Texas Design Week Dallas Design Legends & New Books

Some of the most celebrated designers and architects working today are in Dallas this month as Texas Design Week Dallas roars into town. Here’s who you’ll see in a stellar lineup of salon talks, panel discussions, cocktails, and book signings.

Michael Smith

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Michael S. Smith, Monday, October 21, Cocktails, Salon Talk and Book Signing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek (Photo by Michael Mundy)

Virtuoso of Classic Design: Michael S. Smith

After nearly a decade, great American interior designer Michael S. Smith’s latest tome is here. Classic By Design (Rizzoli) is a celebration of Smith’s masterful design aesthetic, a perfectly executed marriage of European classicism and American modernism. Two of the homes Smith shares with his partner, James Costos, are included among the 13 projects: their stunning primary residence in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles and their magnificent apartment in a 19th-century palace in Madrid.

Smith — who has an immense knowledge of period furnishings, art movements, and the history of architecture and design — shares his inspirations and insights into the design process and explores what brings not just comfort to a room but also how to incorporate his clients’ passions. As client Shonda Rhimes writes in the introduction: “He wants to find the true essence inside of you; he wants to discover what defines who you are. Once that work happens, he fiercely protects that part of you through design.”

This is why Smith is a master of his craft. With his vast knowledge of art and design history, skillful use of craftsmanship and materials, and ability to understand his deeply accomplished clients, he creates what author Andrew Ferren describes as “the classical ideal of the connoisseur’s most cherished space.” Anne Lee Phillips 

CV: Consistently recognized as one of the most talented designers of our time, Smith is a member of the Architectural Digest AD100 Hall of Fame and was hired by the Obamas to decorate their private quarters in the White House, which was featured in Architectural Digest. President Obama appointed Smith to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. 

WHAT: Illustrated talk, cocktails, and book signing with Michael S. Smith

WHEN: Monday, October 21, 5:30 to 7:30 pm

WHERE: Promenade and Pavilion at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, 2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“It’s in my interest to be aware of the references. But I need to filter them and give my clients their own world, a piece of unique territory for them and their prized possessions, wherever they choose to live.” 

—  Michael S. Smith

Brigette Romanek

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Brigette Romanek in Conversation with Jake Arnold, Monday, October 21, Afternoon Wine and Book Signing at STARK

Livable Luxe: Brigette Romanek

With interior designer Brigette Romanek, it’s always best to expect the unexpected. And her first book, Livable Luxe (Chronicle Chroma), illustrates this philosophy in the most inviting way. By consistently blending the extraordinary with the accessible, Romanek’s style is easily embraceable, whether she’s crafting a clean and modern home for model Molly Sims or complementing modernist architect Ray Kappe’s mid-century design with her sage use of color and curved lines.

Because the designer defines herself as neither a minimalist nor a maximalist, Liveable Luxe offers inspiration for a variety of aesthetics. Yet Romanek’s consistent happy embrace of color makes each project her own, be it her own family home in Laurel Canyon that launched her career (transformed from producer Rick Rubin’s clubhouse to a joyful abode) or immersive retail environments for brands The Great and Piaget. Kendall Morgan

CV: Consistently recognized on Architectural Digest’s AD100 and 1stdibs 50 lists, Romanek has built a starry client list that includes Gwyneth Paltrow (who wrote her book foreword), Beyoncé, Demi Moore, Christian Bale, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, and Rachel Zoe.

WHAT: Illustrated talk, afternoon wine, and book signings with Brigette Romanek and Jake Arnold, moderated by Bebe Howarth, Interiors Director, Elle Decor

WHEN: Monday, October 21, 2 to 4 pm

WHERE: Stark showroom, 1103 Slocum.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Your personal space is a love letter to yourself.” — Brigette Romanek

Jake Arnold

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Jake Arnold in Conversation with Brigette Romanek, Monday, October 21, Afternoon Wine and Book Signing at STARK

Redefining Comfort: Jake Arnold

Natural materials, organic silhouettes, and warm tones abound in the inviting spaces designed by Jake Arnold. His L.A.-meets-London style is on flattering display in his first book, Redefining Comfort (Rizzoli). Offering an inside look at Arnold’s design process and working methods through the exploration of nine different homes, each section in Redefining embodies one of the designer’s central tenets (Authenticity, Escapism, and Enchantment), ending with a deeper dive into his philosophies, sketches, swatches, and favorite resources. The wide-open possibilities of his adopted hometown (he loves a Chateau Marmont reference) find reflection in every one of Arnold’s designs, which offer a layered luxuriousness that invites rather than overwhelms.

