so valuable is that they are all linked to a media brand that is synonymous with luxury, quality and integrity. If you are judged by the company you keep, then associating your brand with PaperCity brings immense value and tells the reader, %26#8220;If you love this publication, you%26#8217;ll love what I have to offer.%26#8221; That%26#8217;s so PaperCity.

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Image: Jim Kastleman. Photo by Jenny Antill.

Letter from the Editor

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:38:36 GMT

In PaperCity this month, you%26#8217;ll see a new style page called %26#8220;The Curatorial Eye,%26#8221; which is curated this time by our stylish and classically elegant features editor, Laurann Claridge. The premise of this page is to engage an interesting person to edit a list of objects, places, books, film, food, etc. that he or she must have around them %26#8212;%26nbsp;not people, world peace or good health, but unapologetically things that one loves, as small as a blossom or as encompassing as a favored mountain to hike.

The key is enlisting people whose tastes one truly cares about %26#8212; people you might just want to emulate a bit. %26#8220;The Curatorial Eye%26#8221; will appear periodically, but I would love for readers to make their own lists and e-mail them to me at holly@papercitymag.com. The most interesting will be printed online, to inspire us all.

Herewith, my own list of objects and places I cannot %26#8212; or would rather not %26#8212; live without:
%26#8226; Rigaud Cypr%26#232;s candles
%26#8226; Vintage David Webb
%26#8226; Deyrolle in Paris
%26#8226; Climbing roses
%26#8226; %26#8217;40s portraits by unknown artists
%26#8226; Avocado, egg and cheese breakfast tacos at Tiny Boxwood%26#8217;s
%26#8226; Chanel No. 5
%26#8226; Roberta di Camerino velvet handbags
%26#8226; Roger Vivier pilgrim-buckle flats
%26#8226; Vintage design books, especially those by David Hicks
%26#8226; Bal %26#224; Versailles perfume
%26#8226; Nickel plating
%26#8226; Vitabath Original Spring Green
%26#8226; Curtis Jere metal sculpture

%26#8226; Woodstock, Vermont

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Image: Holly Moore. Photo by Fulton Davenport, pwlstudio.com

Form

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:03:38 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Buddy Hradecky and Chris Thurman.

Good Shape: Yes, there are a handful of mid-century icons mixed in, but co-owner Buddy Hradecky likes things %26#8220;a little funkier.%26#8221; A longtime master of modernism (he%26#8217;s dealt in all things groovy for decades and was a former owner of Century Modern), Hradecky and biz partner Chris Thurman (he of Sputnik Modern, both the online and the bricks-and-mortar versions) have joined super-friends powers at Form, where you%26#8217;ll see precious little Eames and Saarinen. Instead? Shapely, sexy, B-side modernism, from eight tall Milo Baughman canework dining chairs to a stunning duo of glossy burlwood credenzas to a glass-and-brass dining table that is more an architectural octopus than a piece of furniture. Stirred in are sinuous sculptures, crafty lamps, framed art, even a set of vintage medical jars (tongue depressors, anyone?). We loved the set of hot-purple tubular Mandarin chairs by Memphis god Ettore Sottsass and the fetching little leggy side table by Gideon Kramer, the same gent who designed swoopy chairs for the Space Needle in Seattle, for the 1962 World%26#8217;s Fair. Indeed, funky has found its Dallas digs. 1900-A N. Henderson Ave., 214.515.9448; formdallas.com.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

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Image: Photo by Rob Brinkley

We Are 1976

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:04:58 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Vynsie, Derek and Jully Law.

Curiously Cultural: How%26#8217;s this for fresh goods: sleek radios made of ebony wood, dinnerware festooned with origami cranes, a recycled-metal necklace sporting a handgun and USB memory sticks that are, well, real wooden sticks. Sister-brother team Vynsie and Derek Law and Derek%26#8217;s former wife Jully Law have curated a refreshing collection of accessories, gifts, jewelry and books for those with %26#8220;a mad case of cultural curiosity.%26#8221; Translation? Hard-to-find wares from Japan, Italy, The Netherlands, you name it, all with a handcrafted, sustainable, witty and sometimes subversive bent. Mixed with the clever note cards, tea sets and chicken-feet salt-and-pepper shakers (told you this stuff was subversive) are twisted little toys, from Moofia thugs to moles to Mimobots. (Bet you%26#8217;ll be looking those up like we did.) What%26#8217;s more, the Jullys %26#8212; two of whom were born in 1976, hence the shop%26#8217;s moniker %26#8212; are mounting exhibits of local artists (bravo!) and holding workshops for budding artists, too, from bookmaking (Thursday, February 4) to calligraphy lessons (Wednesday, February 10). Book your class ASAP %26#8212; and don%26#8217;t forget to take home a Mimobot. 1902 N. Henderson Ave.214.821.1976; weare1976.com.

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Image: Kyouei Design at We Are 1976. Photo by Kyouei Design.

Lula B's West

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:05:50 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owners Patrick Springer and Maryann Kaylor.

