HOUSE SALES = DEPRESSING

Late August always seems to bring depressing financial news… sure you’ve heard that new home sales are down nationally… and if new homes aren’t selling, existing homes aren’t selling… but here’s a bit o’ sunshine: Welcome Wagon! Dallas is listed as one of the few major cities in the USA to where people are actually moving…: 657,957 newcomers according to CNN.COM

WATERING IN DALLAS - MEA CULPA

I swear sometimes I am dyslexic. This from a reader:

“Candy… If you are actually in Dallas, you have it all wrong re: ‘in North Dallas we cannot water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.’

In Dallas, you cannot water with a sprinkler or irrigation system during the day, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., from June 1 through Sept. 30. You can, during that 10-6 period, use a soaker hose or hand water.”

That’s what I meant to say — NO WATERING AFTER 10:00 A.M., BEFORE 6:00 P.M. — that was a test to see if you are all awake!

DORNBRACT’S NEW MAGALOGUE

Dornbract, the German manufacturer of luxury kitchen and bath fixtures, has just mailed out a set of magalogues — a combined magazine and catalogue — on the topic of water. Andreas Dornbract has commissioned writers and artists and photographers to think about water in a spiritual and emotional way. I like the look of it — a sort of Art Forum meets Elle Decoration. But the whole idea seems a bit sinister. When you’ve got Marc Quinn’s surrealist photographs interspersed with beauty shots of Dornbracht products, and Tom Ford musing about art on the same page as the factual details of Dornbracht sinks and faucets, what really are you reading? A magazine? A catalogue? Propaganda? Anything worthwhile? Makes me rethink the whole idea of magazines in general…

WALK OVER TO TRAVIS WALK

And score on some sweet and cheap home furnishings. DL Lifestyle is having yet another sale. (Are they ever not having a sale?) Save 40 percent off the Travis Walk shop’s collection of contemporary furnishings. One person you won’t see, however, is co-owner David Lee. He has sold his interest in the shop and is working with Tyler Sweatman on opening a Mecox store in the old Domestic Bliss space off Knox Street. More to come.

METROCON

Okay, I feel a little in the dark here. Metrocon, which bills itself as the largest design related trade show in the country, will be at the World Trade Center in Dallas tomorrow, August 24, and Friday. Admittedly, the volunteer collaboration between ASID, IFMA, and IIDA, is only 4 years old, but I’m still surprised not to know more about it. But, I will–let you know tomorrow.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

As Candy said yesterday, Carleton Varney is the heir to Dorothy Draper’s great decorating style, and we’ll see the magic when he has redesigned the penthouse at the Stoneleigh Hotel. Son Nicholas is a very talented jewelry designer whose collection will be shown at Neiman’s, and ex-wife Suzanne’s Carleton V line of freshly colored, traditional prints, weaves, and wallcoverings seen here is sold to the trade at ID Collection. Seems to be contagious.

HAPPY HOUR II CAN BE A LESSON IN JOURNALISM

Gosh I’ll be there. All my zinnias died, burnt like crispy critters. Would have thought I put them in the oven — oh wait, sitting in 118 degree heat IS an oven. Even my lamb’s ears are dead, but I do see some new growth straining through the dessicated remains. My husband has vowed to Xeriscape next year; he’s becoming very concerned about water conservation and wants to start a home water recycling system so we irrigate with our “gray water.” (This is his new house project.) Which reminds me…a little journalistic comment: Let’s examine the way two publications in this town have handled reporting on the water crisis in North Texas, D Magazine, our brother pub, and Dallas Morning News.
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ABSOLUT CLEAN

This is one cool bar. It’s so clean-looking, you’ll only want to drink S. Pellegrino. But then you’ll notice its organizational features, and you’ll be coveting a tricked-out bar, with all types of liquor, mixes, and several sets of Riedel glasses.

Again, a fab find from Pier 1. And, as promised, I’ll share the top-secret new line. It’s called Scalandia. It just hit stores. Lighter wood. Classic lines. Oh-so-Scandanavian. I dig this bedroom. What do ya think?

HAPPY HOUR

No, put the wine away, Todd. This isn’t our usual happy hour, it’s for all the plant lovers out there.