He creates harmony between his interiors and the natural world by mixing textures, including rattan, stone, wood, and glass. His embrace of the Santa Fe vernacular via plaster cabinets that hide the detritus of modern living transformed a dated Topanga Canyon home into an earthy, immersive retreat. Through it all, the designer’s warm minimalism results in spaces built to transcend time and trends while remaining cozy, cohesive, and soulful. KM  

CV: Jake has been named to Architectural Digest’s AD100 list for three consecutive years. High-profile clients include Aaron Paul, Katy Perry, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, and Rashida Jones. Co-founder of The Expert (a digital portal where anyone can connect with top interior designers), Arnold recently launched a collection for Crate & Barrel that’s full of his thoughtful details.

WHAT: Illustrated talk, afternoon wine, and book signings with Jake Arnold and Brigette Romanek, moderated by Bebe Howorth, Interiors Director, Elle Decor

WHEN: Monday, October 21, 2 to 4 pm

WHERE: Stark showroom, 1103 Slocum.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Spaces that are visually impactful yet not precious represent the sentiment I stand by.” — Jake Arnold

Mark Sikes

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Mark D. Sikes, Cocktails, Salon Talk and Book Signing Tuesday, October 22 at Jan Showers Showroom

American Beauty:  Mark D. Sikes

The third installment in Mark D. Sikes’ bestselling Beautiful trilogy (following Beautiful and More Beautiful) has arrived — and, naturally, it’s more beautiful than ever. In Forever Beautiful: All-American Style All Year Long (Rizzoli), Sikes takes a new approach, displaying a full year of fabulous design with 12 gorgeous projects inspired by nature. April features a spring green Versailles garden-inspired home outside of Chicago, August takes us to the soft pink sands of Bermuda, and November is an alpine project in Colorado inspired by the forest with greens and blues pulled from the native mountain trees. Each home features some of Sikes’ signature touches: blue-and-white, chinoiserie, gingham, rattan, and stripes with a layered and sophisticated edge. ALP 

CV: Sikes is a member of the Architectural Digest AD100 and the Elle Decor A-List, and has projects across the country and world, including the White House and Blair House, The President’s Guest House. He has collaborations with Schumacher, Modern Matter, Samuel & Sons, Hudson Valley Lighting, Chaddock, Soane Britain, Troy Lighting, and Blue Pheasant. 

WHAT: Salon talk, cocktails, and book signing with Mark D. Sikes and Jan Showers

WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 4 to 6 pm

WHERE: Jan Showers showroom, 1308 Slocum.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Like food and music, a kind smile or a good deed for a stranger, beautiful design can break down barriers between us. It unites people across cultures.”  — Mark D. Sikes

India Hicks

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India Hicks, Salon Talk and Afternoon Wine Tuesday, October 22 at Cowtan & Tout

Long Live Lady Pamela: India Hicks

How lucky are history lovers, royal watchers, and style enthusiasts that India Hicks had the wherewithal to convince her mother that her life story was worth telling and was able to share it so spectacularly in her new book, Lady Pamela: My Mother’s Extraordinary Years as Daughter to the Viceroy of India, Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Wife of David Hicks (Rizzoli). In the format of a visual biography, Hicks sifted through her parents’ archives and included not just anecdotes and compelling text, but also letters from Queen Elizabeth II, to whom Lady Pamela served as a bridesmaid and lady-in-waiting; images of her lovely houses and gardens; details from her work during Indian independence; photos of her marriage and homes with her husband, legendary designer David Hicks; and much more from the front rows of history. ALP

CV: India Hicks has led the life unexpected, coming from both design and British royalty as the daughter of decorator David Hicks and goddaughter of King Charles. She lives in the Caribbean and has written several books on entertaining and style.