Vintage Times Two: We love two of anything %26#8212; so we fell back in our Bertoias when we knew that Lula B%26#8217;s Antique Mall, the Lower Greenville haunt for high-style vintage everything, was opening a second outpost, this one cozied up to the Design District. %26#8220;Cool stuff for cool people,%26#8221; trumpets the sign over the new door, a portal that opens onto 12,000 warehouse-y square feet of period furnishings and fashion. Art Deco? Check. Mid-century mod? Got it. Oil paintings? Of course. There are fur coats, vintage boots and costume jewelry, too. We know that the city%26#8217;s top stylists will always trawl the aisles at the original locale (even the design team from Barneys New York loaded up on furniture there to prop the Dallas store), so Lula B%26#8217;s West is certainly going into the GPS systems of all those same aesthetes. Yes indeed, it%26#8217;s going to be quite a cat fight for those Rococo lamps and r%26#233;camiers. 1010 N. Riverfront Blvd. (formerly Industrial Blvd.)214.749.1929; lula-bs.com.

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Image: Find your mid-century masterpiece (and much more) at Lula B's West.

Pierre Deux

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:37:49 GMT

Keys to the Door: Manager Jessica Salmons.

Stocked Goods: Looking for a little slice of French provincial life? Lost in a lavender-scented reverie reminiscing about your last jaunt to the South of France, where you dined on bouillabaisse and a chilly ros%26#233; at lunch and walked around charming villages from Arles to Avignon? Francophiles all over the city are delirious at the return of Pierre Deux. (If you recall, the brand took up residence here many years ago at the Pavilion on Post Oak, and fans of the look have waited patiently for its return ever since.) Here at the newly opened store in Highland Village (in the former Waterworks space), you%26#8217;ll find everything from country French furnishings to Pierre Deux%26#8217;s famous Pistou print fabric (and its myriad variations) by the yard, fashioned into everything from bedding to the brand%26#8217;s recognizable brightly patterned, quilted bags. Accessorize authentically with hefty pewter pieces that look like they%26#8217;ve been handed down for generations, lamps, Aubusson-style rugs, green-glass olive bottles and one-of-a-kind faience (painted pottery). Highland Village Shopping Center, 4003 Westheimer Road, 713.622.8686; pierredeux.com.

Duvall, Bacall, We Want to Hear Them All

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:11:42 GMT

Witness a one-on-one conversation at the Nasher Sculpture Center between an A-list creative and an esteemed journalist or arts expert? Count us in. The 2010 NasherSALON Speaker Series features intimate conversations with cultural icons, all moderated by ones who can talk the arty talk %26#8212; yourself included, as an audience Q%26amp;A session is an element of the program. The season opens with actor and director Robert Duvall on Thursday, January 21, and continues on Thursdays with actress Lauren Bacall on March 11, singer Gladys Knight on June 17, composer Stephen Sondheim on September 16, and journalist Jim Lehrer on November 18. With only 200 seats in Nasher Hall, and a ticket price of $65 for adults ($50 for members), we%26#8217;ll be reserving a seat sooner than later. Information nashersculpturecenter.org/salon.

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Images: NasherSALON Speaker Series; Lauren Bacall%26nbsp;

William-Christopher Design

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:04:53 GMT

Keys to the Door: Design partners Ty Burks and Christopher Ridolfi.

Urbane Jumble: It%26#8217;s rather like visiting the home of the best-accessorized friend you know %26#8212; not bedecked in jewelry; we mean vases, books, lamps and trays %26#8212; and getting to take everything with you when you leave. Behold William-Christopher design, the new retail venture from erudite decorators Christopher Ridolfi and William %26#8220;Ty%26#8221; Burks, where the feel is far more %26#8220;chic bungalow%26#8221; than %26#8220;gift store.%26#8221; Part of the reason? The gents have moved into a 1911 warren of cozy rooms %26#8212; thick arches, timeworn floors, fireplace and all %26#8212; near Hector%26#8217;s on Henderson and have propped it with everything from oh-wow case goods to woolly pillows. In one room, an array of lamps, from antique to architectural. In another, warm leather desk accessories mixed with sleek trays that take Gucci%26#8217;s 1970s bamboo-handled aesthetic to glossy new heights. Interspersed throughout the handmade artisan wares %26#8212; loopy pillows from Los Angeles, organic vases from Denmark, even fallen limbs that have been scooped out at one end and lacquered into bowls %26#8212; you%26#8217;ll see Burks%26#8217; and Ridolfi%26#8217;s own line of chests, desks, sofas and chairs, all with the flair of Billy Haines cross-pollinated with the modernity of the mid-century. Go ahead, covet everything at your new friends%26#8217; house: With one swipe of the credit card, you get to have it all, too. (And P.S.: We predict that the boys%26#8217; turtle-logo shopping bags will become the must-have grocery totes in no time.) 2933 N. Henderson Ave., 214.528.3434; w-cdesign.com.

