Houston’s European Chic Design Mecca Morphs Into a Party Palace For an Unbelievable Anniversary — BeDESIGN Keeps It Clever

Celebrating 10 Years With a Newly Expanded Showroom

By Shelby Hodge // Oct 7, 2023

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Marcelo Saenz & Adrian Dueñas are joined by Daniel Crocker and Ciel dancers during the sparkling finale of BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Hoda Sana, Nina Magon, Reshma Varughese, April Salazar and Natalia Gillebaard_at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary and grand opening celebration. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Paola Contreras & Sam Katz at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Art Chavez, Carly Standley at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Debra & George Boozalis at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Ellie Strehli, Kate Jackson, Anna McGrath at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Lydia Ortiz, Jeff Horing, Yadira Sanchez at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Rooftop decor at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Paul Althaus, Beth Wolff at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Reshma Varughese, Natalie Gillebaard at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Wilson Parish)

Adrian Dueñas, Lady Laurana, Marcelo Saenz at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Alina Grove, Karen Hernandez, Monica Amariz at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Angelo Antenucci, Giacomo Rossi, Piergiogio Pignatelli, Jean Peal Pierre at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Sparklers ignite, champagne corks pop and as the stylish throng celebrates BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary and grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Felipe Riccio & Hayley Reese Riccio, Carrie & Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Giacomo Rossi and Angelo Antenucci at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Giacomo Rossi, Karen Hernandez at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Jean Paul Pierre, Ivan & Marcela Astralaga, Angelo Antenucci, Piera Rimoldi, Antonella Cremonesi, Piergiorgio Pignatelli at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kari Roundy, Mark Sullivan at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Lydia Meeks, Lydia Ortiz at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Minica Amariz, Karen Hernandez, Nina Magon, Shannon Smith at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nina Magon, Adrian Dueñas at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Sam Katz & Paola Contreras, Cookie & Lee Centracco at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Seemes Burns, Clayton Katz at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Vivi & Christopher Roberts at BeDESIGN's 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Since their arrival in Houston a decade ago, the dashing duo of Adrian Dueñas and Marcelo Saenz have been building a loyal customer base for their contemporary European-chic showroom BeDESIGN and at the same time collecting a coterie of high-profile friends while establishing themselves in the city’s design community. No surprise then that the turnout for BeDESIGN‘s 10th anniversary “Grand Opening” party was as phenomenal as the event itself.

BeDESIGN_Sam Katz, Paola Contreras, Cookie and Lee Centracco_by Johnny Tran — Sam Katz & Paola Contreras, Cookie & Lee Centracco at BeDESIGN’s 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

The celebration that included completion of the newly expanded 22,000-square-foot showroom was a highly-orchestrated affair that treated the 200 guests to one fabuloso night that spread across all three floors of the West Alabama hotspot. Dancing dames waving sparklers, generous tastings from MAD and Musaafer, and champagne corks popping set the lively tone.

The welcome began on the first floor of the state-of-the-art showroom, which across all floors including the grand third floor terrace features more than 40 European brands of furnishings and accessories. Divisi Strings provided the sounds while Musaafer delivered on the divine party fare.

Once the crowd had met critical mass, doors opened to the second floor where chanteuse Lady Laurana entertained smashing it with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Here, Dueñas’ and Saenz’ favorite restaurant MAD provided tasty cocktail food, in particular the steak tartare wrapped in edible paper bearing the BeDESIGN logo. Very clever.

BeDESIGN_Minica Amariz, Karen Hernandez, Nina Magon and Shannon Smith_by Johnny Tran — Minica Amariz, Karen Hernandez, Nina Magon, Shannon Smith at BeDESIGN’s 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

At the appointed time doors opened to the ultimate party space — Sorellina Rooftop, the third floor and terrace with spectacular city views. And the ultimate party moments. The dynamic duo spoke of their gratefulness to Houston for its generous acceptance of BeDESIGN and for the European lines that have filled the showroom in of-the-moment designs.

BeDESIGN_Felipe Riccio, Hayley Reese Riccio, Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl_by Johnny Tran — Felipe Riccio & Hayley Reese Riccio, Carrie & Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl at BeDESIGN’s 10th anniversary celebrating the grand opening of the final phase of the 20,000 square foot showroom. (Photo by Johnny Than)

With that, the celebration went over the top with rocking music and dancers from CIEL, another of the duo’s faves. The dancers’ shimmering costumes reflected the hand-held sparklers as the throng erupted into a champagne fueled celebration. That champagne? Frerejean Freres Premier Cru Brut Rose, the Dueñas/Saenz preferred bubbly.

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PC Seen: MAD/BCN executive chef Luis Roger, Page architecture senior principal Arturo Chavez, designer Nina Magon, Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl, Beth Wolff, April and Dr. Jorge Salazar, Paola Contreras and Sam Katz, Haley and Felipe Riccio, Lee and Cookie Centracco, Mark Sullivan, and Edward Finger.