How Two Restored Historic Bungalows and an Internet Sensation Are Changing Austin: Inside a Design Revolution

Three stylish independent interior design shops have debuted in Austin, making the city
next on our list for a buying trip

After stints working for Bunny Williams and Michael S. Smith, interior designer Meredith Ellis opened her own design firm in 2008 and returned to her native Texas in 2010. She noticed a gap in the offerings available to designers here and opened James, a 1,400-square-foot to-the-trade showroom and retail space in a restored 1930s Craftsman bungalow in the Design District downtown.

Furnished rooms offer a rotating inventory of custom furniture and accessories for purchase. Coveted textile, lighting, furniture and rug lines previously unavailable in Texas include Kathryn M. Ireland, Ferrick Mason, Studio Four NYC, Bunny Williams Home, and Coleen & Company.
1411 W. 6th St., Austin, 512.236.1006, .

Also housed in a restored 1930s bungalow is Supply. New Yorkers Callie Jenschke, Kim West, and Kristin Gish — with backgrounds in interior design, fashion and media — decamped to Austin and discovered the designer trade community needed more shopping resources. Supply opened in central Austin in September and features worldly fabric, wallpaper, lighting, rugs and furniture sourced from 35-plus independent artists and designers — most are exclusives to Supply — such as Kufri Home of Dallas, The Foundation Shop of LA, Abigail Borg of London and Madeline Weinrib of NYC.
2204 Lake Austin Blvd., Austin, 512.770.6211

Internet sensation Katie Kime, known for her bright colorways and preppy prints, has opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Austin’s Market District. Due to popular demand, she opened her flagship last fall, one week after her marriage.

The preppy paradise includes fabric and wallpaper in punchy patterns, hot-pink birdcage chairs, maxi-skirts in banana-leaf and ginger-jar prints, and The Bright Bar, with customizable Lucite accessories.
500 N. Lamar, Austin, 512.358.4478