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The Royal Recline

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:13:53 GMT

If it%26#8217;s 1946 and you are a queen (of any kind), this is where you go down: the Du Roi Chaise, penned by third-generation French cabinetmaker Andr%26#233; Arbus. It%26#8217;s part of Baker%26#8217;s incredibly soign%26#233; new Arbus Collection, an assemblage of the master%26#8217;s lamps, cabinets, tables and seating, all voluptuous yet restrained %26#8212; which is why we kneel at the altar of Arbus today. The queen of Holland certainly understood: The Du Roi Chaise was waiting for her in her bedroom when she visited a certain little presidential palace in Paris. To the trade at Baker.

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Image:%26nbsp; At ease: Andre Arbus%26#8217; cast-bronze Du Rois Chaise

Sample Chic

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:06:25 GMT

If you%26#8217;re all about one-of-a-kinds and oddities, this may be the next address punched into your GPS. It%26#8217;s called Arteriors Too, where the %26#8220;Too%26#8221; means showroom samples and early prototypes of lamps, side tables, mirrors and more from Arteriors Home, the Dallas-based purveyor of lighting, accessories, occasional furniture and decorative art. Typically, Arteriors works only with the trade, but now%26#8217;s your chance to sashay right into its 1,600-square-foot cottage packed with more than 2,000 rarities %26#8212;%26nbsp;at surprisingly attractive price points %26#8212; and go home with a little something that the Joneses can%26#8217;t possibly have. Open Wednesday through Saturday; by appointment only Monday and Tuesday. 4811 W. Lovers Lane, 214.352.1920; arteriorshome.com.

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Image:%26nbsp; Red-hot recessionista: The Lola table at sample shop Arteriors Too, once $499, now $39. (Better hurry.)

The Frog at Home

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:35:01 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Lynne Averett, store manager Angela Wilhelm.
Stocked Goods: If you haven%26#8217;t deduced it from her shop%26#8217;s name, not only is owner Lynne Averett a Francophile, but she has a special fondness for animals (from the furry sort to the amphibian). The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston docent%26#8211;turned%26#8211;shopkeeper was schooled in the language fran%26#231;ais since the age of 10, and now she makes regular visits %26#8212; buying and otherwise %26#8212; to the city of lights. This is the second location for The Frog at Home; the first is in Galveston. Poised next door to the famed Avalon Diner, the Westheimer location offers traditional home furnishings, rugs, accessories, gifts and fine art. But Averett%26#8217;s specialty %26#8212; apropos in the heat of the Sunbelt %26#8212; is shade: all manner and make of window blinds and treatments. Think the entire array of Hunter Douglas shades and other names, too. You%26#8217;ll find gifts at every price point, from candles to whimsical plates, pillows and art by Leah Blasingame, Frances Leland, Michael Meadors and Jennifer Peck. 2427 Westheimer, 713.840.8849; frogathome.com.

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Image: Lynne Averett; photo by Jenny Antill

Vieux

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:39:42 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Marty Bratton, creative director Benton Lackey, manager DeWayne Formby.

Stocked Goods: Antiques and home-accessories atelier Vieux has taken up a new residence. Opening any moment now, the 7,000-square-foot location on West Alabama more than doubles the size of the former Cornish Street location, which will now serve as Vieux%26#8217;s restoration workshop. The beguiling new space has expanded beyond its Francophile beginnings to include contemporary furniture and accessories crafted of exotic materials such as natural lamb%26#8217;s wool, gilt-enhanced cowhides, shagreen and zebra; candles by Lafco and Nest; and covetable antiques sourced from all over the globe (although most are European in pedigree). Known for competitive pricing, Vieux rounds out its diverse collection with works by artists. 3701 W. Alabama at Timmons, 713.626.9500; vieuxinteriors.com.

Anthony’s Patio

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:46:37 GMT

Keys to the Door: Owner Anthony Muscariello, manager Shannon Smith.

Stocked Goods: Longing for an outdoor living area that will measure up to the spectacular surrounds you and your designer have fashioned inside? Check out Anthony%26#8217;s Patio, open to both the public and trade clients looking for quality furnishings that can withstand the elements our humid and rainy climate dishes out. Established six years ago in Austin, this second showroom houses mod and traditional designs enhanced with the latest technology in outdoor fabrics and weatherproofing, care of top design houses Janus et Cie, Dedon, Ebel, David Sutherland Teak, Ego Paris, Perennials Fabrics, and Kingsley Bate. If you can%26#8217;t find exactly what you%26#8217;re bent on, Anthony Paul Designs can custom-create any outdoor piece you desire. Did we mention outdoor fireplaces? Contemporary hearths and fireplace accessories, for both indoors and out, are an Anthony%26#8217;s specialty, too. 2803 Westheimer Road, 713.231.6060; anthonyspatio.com.

