A Bluebird Day for Dec My Room’s Sold-Out ‘Room To Grow’ Dallas Luncheon at NorthPark Center

When you invite guests to join you “on the sunny side of the street,” you really hope that the weather cooperates.

Two weeks ago, PaperCity offered an exclusive look inside the miniature rooms that eight of Dallas’ top interior design firms created to support Dec My Room’s annual fundraising luncheon.

A quick synopsis of the background story — When I said yes to co-chairing the 8th annual “Room To Grow” luncheon with Erika Burton, we agreed that the event itself presented room for growth, too. Because Dec My Room creates personalized healing spaces for long-term pediatric patients, we turned our attention to Dallas’ vibrant design community. After all, who better understands the healing power of a beautifully designed space than interior designers?

The Big (Miniature) Idea

We tapped the dapper Javier Burkle (whom I call the “Mayor of Dallas” because he knows *everyone*), who generously agreed to serve as our Design Chair. Burkle recruited Traci Connell (Traci Connell Interiors), Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry (Pulp Design Studios), Teddie Garrigan and Courtney Garrigan (Coco and Dash), Lisa Henderson (Lisa Henderson Interiors), Eddie Maestri (Maestri Studio), Noel Pittman (Noel Pittman Design), and Jen Stevens (Fonde Interiors) to design custom spaces inspired by the Thorne Miniature Rooms at Art Institute of Chicago. 

The Sunny Side of the Street

Our new spin on the annual event generated tremendous attention and interest, resulting in it selling out within a few days. The luncheon recently took place in the Neiman Marcus Garden and NorthPark Center. With Father of the Bride‘s 24 Maple Drive as our theme, we encouraged guests to dress accordingly for the garden affair, with “Directed by Nancy Meyers” as the suggested dress code. The nearly 300 guests in attendance played along perfectly, with a special shoutout to Shelby Foster, Kristin Williams, and Courtney Derderian for their sartorial nods to The Parent Trap‘s Annie James, Hallie Parker, and Meredith Blake. Even the weather followed direction; it was a perfectly sunny and 70-degree bluebird day. (Erika and I refused to indulge a rain plan; it simply didn’t work for our aesthetic vision of the day.)

As guests arrived, they sipped on Madre Prosecco, Palomas, and mini glass-bottled Diet Cokes as they admired the dollhouse-sized rooms on display, which were all part of the silent auction. Erin Mathews even served as the official listing agent, with her sign out front for our “Open House!”

Dappled sunlight cast a magical glow across the garden, highlighting the beautifully set tables, which were adorned with rattan chargers and gorgeous “Les Fougeres” linens by Schumacher, which served as a lead sponsor of the event. (Schumacher even printed custom-scale wallpapers in their most iconic prints for the designers to “dec” their rooms with!) Coco & Dash donated colorful lacquered lamps, which attendees — who made a minimum $250 donation to the organization — took home with them. 

More Than ‘Chipper Chicken’

At the top of the program, Erika and I thanked our generous supporters, including Honorary Chair Nancy Nasher, before Neiman Marcus’ Marjon Henderson offered a spring trend forecast. As lunch began, models elegantly showcased the latest styles from Neiman Marcus as they strolled throughout the garden. Attendees enjoyed a salad trio from Chocolate Angel (including a “Chipper Chicken” salad, IYKYK), followed by a “Wedding Cake” petit four from Stein’s, which was displayed in an individual glass cloche. (We are doing our part to serve luncheon food that people… actually want to eat.)

A new addition, the event then included a design panel moderated by my friend, colleague, and PaperCity Editor-in-Chief Billy Fong. Billy led a warm and lively conversation with Burkle, Jane Scott Hodges of cult favorite bedding brand Leontine Linens, and Tori Ross from Schumacher. Naturally, the conversation tied back to Dec My Room, especially as the panelists discussed what a thoughtfully designed space does for a person’s outlook.

The Heart of the Event

Dec My Room North Texas Area Director Heather Smith then presented this year’s awards to Terra Najork-Peterson (Monarch Servant Heart Award), Renza DePirro (Heart of Gold Volunteer Award), and Samantha Allen, the 2026 Celebrate Flight Award recipient. Allen’s vulnerable and courageous words about her own experience with Dec My Room after a severe ATV accident in her teenage years underscored the entire purpose of the event. She brought the audience to tears… and to their feet.

To end the afternoon, we announced the raffle winners, who scored everything from tickets to Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen to a $2,500 gift card to NorthPark Center to an engraved pendant from Eisman Jewels.

On this picture-perfect day, supporters left their worries on the doorstep and joined us on the sunny side of the street.

PC Seen: Suzanne Droese, Mary Frances Kearney, Ellie Campion, Miriam Spradling, Monica Gibbs, Catalina Gonzalez Jorba, Sally Pretorius Hodge, Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Kaitlin Saragusa Kellerman, Annie Roche, Jessica Khan, Alexandra Meisel, Natalie Patten, Ashley Hughes, Sarah Ring, Lilly Watson, Kate Bowman, Bethany Hollway, Kelly Garlock, Helen Goblirsch, Christina Papaila, Nina Sachse, Anabel Atkinson, Courtney Dowling, Ashley Nowak, Jen Lavelle, Brittney Lanier, Heather Winn, Ashley O’Malley, Cynthia Everitt, Paige Westhoff, Sarah Groves, Adare Robinson, Jen Kesterson Cifuentes, Sheridan Reeder, Jennifer Klos, Scott Mitchell, Kristi Leatherman, Hayley Louden, Jonika Nix, Amanda Sunderman, Andrea Weber, Carol Holmes, Taryn McDonald, Carolyn Bender, Courtney Petit, Lauren Murphy Shepherd, Samantha Wortley, Laura Black, Katy Brooks, and Christina Jafar.