WHAT: Salon talk, wine, and book signing with India Hicks

WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, noon to 2 pm

WHERE: Cowtan & Tout showroom, 1250 Slocum, Suite 739.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“My mother was well aware that this decorator from Essex was unlike her earlier boyfriends, who had been future dukes and millionaires. She was dreading the day David would meet her famous parents, lest they frighten him away, while he, trying not to seem pushy, never mentioned them.”  — India Hicks

Gracie Family

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Mike and Jenn Gracie, Zach Shea, Wednesday, October 23, Salon talk, cocktails, and book signing at Laura Lee Clark

Gracious Gracie: Jenn Gracie, Mike Gracie, Zachary Shea

The compelling 126-year story of Gracie wallpaper company is gloriously catalogued in The Art of Gracie: Handpainted Wallpapers, Timeless Rooms (Rizzoli), written by fifth-generation leader siblings Jennifer Gracie and Mike Gracie and sixth-generation Zachary Shea (Jennifer’s son). Jenn and Mike’s fourth-generation dad, Brian Gracie, writes in the introduction that “a major factor in the longevity of our family business has been a belief in a gracious transition to the next generation by the present owners.”

It’s a fascinating tale about an American family business that survived the Great Depression and other trials and has brought unparalleled beauty to homes across the world. Of course, the eye candy is limitless, as the book features fabulous rooms by top designers organized by design scheme: Indoor Gardens, Bayou Themes, Shimmering Surfaces, and Panoramic Views. The design of the cover was custom painted exclusively for the book, making it this year’s must-have accessory for any coffee table. ALP

CV: Gracie began buying, selling, and restoring European and Chinese wallpapers in 1898 in New York City, then slowly began importing hand-painted wallpaper as well and selling antiques and lacquer. Six generations later, the company is still family owned in America and is a trusted top designer source (from Sister Parish to Billy Baldwin) for enchanting custom hand-painted wallpapers gracing even the walls of the White House.

WHAT: Illustrated talk with three members of the Gracie family (Jenn Gracie, Mike Gracie, and Zach Shea), afternoon cocktails, and book signing

WHEN: Wednesday, October 23, noon to 2 pm

WHERE: Laura Lee Clark, 1515 Slocum.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Our hand-painted garden worlds may or may not be botanically accurate. But whether pure fantasy or inspired by reality, is there anything more transporting than a room in full bloom?”

— The Gracie family

Timothy Corrigan

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Timothy Corrigan, Monday, October 21, Salon Talk, Morning Mimosas, and Book Signing at David Sutherland Showroom

Fascinating Francophile: Timothy Corrigan

Interior designer Timothy Corrigan’s latest tome, At Home in France: Inspiration and Style in Town and Country (Rizzoli), will convince you that your life is missing a certain French accent. His third book — which has more than 300 color photographs and candidly revealing text written with Michael Boodro — feels like you’re seated next to Corrigan at a dinner party. We can vicariously live à la française as we tour his Paris apartment and his latest country château. Yes, his latest — the designer has become somewhat of an expert in renovating châteaux.

Beyond sharing details about acquiring, renovating, and decorating his French properties, he also shares insights about antiquing in Paris, hosting graciously, touring the French countryside, and hanging art the French way (smaller piece on the bottom, since the eye travels upward, and so that viewers can get a closer look at the details of the smaller piece). Corrigan has long been celebrated for prioritizing comfort in beautiful and elegant rooms, executed through not just the use of materials but also through scale, proportion, and use of color. His homes in France embody an aspirational comfortable elegance. ALP

CV: Corrigan has been named to the Architectural Digest AD100, the Elle Decor A-List, and Robb Report’s Top 40 Designers in the World. He’s the sole American to be honored by the French Heritage Society for his restoration of several French national landmarks. Corrigan has collaborations with Perennials, Schumacher, Samuel & Sons, Fromental, Royal Limoges, THG-Paris, Kyle Bunting, and Dea Luxury Linens. 

WHAT: Illustrated talk, mimosas, and book signing with Timothy Corrigan

WHEN: Monday, October 21, 10 am to noon

WHERE: David Sutherland Showroom, 1025 N. Stemmons, Suite 340, in the Dallas Design District.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“The French have a much more casual approach to design than most Americans think. Homes are not meant to be museum-like — static and untouched — that is true for even the most glorious Parisian hôtel particulier or imposing château. The French firmly believe that furniture and objects should be treated as useful and therefore moved about to fit the needs and the mood of the moment.” 