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Image:%26nbsp; Janus et Cie Forest chair, available at Anthony's Patio

The End of an Era

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:01:57 GMT

When the gavel goes down on a series of lots owned by the late Mary Frances Bowles Couper at Christie's American Furniture Sale this month, it represents the end of an era and the dispersal of treasures belonging to a great Texas collector and one of Houston's most significant philanthropists. Couper was born in Beaumont, the only child of Edna Henderson Bowles and oil baron William Victor Bowles, president of W.V. Bowles Oil Production Company. She passed away this August at the age of 95 at Piney Point %26#8212; her 18-acre, Galleria-area estate that dated back to Stephen F. Austin's 1824 land grant. An avid antique collector whose home was published in a volume by The Magazine Antiques, this benefactress was known for her gracious demeanor and munificent largesse. Her lifetime commitment extended to causes such as Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens (she was a friend of Ima Hogg and served on the Bayou Bend board); the Theta Charity Antiques Show, which Couper co-founded; the Junior League of Houston (she received its prestigious Adelaide Lovett Baker award); the University of Texas, where there's an endowed piano scholarship in her name; the White House (she made special gifts from her antique trove to its collection); and, above all, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, to which she and her husband, Fred Thomson Couper, who pre-deceased her, left their entire estate. When the gift was announced in 1999, it was valued at $10 million, making it one of the top 15 charitable bequests in America that year. Bid on important American furnishings culled by the discerning Mrs. Couper, offered in two auctions at Christie's New York Rockefeller Plaza. Top lots include a classical cane-seat settee, circa 1820 (shown); a Chippendale carved mahogany dressing table from Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1765 %26#8211; 1785; and a Queen Anne mahogany high chest of drawers from Boston, circa 1740 %26#8211; 1760. And watch for our feature story on Mary Frances Bowles Couper, coming this spring. Christie's American Furniture and Decorative Arts Sale, January 23, and The Interiors Sale, February 9; christies.com.

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Images:

A classical, green-painted and stencil-decorated cane-seat settee, circa 1820, at Christie%26#8217;s, from the estate of Mary Frances Bowles Coupe

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Mary Frances Bowles Couper, circa 1930s

For Baths with Bauhaus Leanings

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:11:21 GMT

Ah, the Swiss %26#8212; what they can do with railroads and watches. Is it any surprise that their baths are as precise? Step up to the wood-wrapped Lb3, a stunner of a soaker built by Laufen, purveyors of Swiss bath fixtures and furniture since 1892. Laufen called on Italian designers Ludovica and Roberto Palomba to create the freestanding Lb3, a contemporary nod to the Bauhaus minimalists, but with a 30-degree backrest slope that provides just the right angle of repose %26#8212;%26nbsp;perhaps for savoring something else the Swiss do so well. (Lindor truffles, anyone?). Laufen bathrooms to the trade at TKO Associates; laufen.com.

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Image:%26nbsp; The sleekest splash: The Swiss-made Laufen Lb3 Bathtub, by Italians Ludovica and Roberto Palomba.

Doris Would’ve Ordered It by the Dozens

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:53:47 GMT

A connoisseur of all things Islamic, Miss Duke surely would%26#8217;ve set her tables with Arabesque, a pedigreed pattern applied entirely by hand on French-made porcelains. The collection is new, designed by New Yorker Jaimie Chew, who was born in Malaysia and has lived in Shanghai, Paris and Beijing. (Something tells us Chew and the globetrotting Duke would%26#8217;ve been fast friends.) Arabesque, by J. Chew Porcelain at Neiman Marcus.

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Image:%26nbsp; Global glam: Arabesque, new French-made place settings by J. Chew Porcelain

A Fitting Sequel

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:18:06 GMT

Trust us: You%26#8217;ll want to put down the Birkin and pick up some dumbbells. Get thee to Equinox number two, now open in Preston Hollow. The 30,000-square-foot fitness center for the fabulous sits above the trees at Hillcrest Road and Northwest Highway, where a staircase leads patrons to the second-floor entrance. Keeping in line with the sophisticated decor of Equinox%26#8217;s Oak Lawn location, its first, the Preston Hollow space features many areas in which to burn cals. Stake your claim in one of the studios for yoga, cycling, Pilates or private meditation, all articulately designed by California firm Brand + Allen Architects. The architecture brains behind the Marc Jacobs boutique on Melrose Avenue and the Prada Epicenter on Rodeo Drive used natural materials %26#8212; maple herringbone, quarry stone tile, Brazilian walnut wood %26#8212; to adorn the new complex, where you can experience everything from cardio-centric workouts and Ab Lab exercises to facials and sports massages at the in-house spa. Following a %26#8220;green luxury%26#8221; philosophy, Equinox utilizes rapidly renewable building materials and even perfects its water and air with state-of-the-art filtration systems. Looks like things are shaping up quite nicely. 8611 Hillcrest Road, 214.265.5512; equinox.com.

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IMAGE:%26nbsp; Find your fitness center: An Equinox yoga studio

MAI Consigned

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:34:17 GMT

8735 Katy Freeway (take the Campbell exit from downtown)
713.461.2057
maiconsigned.blogspot.com
Keys to the Door: Owners Will Egerton, Marilyn Maddox, Kathy Swartzfager, Beverly Shaeffer and Denise Schneider.