This Friday (Aug. 25), Calloway’s will be offering customers an extra 20 percent off their entire purchases from 5 to 7 p.m. Sure, it’s not the best time to be adding to the garden, but if you are in the market for a house plant or a spray of flowering plants to go out on the patio for that big party, it’s worth a look. Or, if you’re a plant nerd like me, go buy a few things you’ve never tried to grow before and roll the dice. Don’t worry. If you kill it, you can bring it back for credit. (Just keep the receipt!)

CAPEL RUGS SALE

Capel Rugs is having an end of summer sale. This beautiful New Zealand wool rug has the sheen and texture of silk, and comes in sophisticated, subtle hues of persimmon (shown), sage, denim, and kahki, among others. I can picture these in a minimalist room designed by Emily Summers. A 4×6 version of Stoneridge is $199. You can also go the custom route, at $10.40 per square foot. Check them out on the web, or better yet visit the
store.

CARLETON VARNEY…

Is in town and spoke at a BUSTLING Julia Sweeney luncheon today at the Stoneleigh. First we were treated to a taped Edward R. Murrow interview of the great Dorothy Draper, Mr. Varney’s mentor and one of the greatest designers of all time. If you haven’t already, do read Mr. Varney’s latest book about Ms. Draper, In the Pink. I will try and post a photo. So we were feted with a fabulous 1950s style interview, Mr. Murrow’s cigarette in hand, Ms. Draper elegantly coifed, regally dressed, showing her home: green and lime cabbage flowers, striped flocked wallpaper, orange draperies. Oh yes, the word of the day: color!
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A SPICY SALE

Flavors From Afar — that charming Epicurean shop of all things sweet, savory, and succulent — is having a sale on its tasty collection of oils, vinegars, and spices. You can find the Snider Plaza store here.

JOHN HUTTON

The world of design lost one of the supreme talents of our times last week, John Hutton died from surgery complications in New York. For those that didn’t know John personally, you know him through the new modern look he began creating for Donghia in the ’70s and on, and the design-inspired take on outdoor furnishings that he has created for Sutherland. I had the opportunity to work with John at the furniture expo in Parisa few years ago, and although I was a bit awe-struck to be working with the equivalent of a rock star in the international design world, he was just so sweet and so much fun. I know Ann and David Sutherland are mourning a huge personal loss, and the world is mourning the loss of a true visionary.

BARGAIN SHOPPING

More stories circulating on layoffs at the Dallas Morning News. Our brother blog Frontburner has reported this sad news all month long.

So what does that have to do with good news like a giant appliance sale at Capital Distributing?

I don’t know if you caught the last editorial in Saturday’s Dallas Morning News: Northwest Airlines is laying off employees and arming them with a guide to saving money, sort of a cheapskate’s gazette for the freshly laid off including savory tips such as buying jewelry at pawn shops.

How about snagging a Viking at Capital’s annual appliance clearance?
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J-E-L-L-O

I went to a wedding shower yesterday in Richardson and discovered a whole new world up there east of Preston Road on Campbell Road.

The shower was at this precious tearoom called CHOCOLATE ANGEL — imagine a tearoom in the center of a Richardson strip shopping mall, next to CiCi’s Pizza! Reminded me of Wonderful World of Cooking, which used to be at Preston Center. On a hot August Saturday afternoon, it was filled with lunching ladies wearing dresses. The “shower room” was decorated with antiques, sideboards, and china-filled hutches like you might find in your aunt’s dining room, Oriental rugs and damask cloth napkins.

The food was to die for…
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LATE NIGHTS II

Re: DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY. Christine, I read that book and adored it! Passed it on to everyone in my family. Since I am a native Chicagoan and have been to the Chicago Museum of Natural History, the only building left from the Fair, numerous times, I loved every word. Chicago is one of the best cities in the world for architectural appreciation. As soon as you are finished, I have a question for you — we have a mission!