— Timothy Corrigan

Amanda Lindroth

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Amanda Lindroth, Wednesday, October 23, salon talk, morning cocktails, and book signing, at Sherle Wagner

On Island Time: Amanda Lindroth

Interior designer Amanda Lindroth’s second book, Island Dreaming (Vendome), is a romp through easy, breezy, layered interiors, complete with client anecdotes and intriguing tales of installing huge projects on remote islands that require complicated logistics such as private planes, trains, and automobiles. Lindroth took the resort set by tropical storm with the release of Island Hopping in 2018, and this follow-up showcases 20 recent projects, from New York’s Fifth Avenue to San Francisco, Lyford Cay to Baker’s Bay, which showcase Lindroth’s ability to aptly respond to architectural elements with an imaginative island mindset.

Her trademarks — boldly colored fabrics, rattan and cane seating, canopied beds, straw matting, lattice details — remain, but in a perceptively richer manner. In a Lyford Cay project, she responded to the organic and sculptural curves and vaulting in a 1980s building designed by architect Savin Couelle by saturating the walls in rich blue with bright coral banding on cross vaults and doors and added tenting to a seating area for a visual transition, and soft seating covered in blue cotton stripes. ALP

CV: Lindroth wrote for Women’s Wear Daily in New York and headed up Gucci’s London PR department before moving to Nassau, where she opened her design firm in 2010. She has since become the go-to decorator for the elite in the islands, known for sublimely understanding and embodying the Lyford Cay style. She has a second studio in Palm Beach.

WHAT: Salon talk, mimosas, and book signing with Amanda Lindroth

WHEN: Wednesday, October 23, 10 am to noon

WHERE: Sherle Wagner showroom, 1025 Slocum, in the Dallas Design District.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Our goal is always to design interiors that have a dreamy timelessness.” — Amanda Lindroth

Cathy Purple Cherry

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Cathy Purple Cherry Lunch and Panel Discussion with Margie Lavender, Melissa Reavis, Sam Reitmayer Sano and Joslyn Taylor, Monday, October 21, at The Luxury Bed Collection

The Country Compound: Cathy Purple Cherry

The crafting of a country estate worthy of an entire book doesn’t happen often in this modern era. The Design of a Country Estate: Purple Cherry Architects & Interiors (Gibbs Smith) by architect Cathy Purple Cherry catalogs the creation of a truly spectacular, soulful country estate with four full kitchens and 13 en-suite bedrooms on the coast of Maryland. Cherry thoughtfully takes the reader through the development of this comprehensive luxury Georgian-style country home from planning to execution, including all the pivots along the way.

Equal parts grand tour and engaging narrative, Cherry meticulously shares the thought processes behind each material selected, site locations, and a productive partnership with the client. ALP

CV: Projects by architect Cathy Purple Cherry and her firm, Purple Cherry Architects & Interiors, have been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. 

WHAT: Texas Design Week Lunch, panel discussion, and book signing, A Collaborative Trifecta: House. Garden. Landscape. With Cathy Purple Cherry, Purple Cherry Architecture & Interior Design; Melissa Reavis, Hollander Design Landscape Architects; Margie Lavender, Kligerman Architecture & Design; Sam Reitmayer Sano and Joslyn Taylor of Swoon, the Studio.

WHEN: Monday, October 21, noon to 2 pm.

WHERE: The Luxury Bed Collection, 1444 Oak Lawn, Suite 316.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“If I’ve learned anything about working on compounds, it is that a willingness to pivot and make changes even after the framing goes up is essential.” — Cathy Purple Cherry

Hudson Moore

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Hudson Moore, Frederic magazine, Tuesday, October 22, Salon talk, morning mimosas, and Q&A, at Visual Comfort & Co.

More is Moore: Hudson Moore for Frederic Magazine

In Frederic: The Last Word in Chic, you’ll find a  collection of the most memorable homes featured in in the pages of the beloved Frederic magazine From lovingly restored historic houses to breathtaking new dwellings, the book visits the personal residences of Veere Grenney, Neisha Crosland, Anne-Marie Midy, and projects by top decorators Redd Kaihoi and Betsy Brown, architects Jeffrey Dungan and Joel Barkley —to name a few.

As author and design editor Dara Caponigro writes in her introduction, “In these pages, you’ll find a globe-spanning mix of ravishing homes—from a bohemian antiquarian’s lair in Mallorca to a pedigreed estate just outside Chicago — that, I hope, will challenge you to expand your own definition of beauty.”

CV: Schumacher has been a style leader and design trailblazer in fabrics, wallpapers, and trim since 1889. Now the firm is a trailblazer in media, too, with the launch of Frederic Media, which creates design content and books including the cult fave glossy print magazine Frederic, of which Hudson Moore is senior design editor.