Stocked goods: From the designing minds that brought us Memorial Antiques and Interiors comes MAI Consigned, just a few doors down. Open to everyone, this ever-changing stock of furniture, accessories and fabrics %26#8212; basically, anything to fashion a house and home %26#8212; comes strictly from the coffers of the trade. Read: If you%26#8217;d like to consign, give your favorite decorator a jingle and ask them to do it for you. (Between us, a quick snapshot e-mailed to the powers that be can be submitted for consideration by their %26#8220;intake%26#8221; committee, which vets all MAI Consigned%26#8217;s acquisitions.)%26nbsp; All this choosiness translates into finds once special-ordered for a decorating job, deacquisitioned pieces relinquished in favor of a new color scheme/decor, and sundry other antiques and precious vintage goods. On our last visit, we cooed over canvas-lined Swiss army surplus baskets, Flow Blue china, a wood-and-linen armchair that felt mid-century Scandinavian and oversized lanterns for use indoors or out. The best part: You never know what things will walk through the door at any given time %26#8212; or what finds you%26#8217;ll walk out with.

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Photo by Jenny Antill

Objects – Lost %26 Found

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:26:02 GMT

2815 Ferndale St.
713.523.8496
objectshouston.com
Keys to the Door: Owner Sharon Perry Wise.

Stocked Goods: Architect and interior designer Sharon Perry Wise toiled away on high-end custom home projects in her 1930s Ferndale cottage studio for almost two decades before the notion of opening her own home-accessories atelier struck her. %26#8220;This is the sort of shop where I%26#8217;d like to find pieces for my own projects,%26#8221; says Wise, who just weeks ago opened the new shop downstairs in the little house. Its curated selection of tabletop items range from a small glass curiosities cabinet filled with birds%26#8217; nests to vintage and antique silver accessories; silver, cast-metal, papier-m%26#226;ch%26#233; and cloisonn%26#233; ink wells; colorful majolica plates and accessories (something Wise often uses for a punch in her design schemes); and all manner of elevated bric-a-brac. Wise fashioned a wall display from old painted porch columns, lined it with glass shelves and filled it with diminutive lamps, boxes and elevated bric-a-brac. Throughout the store are vignettes of furniture and well-priced prints, mirrors and objects galore. We especially adored a pair of antique faded-gold and clear-beaded sconces with crystal bobeches ($4,200 for the pair) that illuminate quiet, hushed luxury.

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Image: Sharon Perry Wise

Image: Objects %26#8211; Lost %26amp; Found

Photos by Jenny Antill

Rob Gets Cat-Scratch Fever

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:20:41 GMT

A week in Jaguar%26#8217;s top-of-the-line XKR convertible and %26#8212; frankly, we can%26#8217;t go on. We%26#8217;re in love. We cannot breathe. But we%26#8217;ll do our best. Read on:

%26#8226; Zaha Hadid couldn%26#8217;t do folds and sculpting as good as this Jaguar has on its gorgeous hood.

%26#8226; You like posh? Our car boasted %26#8220;woven%26#8221; aluminum trim on the dash, the leather-wrapped steering wheel can be warmed and the windshield pillars and sun visors are wrapped in what feels like delicious suede.

%26#8226; The ride is unbelievably supple. Harshness? Zero. Even the seats are buoyantly upholstered, adding to the springy, silky sensations. Utterly marvelous.

%26#8226; The XKR slinks around town with a muffled purr %26#8212; but step on this cat%26#8217;s tail, and it goes from meow to growl in a whoosh. (And if you happen to be in %26#8220;S%26#8221; mode within the 6-speed transmission, well, good luck talking yourself out of that one.)

%26#8226; Fair warning: You will develop an emotional connection to this car. And that will be great fodder for your therapist. From $94,475, in Houston at Jaguar Houston Central, Jaguar Houston North, Jaguar Southwest Houston; in Dallas at Overseas Motors. Information jaguarusa.com. Rob Brinkley

10 Birkins or One Range Rover?

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:47:30 GMT

Five days in a new, top-of-the-marque Range Rover Autobiography and, oh, did we form some majestic impressions:

%26#8226; Basically, what you have here is a 400-horsepower private jet on wheels.

%26#8226; The extra leather of the Autobiography edition (the dash top, the dash front, the doors, the door pockets) is beautifully French-seamed and oh-so-fragrant.

%26#8226; It is terribly solid and nearly silent %26#8212; the quietest vehicle we%26#8217;ve ever driven.

%26#8226; The heated steering wheel is the most comforting invention known to man.

%26#8226; Selecting the calm, unruffled voice of the British man for the navigation system is rather like having your own English butler on board. Bloody fabulous.

From $105,600, at Land Rover Dallas, Land Rover Frisco, Land Rover Houston. Information landrovertexas.com, landroverhouston.com.

Move Over, Bo and Luke

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:56:14 GMT

Seven days in a 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 and %26#8212; Holy Bo and Luke! %26#8212; did we form some rip-roaring impressions. Summer lovin%26#8217; at 170 mph? Read on:

%26#8226; This thing growls loudly everywhere it goes. It makes a run down River Oaks Boulevard sound like you%26#8217;re doing laps at Talladega.

%26#8226; On that note, construction and road crews will stare at you. Enviously.

