SALE ALERT: SWELL DWELL

Want some linens that make a bold statement? I love the simplicity and vibrancy of this hexagon-patterned duvet and sheet set in black and butter. Would look nice and crisp on a summer bed. Both sets are on sale at Dwellshop.com.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS IS A TREE HOUSE?

This amazing tree house, called FlutterBy, was built by HDR, INC., architects for the Dallas Arboretum’s Extreme Treehouses show, which runs through December. There are 12 other elaborate designs, all worth visiting this Fourth of July.
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HGTV “REVEAL” IS HO-HUM?

Rebecca and Todd, as you know, I learned most of what I know about styling from you and David Feld. AND I AM A GREAT STUDENT! So see if you buy this: first, the painfully overdone green apples. Unless this is a nostalgia touch, we are talking even worse than ho-hum. We are talking wrong. Keep in mind, too, that this is a Park Slope couple in a fabulous brownstone. They are professionals. She is pregnant. Unless that white furry rug is for the baby to creep around on, it is worse than ho-hum. It is inappropriate. (Better suited to 14-year-old devotee of PB Teen catalogue.) And the stuff on the mantle? The, what, sticks in a vase, ornamental cabbage, and, what, beakers? I am a Libra, and I like symmetry unless the symmetry is broken for a reason, and by that I mean an intelligent reason. Okay, maybe ho-hum was a little harsh. How about, a tad derivative? (Smile.)

COFFEE TALK

Sale time again. This one features three of my favorite things (I feel a Julie Andrews song coming on): 1) great design, 2) coffee, and 3) Bodum. Alas, our Bodum store recently closed. But you can still find their boffo brew equipment online such as this Granos automatic espresso machine. The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design awarded the chic coffeemaker its 2003 “Good Design” award. I think its space-age cool. And it’s on sale for $452.50 at Tabletools.com. Go check it out. Oh, and by the way, Roger, I know a bull from a cow. Trust me.

BULLS ARE GOOD AT VOLLEYBALL, TOO

I can’t tell you the zodiac signs of all of my teammates, but last night, a contingent of D staffers (and a few spouses) won their volleyball league after a killer four-hour playoff. As an injured, but contributing player, I’m proudly wearing my champion’s t-shirt this afternoon. I must say, it looks great on me. I think I might want a whole closet full of them.

Brains and brawn. It’s hard being a bull.

A REAL TAURUS

Um, Todd? That’s not a bull, that’s Daisy THE COW! Bulls don’t say “moo.”

As a fellow Taurus, I can’t believe you paint us as weenie bovines who push dairy products on unsuspecting consumers. Practical? Yes. Stubborn? Oh, good Lord, yes. But be proud, too. Be like this guy on my left.

GUESS MY SIGN! (MOO)

I agree with Christine — the new HGTV show seems pretty cheesy. I also agree with Rebecca — I thought the room was pretty sweet. As for me, I’m a Taurus. Practical and stubborn, supposedly. Practical? Hardly. (I’m on my third dining room table in four years. Someday, I’ll get it right. Sigh.) Stubborn? I’ll let my D Home playmates have fun with that one. Be nice.

HOROSCOPE DESIGN

Rebecca, Christine is a Libra like me. We like everything pretty, or maybe not, or yes, maybe, or maybe we can’t make up our minds. Being on the cusp, you can probably decide quicker.

HOROSCOPE DESIGN

Rebecca and Christine, please recall that Nancy Reagan used to consult her astrology gurus who were influencing national policy…and things weren’t all that bad when Ronnie was at the helm! I think this is a super idea for a TV show and why even… even a magazine column. I am a Leo, and as such, every designer has always had to beat me down to get me to tone down the color. (Reminds me of hairdressers who tell me to straighten my hair.) Michelle Nussbaumer came into my blah living room and said, “Candy, you are an artist; this room is too sterile…” and she has some wonderful recipes for jazzing it up. Main ingredients: Aqua paint, blue and white porcelain, fun. Like a Leo. Do stay tuned.

HO-HUM?

Christine, lavender walls with lime green upholstery is ho-hum? Looks pretty fun to me. You’re a Scorpio like me, aren’t you? I wonder what they’d say our colors were, and if we’d agree?

W’ONE MORE THING

My husband this morning reminded me that the elevator lines to get up to Ghost Bar and the Infinity Pool at the W last night were horrific. Which they were. It took like forever to move toward the elevator to get UP (a mere 45 second ride) but coming DOWN – well, it was almost instantaneous. No lines.

I reminded HIM that was an analogy to life in general.

W’OVERHEARD

At last night’s opening bash, the W folks were projecting huge images of mountainous cliffs on wall-sized background screens. Like we were somewhere in the Rockies. One guest said: “Um, I don’t think that’s Dallas. Maybe this is the image for the next W opening in Denver.”

HGTV TO DEBUT “WHAT’S YOUR SIGN? DESIGN” SATURDAY AT 8 PM

Okay, I am still laughing at an article in the New York Times about a sophisticated Park Slope couple who in a moment of complete insanity agreed to be on a new reality design show. The gimmick: Use horoscopes to figure out decorating schemes. You’re looking at the awkward “before” and the ho-hum “reveal.” Click here for the back story.