WHAT: Panel discussion, morning mimosas, and book signing, Insider Secrets: Solutions to Designer’s Thorny Problems with Frederic magazine’s Hudson Moore, CeCe Barfield, Javier Burkle, Bryan Yates, and Courtnay Tartt Elias

WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 10 am to noon

WHERE: Visual Comfort & Co., 2000 N. Stemmons, Suite 1D111, Ground Floor.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

Josh Young

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Josh Young, Lunchtime Cocktails and Salon Talk with Doniphan Moore, Gonzalo Bueno, Thursday, October 24, at Allan Knight Showroom

Artful Home: Josh Young

Serene and modern classicism” is Josh Young’s stock in trade. In his first book, Artful Home (Rizzoli), he breaks down his overall creative approach and reveals how it can be deployed to make spaces stand the test of time. A lifetime creator born into a family of athletes, Young moved on from checking out books on Braque and Monet at the local library to studying in Milan, where he refined his artistic point of view and appreciation for complex patinas. For Young, “all roads begin with establishing the palette” (he prefers neutrals), then one should add texture, form, layers, and — perhaps most importantly — nostalgia. Collecting is an art form for Young, and he highlights the treasures displayed at his D.C. townhouse and never-before-seen country home (a 1780 Federal-style farmhouse the designer refreshed in Virginia’s Hunt Country).

Because these projects are so personal to him, the reader gets an unfiltered look at what Young deems his dream home — all the better for distilling his dreamy principles. Young is also a fine artist, and Artful Home showcases his works alongside the antiques he adores. KM

CV: Artist, designer, and tastemaker Josh Young is a graduate of Italy’s Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. His offices are in Washington, D.C., where he works from a historic townhouse and his country property, Sycamore House. Young has a collection launching this month at Williams-Sonoma Home.

WHAT: Panel discussion, afternoon wine, and book signing, Design + Art – Hand in Hand, with Josh Young, Doniphan Moore, and Gonzalo Bueno, moderated by Billy Fong

WHEN: Thursday, October 24, noon to 2 pm

WHERE: Allan Knight Showroom, 150 Turtle Creek, Suite 101, The International.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“Nostalgia and comfort go hand-in-hand.” — Josh Young

Jonathan Savage

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Jonathan Savage, Thursday, October 24, Cocktails and Salon Talk with Andrew Uihlein, Kelli Ford, Kirsten Fitzgibbons, moderated by PaperCity Dallas Editor Billy Fong, at Madison Showroom

Savage Style: Jonathan Savage

The house-proud attitude of the South is an undeniable influence on Nashville-based Jonathan Savage. Southerners tend to know how to make a house welcoming, comfortable, and beautiful; the designer took to his first volume, The Savage Style (Gibbs Smith), as to the manor born. The book initially delves into his thoughts about what makes a successful living, dining, family room, kitchen, or bedroom (among other spaces), and graphic elements, Parisian treasures, and color abound. By embracing the classical principles of design — balance, harmony, form, proportion, scale, repetition, and contrast — Savage can break a few rules along the way.

The second half of the book explores some of the designer’s favorite projects, including his own Palm Beach apartment and Nashville house, a minimalist London home, and an ornate Music City estate that would be equally at home in Italy. Savage caps things off with his “cover boy moment”: the Kips Bay Show House that landed him in The New York Times “Style” section in 2017. KM

CV: The consummate Southerner, Savage studied art, sculpture, and antiques at the American University in London before earning a BFA in interior design from O’More College of Architecture and Design in Tennessee. Mentored by the legendary Albert Hadley of the New York-based Parish-Hadley firm, Savage ultimately moved to New York, where he worked before returning to Nashville to open his firm with a satellite office in Palm Beach.

WHAT: Panel discussion, cocktails, and book signing, Building a Design Empire and Becoming a Brand, with Jonathan Savage; Andrew Uihlein, Casa Branca; Darren Henault; Kelli Ford and Kirsten Fitzgibbons

WHEN: Thursday, October 24, 4 to 6 pm

WHERE: The new Madison showroom, 114 Express Street, in the Dallas Design District.

For tickets, go to TexasDesignWeek.com.

“For me, fashion, art, and design go hand in hand.”  — Jonathan Savage