%26#8226; Our SRT8 had a purely manual transmission %26#8212; six speeds, no %26#8220;auto-%26#8221; or %26#8220;-tronic%26#8221; anything %26#8212; hooked to 6.1 liters and 425 wild horses. The way a real American muscle car should be.

%26#8226; Sinatra? Tchaikovsky? That doesn%26#8217;t work in this car. Stevie Ray Vaughn? Lynyrd Skynyrd? Totally works.

%26#8226; All Hazzard County jokes aside, this will be the most fun you will ever have for $43,000. We%26#8217;ll bet the farm on it.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 from $42,645, in Houston at Allen Samuels Dodge, Gulfgate Dodge, Helfman Dodge; in Dallas at Dallas Dodge Chrysler Jeep, Park Cities Chrysler Jeep Dodge. Information dodge.com. Rob Brinkley

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Scent of the Season

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:27:37 GMT

For those who don%26#8217;t do %26#8220;open fire.%26#8221; Diptyque%26#8217;s special-edition Roasted Chestnuts candle $68, at Barneys New York, Forty Five Ten. Rob Brinkley

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Driving Mr. Brinkley: Wheel Style

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:09:06 GMT

A red-hot station wagon, terribly bespoke Brits and a topless ride in a $2 million Bugatti? Our Rob Brinkley shifts into high gear.