W DOES DALLAS

WOW. Went to the opening of the W tonight….fresh and tan from my jaunt to Nevis… and saw absolutely everyone in town there….Howard and Cindy Rachofsky, Todd Minnis, John Scott, president of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, John Shore, Jason McDaniel, Brynn Bagot, Elaine Raffel, Crawford Brock, as in Stanley Korshak, who knows his store will be the closest wonderful shopping for everyone living at Victory Plaza, Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, no doubt comparing his Azure to the W condos…media people, just everyone. Sarah Perot looked radiant. I heard Cuba Gooding Jr. was there and rumors of Angie Harmon, but I did not spot them. As I waded through the crowds, champagne in hand, I couldn’t help but think nostalgically upon the downtown Dallas I encountered when I moved here in 1979…we’ve come a long way, baby.
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NO WONDER THEY DRIVE SUCH PURDY CARS

It might feel like there’s a real estate agent on every corner, but that’s not the case. In Texas we have 4.3 real estate licensees per thousand, down from 9 per thousand in the woop-de-do mid 80s. According to a recent report from the Real Estate Center, Texas now has roughly 100,000 active agents. For scale, California has 400,000 licensees (yowza!) and Florida has 200,000.

KUDOS TO WEST ELM

The Pottery Barn retailer for the minimalist set not only has a store coming to Mockingbird Station this fall (huzzah!), but also their new catalog is smashing. In the past, it played kind of sterile. Now it’s warm and surprisingly homey, making those upholstered cube sectionals and zebrawood veneered tables seem comfy rather than clinical. And guess what else? That’s right. They’re having an online sale. Save up to 50 percent on rugs, bedding, and furniture, such as this webbed accent chair for only $129.

MORE MOD ONLINE

D Home fanatic and savvy shopper Chris Thurman has launched Sputnik Modern. His new web site… well, I’ll just let Chris tell you:

I do shows around the country and sales out of a warehouse here in Dallas by appointment. I’ve been dealing with decorators and dealers in NYC and LA for years and decided to open my doors to the public. I deal in good design. No specific style or era.

Inventory changes daily and the web site is updated weekly. I’m already hooked. Found a great “Jack” table by Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb. You’ll also find lots of vintage Knoll, Milo Baughman, and other great designers.

MAJOLICA HAS MOVED

Anybody wonder what happened to all the antique majolica at Side Streets that closed this spring? The owner, Pat Snoots, and her husband have built the most amazing house on Armstrong, which deadends at the Katy Trail. I got a tour last week; it’s built of contemporary angles on a pie-shaped lot. Industrial skylights, concrete floors, and a suspended steel walkway mix wonderfully with primitive antiques and majolica accents. Hang out at the Katy Trail, and maybe you, too, can get a tour.

MOD SALE

MoMA’s (Museum of Modern Art) online shop is one of my faves for hip gifts and one-of-a-kind finds. Now they’re having a sale. (Say it with me, kids: WOO HOO!) I found this sunny, sweet colander by designer Ole Jensen. Flip it to the left and you get a practical colander. Flip it to the right and you get a serving dish. How cute is that? Pick up one for yourself here.

SLIM AARONS DIES

Society photographer Slim Aarons, who captured some of the world’s most glamorous people during the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s for Life, Town and Country, and Holiday, died at age 89 a few weeks ago. Read more about him in Pop Photo magazine. I know several interior decorators who bought his book, A Wonderful Time, when it came out in 1974. It’s now worth between $600-$1,600. A new collection of his work came out last year, Once Upon A Time. If you have a copy, hang on to it.

PERSONAL SPACES

Does your child’s bedroom look like this? Or more like this View image. A new company, Personal Spaces, (214.261.1000) run by former Container Store staffers, has put together some summertime organizing tips for our blog readers. Personal Spaces is a new division of Delivery LTD., a respected moving and storage resource for interior decorators in Dallas. For tips, click below:
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…THE BEETLES!

Most of the time, I love to garden. I don’t mind getting out in the yard, even when it’s hot, to pick weeds, trim and water plants, and do the day-to-day maintenance that some find tedious.

And having been a gardener of sorts since I was walking, I’d thought I’d seen everything. Until I went to turn on my hose yesterday evening, that is.

Jump for the payoff (including photo).
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THE LEGACY RETURNS

Back in the 90s, I loved Legacy Trading Company. It made the Quadrangle cool (no small feat). It was junky and awkward in an exciting way, full of exotic furnishings and great conversational pieces. (The first — and only — African fertility statue I ever purchased was from Legacy Trading. Don’t ask whether it’s ever worked.) But then the hip retailer moved to the West Village, and it lost a bit of its swagger. In its roomy environment, it felt tame, common, and — well — just too big. Happily, Legacy recently shaved off a good third of its store and a few pounds of inventory. Now it has a long entry that features local artists, and Legacy’s wares seem, once again, smart and tailored. I plan on spending much time and a few bucks in the new and improved Legacy. You should, too. Lets make it a date.

DINING BY DESIGN

This table sponsored by Ann Sacks was designed by Julio Quinones for Saturday night’s DIFFA fundraising event, Dining by Design. Small stools from Baker Knapp & Tubbs, en lieu of chairs, allow for a lot of people to gather around the table without feeling crowded. The chandelier is vintage Venini; and while it’s hard to see, the floor and parts of the wall are decorated with Ann Sacks tile. There are about 40 tables designed by various sponsors, including Neiman Marcus and Jan Showers Associates. All the tables are individually draped off, which is a smart way to create a feeling of intimacy inside the unwieldy interiors of the Dallas Trade Mart, where the party is being held.

I LOVE REALTORS

D’s Best Realtor party was a huge success tonight at the Stoneleigh, where Deborah Forrest and I hung out in the kitchen, the one she designed, of course. Deborah has her design stamp all over the new Stoneleigh Residences. Caught up with many of my buds, including Ned Cammack, Marianne Morris who has moved from Coldwell Banker to Allie Beth Allman, Doris Jacobs and her gorgeous daughter Teffy, Erin Mathews, Travis Mathews, and David Nichols.... it was almost a reunion of our private jet trip last October to NYC, thanks to the Palomar folks. Which reminds me: Juli Harrison was there as well.

Now for the best tidbit of the night:
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