Fort Worth Design Queen Opens a New Clearfork Showroom — Checking Out House Essential

Kim Milam — the design wiz behind KL Milam Interior Design — has opened a showroom in Fort Worth’s Clearfork shopping center called House Essential. Located at 5242 Monahans Avenue, House Essential joins Milam’s full service, award winning design firm in her portfolio.

With its intimate boutique style, the showroom now displays home furnishings, original art, accessories and gifts while serving as the home of the full interior design services of KL Milam. It’s a wonderfully curated mix of one-of-a-kind pieces by local artisans, locally manufactured furniture, locally crafted custom upholstery and semi-custom window dressings.

“Design is expensive so we want it to hold up over time, that’s why I don’t follow trends,” Kim Milam tells PaperCity Fort Worth. Instead, Milam looks to incorporate well-crafted pieces that her clients will love long-term. This approach has been a staple of her more than 20-year career.

The new House Essential showroom is built around adding the perfect finishing touches to any space. Milam calls this “the jewelry” that completes the look.

“I didn’t want my design to look like the store, it’s the other way around,” Milam says. “We carry the work of 18 different vendors and most are one-of-a-kind. And they are also made locally.”

One bold statement chair is a real eye catcher. The daring Kelly green mohair chair is a good example of how having furniture that is locally made really helps when it comes to customization. If you love the look, but would prefer it with a lower back, Milam’s craftsmen can accommodate that. This ensures the chair can be comfortable for everybody.

House Essential also carries the work of Claire Crowe — and her remarkable fire screens are real works of art. One is encrusted with brass flowers and vines, while another features butterflies fluttering in the sunlight.

“Each screen takes 25 hours of labor to produce and can be customized in any shape, size and design,” Milam says.

The other “jewelry” on display includes a number of essential elements. Wooden pieces, shells and geodes abound.

“I always say, ‘You can’t outdo God in the area of artwork,’ ” Milam says.

While Kim Milam stands ready to design and redesign a home from top to bottom, her new House Essential space is about showcasing a unique assortment of objects, artworks and furnishings that are the icing on the cake. Design inspiration is now on view daily at Clearfork.