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car left or right, to hold you perfectly upright %26#8212; is the trippiest trick on the road. A leather-lined hug at every turn. %26#8226; Another big Guy Gadget? Night View Assist, which puts a real-time infrared video on the dashboard of where you%26#8217;re driving, to detect humans, obstacles, even deer faster than you can, almost 500 feet away in pitch-black darkness. It didn%26#8217;t do much on in-town boulevards %26#8212; but we did start calling it the BambiCam. %26#8226; So well-turned-out is the leathery cabin that the photographer Kelly Klein, whom we shuttled from a Dallas book signing to her Dallas hotel, mistook it for a Bentley. True story. %26#8226; This car has recaptured the heft, weight and solidity of the great, old-school Mercedes-Benzes. Even the gas pedal is stiff %26#8212; a longtime Mercedes hallmark, resurrected. But make no mistake: Punch it and the 382-horsepower CL550 growls and gets naughty, fast. Told you this was a guy car. From $108,775 at Mercedes-Benz of Houston Greenway, Mercedes-Benz of Houston North, Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land, Star Motor Cars; mbusa.com. The Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport %26#8220;Did you hear that??%26#8221; I shriek to Heath Strayhan, general manager of Park Place Motorcars in Dallas, who has just punched the gas pedal of the tiny, two-seat Bugatti we are nudging down a crowded avenue. I look up again through the car%26#8217;s open top, trying to spot the source of the whooshing jet engine I hear. %26#8220;It%26#8217;s a low plane, but I don%26#8217;t see it.%26#8221; Strayhan looks at me slyly: %26#8220;That%26#8217;s not a plane. That%26#8217;s us.%26#8221; Welcome to my 28 minutes in a $2 million supercar. %26#8220;Car,%26#8221; in fact, is a misnomer: This is a two-person, road-going private jet %26#8212; and it sounds like one. No wonder, as there are 16 cylinders and four turbochargers about 11 inches behind our heads, thrusting 1,001 horses to the Bugatti%26#8217;s four wheels. Translation? This sinfully decadent object can attain a top speed of 253 miles per hour. But there is much more to the gorgeous Grand Sport: It is hand-built in an oval aluminum building in Molsheim, France; it decelerates almost as fast as it accelerates (62 to zero in 105 feet); the Bugatti people rarely say %26#8220;speed,%26#8221; they say %26#8220;velocity%26#8221;; the rear spoiler can flip up to become an air brake (again, the jet thing); the interior is as curvy and sensuous as the exterior; the reversing camera%26#8217;s tiny monitor is embedded in the inside rear-view mirror; the aromatic leather is stitched and quilted in an %26#8220;acceleration curve%26#8221; pattern (we say %26#8220;Chanel bag%26#8221;). After a brief tutorial %26#8212; the car%26#8217;s controls are remarkably straightforward %26#8212; it is my turn to take the leather-wrapped wheel. What do I learn (and fast)? %26#8226; You must employ mental trickery to try to forget that the machine you are driving costs the same as a good house on Inverness. After that, you and the Grand Sport do start to bond. Promise. %26#8226; You will be answering a lot of questions from stunned fellow motorists. %26#8226; You will never forget mashing the throttle and rocketing from zero to 62 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds. The force literally pins you to that Chanel-quilted seat. %26#8226; You%26#8217;d best pull in your left elbow at 99 miles per hour: The windows automatically raise when you reach about 100 miles per hour, to increase aerodynamic slipperiness. %26#8226; You will be photographed in traffic by every cell- phone camera in a 200-foot radius. So how to rationalize a low-flying, house-costing Lear jet for the road? Maybe you%26#8217;re always late for something. Two million dollars and problem solved. Bugatti Dallas/Park Place Motorcars, 5300 Lemmon Ave., Dallas, 214.525.5448; bugatti.com. The Drive: Volvo XC70 Volvo tossed us the keys to a new XC70 wagon and said, %26#8220;Keep it for a week.%26#8221; What did we learn? Get out your Official Preppy Handbook and pencil these in under %26#8220;Volvo%26#8221; on page 205: %26#8226; The controls are intuitive and basic. No reading of the owner%26#8217;s manual just to find out how to put the XC70 in %26#8220;drive.%26#8221; Refreshing. %26#8226; Volvo%26#8217;s gone quite glam with the all-ivory interior. (Volvo calls it Sandstone.) Even the steering wheel is wrapped in pale ivory leather. Trust us: Everybody looks good in all this reflected light. %26#8226; With sexy metal trimming and sleek, minimalist lines, the dashboard and console look a lot more %26#8220;Bang %26amp; Olufsen%26#8221; than %26#8220;Volvo.%26#8221; %26#8226; Volvo%26#8217;s trademark sturdy construction is palpable in this car. And with its all-wheel-drive, you get this whole nothing-can-hurt-me thing going on. %26#8226; With the rear seatback folded down, Grandmother%26#8217;s Chippendale bureau will fit in the back. Hello, Grand Canyon. From $37,250, at DeMontrond Volvo, Momentum Volvo, Star Motor Cars, Volvo of Clearlake, Volvo of Houston; volvocars.com. New Wheels: The 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost The stats: Twin-turbo V12 engine (standstill to 60 in 4.7 seconds, the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever), air suspension so sensitive it adjusts itself if your rear passenger changes sides, gorgeous %26#8220;violin key%26#8221; switchgear inside, impeccable leather thanks to the eight hides per car from cows raised in pastures with no barbed wire (we%26#8217;re not kidding). We say: At almost 16 inches shorter than the immense Phantom, the Ghost is a bit more discreet. Why you need it: For the myriad options for the rear cabin: individual air-conditioned %26#8220;lounge seating%26#8221; with massage, a %26#8220;cool box%26#8221; (that%26#8217;s British for refrigerator) with onboard champagne glasses, fold-down picnic tables for the Beluga. From approximately $245,000. Rolls-Royce Motorcars Houston, 1530 West Loop South, 713.850.1530; rolls-roycemotorcars.com. New Wheels: The 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon The stats: A choice of 270- or 304-horsepower V6 engines, a six-speed transmission, a very non-mom interior, a power tailgate opening onto a whopping 58 cubic feet of storage. We say: Station wagons are stylish again. Why you need it: It%26#8217;s an intellectual way to haul your Hepplewhite. From $39,830. Information cadillac.com. THe Lady and Her Daimlers N o ordinary motorcar would do for Norah Docker %26#8212; something we always admire in a lady. The late wife of the former chairman of The Daimler Company (one of Great Britain%26#8217;s chicest marques ever) liked to put on a show: She alighted everywhere in furs and jewels and reportedly flew the Docker family flag over her house while in residence %26#8212; something that only a certain Elizabeth Windsor customarily does. But it was her modes of transportation that upped the ante: a series of decadent custom Daimlers, ostensibly commissioned to show that British craftsmanship was the best in the world. Our favorite? The Golden Zebra, a 1955 Daimler DK400 coupe with, oh, a few modifications: gold-plated trim inside and out; real ivory on the dashboard; full zebra-hide upholstery (doors, too); a slide-out tray fitted with a mirror, compact, comb, brush and cigarette case; a cocktail cabinet in the rear with ivory, gold and cut-glass accoutrements; even a gilt-trimmed umbrella, tucked within one of the doors. In the trunk, two folding stools made of %26#8212; you guessed it %26#8212; zebra hide. When asked why all the zebra skin, Lady D. reportedly quipped, %26#8220;Because mink is too hot to sit on.%26#8221; This was, after all, a woman who possessed a %26#8220;remarkable joie-de-vivre,%26#8221; penned British writer Nicola Rippon, %26#8220;downing glasses of pink champagne to the last.%26#8221; Again, something we always admire in a lady. One Chic Sucker Just the thing for vacuuming up those Orange Milano crumbs from the Maserati, or the broken toast points from the Bentley. Dyson%26#8217;s new DC31, with super-suction %26#8220;digital motor,%26#8221; onboard battery, precision crevice tool and %26#8212; of course %26#8212; terribly daring design. $220, at home retailers; dyson.com. Life in the Luxe Lane It%26#8217;s no surprise that the dapper decorator who knew what to do with all the best British apartments and country houses knew precisely what to do inside a BMW. Behold a 1970s-era Bavarian Motor Works sedan designed by Mr. David Hicks, decorator to aristocrats and glitterati %26#8212; and highly stylish gadabout himself. The car was the prototype for a proposed range of custom Hicks BMWs: %26#8220;Having decided which car you want,%26#8221; reads the leaflet for the program, %26#8220;BMW will arrange a meeting between you and David Hicks %26#8230; The car will be sprayed, upholstered and carpeted exactly the way you and David Hicks decide.%26#8221; So what did the dandy David do for car number one? He painted it glossy chocolate brown, swathed the floors in geometric carpet, upholstered the seats and ceiling in loden cloth from Austria, and covered the entire dashboard in brown Connolly suede. %26#8220;It seems to me,%26#8221; said Hicks, %26#8220;a perfectly logical extension to take as much care in the selection of materials and colours for one%26#8217;s car as for any room in one%26#8217;s home.%26#8221; We concur %26#8212; but it would%26#8217;ve cost us: Hicks%26#8217; bespoke BMW was reportedly so expensive to hand-make that the program was scrapped. We say create your own: 1) Call your decorator. 2) Motor to Lee Jofa for some of David%26#8217;s fabrics. 3) Zip over to Stark for his carpets. 4) Call your upholsterer. Soon you%26#8217;ll be gliding along in your own four-wheeled Hicks fantasy."

