Major Design Coup — Beloved James Showroom to Open in Houston

Interior designer Meredith Ellis is bringing her trademark fresh, layered look to Houston — her beloved showroom James, which she debuted in Austin in 2015 to immediate success, is slated to open at Decorative Center Houston right after Labor Day PaperCity can exclusively reveal.

Ellis had returned to her native Texas with her own design practice in 2010 after working for esteemed designers Bunny Williams and Michael S. Smith and quickly noticed a gap in the offerings available to Texas designers — lines she had been using for years like Lisa Fine, Carolina Irving, and Sister Parish she had to turn to Los Angeles or New York to source. She launched her 1,400-square-foot to-the-trade showroom in a restored 1930s Craftsman bungalow in the Austin Design District downtown and never looked back.

Her eye for indie and classic lines alike won her a devoted following, and a showroom at the Dallas Design Center debuted in 2017.

In-the-know designers who have been longing for a Houston outpost, rejoice — James is taking over the third-floor 2,000-square-foot space that formerly housed Wells Design (they have now moved completely to the Wells Abbott showroom).

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about the ability to better serve our existing designers, meet new ones, and become a part of Houston’s thriving design community. We hope to provide inspiration and truly consider it an honor to join the roster of great showrooms in the Decorative Center,” says Ellis.

Forget staid showrooms — James is an engaging, inspiring experience complete with masterful vignettes laced with antiques and intriguing objects.

“It’s how people want to live — among their things,” Ellis told PaperCity when she opened her Dallas showroom. “Showing them how to use antiques in a clean space is what makes the look current.”

Look for fabrics from Peter Dunham, Rebecca Atwood, and Schulyer Samperton; wallpapers from Jennifer Shorto, Caitlin McGauley, and Studio Four; lighting by Coleen and Company; and furniture from Bunny Williams Home.

Slated to open early September, James, Decorative Center Houston, 5120 Woodway Dr., jamesshowroom.com.