JOBS: WE LOVE THEM

I know you saw the headlines yesterday: Record Foreclosures in our area. It’s enough to make you shave 10 percent right off the top of your home’s sales price. (And don’t think that article won’t have that very effect.) But calls to my real estate sources tell me the foreclosures are clustered in areas outside of the Dallas epicenter — Rockwall, southwest Dallas — and this trend may have more to do with adjustable rate mortgages than anything. But here’s what one realtor told me: “I have never heard so many homeowners complain about their energy bills.” That’s right. It is very expensive to cool an 8,000-square-foot home. Even Dave Pery-Miller of Prudential said he’s starting to hear his 50 plus-year-old clients talk about downsizing “now that the kids are leaving the nest”.
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JOHN HUTTON

Just received word that designer Jim Hutton has died in New York City…
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PEER REVIEW

Or perhaps, more accurately, pier preview. Pier 1 Imports is updating its store design. No surprise here, like many stores, it’s going urban and lofty. The collection, donned Loft 21, has a sophisticated look with lots of chocolate, silver, pink, and black. Like other things at Pier 1, it has a comfortable look, and you can’t argue with those prices. As part of their revamp, they are announcing another line of products, but I’ll keep that a secret for now. To see more Loft 21, go here, or if you haven’t been in a Pier 1 in awhile, go, you’ll be impressed.

LATE NIGHT

Okay, so I did have a bit of a late night last night. I finally made it to Ghostbar. Very hip. Great people watching…

Tonight the DMA is hosting a late night, again with great visuals. See the exhibitions, Modernism in American Silver and Louis Comfort Tiffany, if you still haven’t. The theme celebrates the greatest world’s fairs–Gershwin music, a lecture on America’s world’s fairs, Tiffany’s great-grandson on glassblowing, and–to help you stay up–Starbucks tastings. Watch an outdoor screening of “It Happened at the Worlds Fair,” starring Elvis, on the Ross Avenue Plaza. I’ve just started “The Devil in the White City” about the Chicago fair by Erik Larson, which makes this all the more interesting. 6 p.m.-midnight. Admission is $10, free for members.

MY HANDBAG MATCHES MY BEDSPREAD

Yes, that’s right, now you can have the tote and the matching throw. Exciting things are underfoot at NEIMANMARCUS.COM. D Home breaks the news here (glad you asked, Peggy): NM will now carry Armani Casa (it’s the only place to get it online). But that’s not all. They are expanding their home collections of several top designers, including Fendi, Versace, Missoni, and John Hardy Home. We’ve heard (this is top secret, of course) that there are more to come. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know. Visit NM online to see the new designer galleries; and visit often, more products will be added each day.

SNEAK PALOMAR PREVIEW

I got a private hardhat tour of the Palomar yesterday with George Sheban, the contractor for Central 214, the new restaurant designed by Paul Draper. No, obviously this statue is not part of the decor–if you know Draper’s work it is classy, understated with fine finishes and architectural elements. But, he does use a lot of this statuary white marble that is so elegant and timeless. I mean, if it’s good enough for Michelangelo…. For more scoop, read Candy’s article in the next DHome.
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SMINK SALE

Smink is having a promotional sale of 20 percent off all outdoor products from Kettal. This is the most comfortable, chic chair, and it moves from dining to lounging to reclining. That line between outdoor and indoor furnishings is truly becoming invisible. Go visit with Autumn Smink about new products, but don’t go looking for new Armani Casa, they’ve said byebye. So Christine, where is it going?

WILLIAMS-SONOMA MOVES OUT OF THE KITCHEN

A sweet, art-designing woman I constantly depend on dropped me an e-mail alerting me to the greatness that is the new Williams-Sonoma Home web site. That’s right–Williams-Sonoma Home. Many of us–Todd, I’m looking at you–love all things Williams-Sonoma, so I’ll be interested to see if its first branded foray into the rest of the house goes as well as its previous incarnation. From what I see on the site, there’s plenty to be excited about.

A TABLE…NATURALLY

Being green is now trendy, and I guess that’s a good thing. Even if people are trying to respect the earth for all the wrong reasons, that outcome is still a positive one, right?

But if you were already green, having your decorating sense become popular is the ultimate jackpot, which is why I always enjoy getting my Vivaterra catalog in the mail. It’s filled with interested furniture, tabletop, and accessories made from sustainable natural materials or recycled items. Some are a little too rustic, but there are always a few gems in the bunch. Take this “Timber Block Stool,” for instance. It’s made from tree limbs that were left as waste. You can combine several of them to form a coffee table or just use one as an end table or stool.

Green and stylish–sweet.