The Drive: Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coup%26#233; Whipped cream. Those are the only two words I can summon to describe the sensation of piloting the biggest convertible I have ever seen in my life. It just doesn%26#8217;t make sense. The car is almost 19 feet long, more than five feet tall and weighs almost 6,000 pounds %26#8212; three tons! %26#8212; yet I am gliding down the boulevard as if I%26#8217;m hovering on air. The steering, the brakes, the stance of the automobile as it floats along %26#8212; all lighter than chiffon. Rolls-Royce%26#8217;s engineers obsess over things like this, and to them I raise a glass of Pimm%26#8217;s. I could prattle on about the 44,000 possible paint colors, the two weeks it takes to upholster the interior by hand, the 37 pieces of gleaming wood in the cockpit and the fact that you can have your family crest embroidered onto the headrests %26#8212;%26nbsp;but %26#8212; I prefer to venture that after one ethereal drive in this V12-powered, topless, floating beast, you, too, will do whatever it takes to find the $400,000-plus necessary to take one home. Just stay away from mine at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Houston: I%26#8217;m still smashing every piggy bank I can find. Start Your Bentley From Your Bedroom ... %26#8230; and have it warmed and ready before you are. The mad scientists at Viper have just announced the downloadable SmartStart application, wherein you can trigger your car%26#8217;s ignition from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Just add one of Viper%26#8217;s remote-start systems to your motorcar ($299 to $499), and the free app takes it from there, starting the car %26#8212; thereby warming or cooling the cabin %26#8212;%26nbsp;from afar. Depending on the installation, you can even unlock the trunk and the doors, all from your beloved little iPhone. That will be terribly handy the next time the valet locks the keys in the car at Tony%26#8217;s. Get started at viper.com/smartstart. New Wheels: The 2011 Bentley Mulsanne The stats: A 505-horsepower V8 with unbelievable pull, an eight-speed automatic transmission, a hand-welded body, hand-cut woods inside, switches that resemble glass. We say: The chrome isn%26#8217;t chrome in the cabin: It%26#8217;s stainless steel. There are 24 leather colors to ponder. We think we%26#8217;re in love. Why you need it: The little thrill of pointing out your Mulsanne%26#8217;s %26#8220;mirror-matched%26#8221; wood veneers, meaning the grain on the left of the dashboard mirrors the grain on the right. Now you%26#8217;re in love. Available mid-2010; estimated price $300,000, at Bentley Houston, 1530 West Loop South, 713.850.1530; bentleymotors.com. New Wheels: The 2010 Land Rover Range Rover The stats: Revised new nose, new taillights, new colors, new (and more efficient) V8 engines, new %26#8220;virtual%26#8221; instrument panel, new five-camera parking system. We say: Just when you thought off-road dallying couldn%26#8217;t get more decadent. Why you need it: For the $14,500 Autobiography upgrade, which gets you lots of extra leather, including the entire ceiling. Watch out, Herm%26#232;s. From $79,275. Information landroverusa.com. New Wheels: The 2010 Aston Martin Rapide The stats: Bonded-aluminum body, hand-built V12 engine (470 horsepower!), zero to 60 in 5.1 seconds, magnesium paddles for the six-speed transmission, 1,000-watt Bang %26amp; Olufsen sound system, optional personalized doorsills, the only Aston Martin in which you can bring along three friends in supreme comfort. We say: This thing is so gorgeous, we still haven%26#8217;t exhaled. Why you need it: The upward-tilting %26#8220;swan doors%26#8221; will knock %26#8217;em dead in the valet line at the Museum Ball. Estimated price $200,000, at Star Motor Cars, 7000 Katy Road, 713.868.6813; astonmartin.com. The Drive: Mercedes-Benz CL550 Coupe Seven days in a new Mercedes-Benz CL550 Coupe %26#8212; the big daddy of them all %26#8212; and did we ever form some impressions. Hold on to your bratwursts: %26#8226; This is a guy car. Men stared, pointed, asked questions, drooled, genuflected, even trailed us out of restaurants to ask about it. %26#8226; The Drive-Dynamic front seating %26#8212; wherein the sides of your seat inflate instantly as you turn the