Dallas Blog | Material Girls | Dallas Interior Design

When most people think of bathrooms, they think of the basics- tile, paint, flooring, countertop, fixtures, hardware, mirrors.

The ideas they have don’t stop here…it’s a weekly column discussing alternate ways to spend money and making your House…well, beautiful.

Pieces has a new website! Be sure to check it out. If you’ve never heard of this Atlanta based showroom (open since May ’04), they have loads and loads of furniture, pillows, and accessories that are just DRENCHED in bold color…there is nothing boring or unexciting here. This site is totally me- I am a color fanatic!

This chair was handmade in France…beautiful chartreuse color with gorgeous nailhead trim- a Fauteuil at its finest!!

What is my obsession with green lately? This geometric green pillow is sure to be your couch’s lucky charm

I’m not normally into red, but I looove these vintage Chippendale dining chairs. In another color, they would look amazing in my Dining Room! A girl can dream!

You gotta have a pair of Turquoise Foo Dogs!

This large mirrored screen is painted in a white semi gloss and could add a big graphic punch to any room

We had sooooo much fun with the Material Girls/Swank Lighting Design Board Contest.

We’ve had so many purple color schemes in our Swank/MG contest entries- this one using a gorgeous shade of lavendar.

Here is a Top Design entry by Lana of Topsy Turvy blog

I chose to design a bedroom for Margaret Russell, a judge on Top Design, and editor of Elle Décor magazine.

When I think of Ms. Russell, I think glamour, luxury and comfort. As editor of an interior design magazine, she is constantly immersed in the best design, and I think would want a room that is worldly, sophisticated and modern, yet not trendy. I suspect she might be interested in a little edginess and/or something unexpected. And I think she would demand superb function, as well.

I chose a color scheme of lavender, cream, and bronze, with shots of black for depth. I think this would flatter her skin tones, and her wardrobe as well, since she often wears black. I’ve designed a room that combines a mix of modern and classic, with good art and luxurious materials. I think she would like a serene, calming room, but not a boring room.

1. The room starts with the wall behind the bed – with a floor-to-ceiling panel of antiqued mirrored squares.

2. The headboard would be custom made by Indulge, and covered with cream-colored linen. An upholstered headboard makes for comfort while reading in bed.

3. The bench at the foot of the bed is covered in the same linen combined with a cream silk mohair.

4. Matching bedside tables are fully slipcovered with the same cream linen as the headboard, and the skirt is banded with a thick stripe of lavender silk. These slipcovered tables would be quite functional as they are large in size and there is hidden storage space.

5. A pair of lavendar Seguso Swirl vintage Murano lamps (with lucite bases and finials) from Swank Lighting sit on the bedside tables.

6. A solid lavender silk bolster pillow, edged with bronze silk is placed below the bed shams, and the bedcover is cream linen and drops to the floor with simple corner pleats. There is no footboard to interrupt the drop of the bedcover. The sheets are embroidered with Margaret’s initials in bronze.

7. Drapes are floor-to-ceiling bronze-colored silk, just breaking on the floor.

8. Across the room, an acrylic desk is topped with

9. a Modernist adjustable brass table lamp (both from 1stdibs.com) and

10. a 19th century gilt Italian chair covered with Black Mu ikat fabric, from Madeliene Weinrib.

11. The rug is from NyingZemo through Rugmark.

12. A Line Vautrin mirror is from 1stdibs.com

13. An Elliott Puckette painting

14. An arrangement of lavender roses

15. A small framed modern painting in a black/cream palette

Don’t forget to write this important date in your planner- the LULU DK Holiday Sale!

Details below…

This wonderful entry by Sydney is one of my favorites. If this were true, I’d say that Grace finally got her stuff together post Will.

By Sydney:

Grace moves to a Tribeca loft. This is her opportunity to show her evolution as a decorator. Her style is a marriage of contemporary and traditional with Asian, deco and opulent old world flavors. The lively colors draw from her collection of fashion illustrations and photographs and are flattering to a redhead. She likes to mix textures, shapes and surfaces. Grace is elegant and stylish, but fun and bold too.

A design for 30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy

By Karen…

I chose Jack Donaghy from 30 Rock as my television character. He’s an uber-conservative, career-driven executive, and in the episode that guest starred Jerry Seinfeld, the two discussed Svenborgia.

Jack Donaghy: “So how can i help you, Jerry?”

Jerry Seinfeld: “Jack, I was vacationing with my family in Europe in a country only rich people know about.”

JD: “Svenborgia?”

Naturally, when Jack wants to retreat from his high-pressure NYC life, he’d jet over to Svenborgia. The estate would reflect his traditional aesthetic (he always wears a tux after 6pm), and I chose a palette focused on woods, rich neutral colors, small highlights of texture, and restrained sophistication.

Big Bird’s Nest by Joshua…

Here is a design board I made for Big Bird’s big city nest. My idea was for a place where Big Bird would stay when he is in New York. Big Bird has been around for a long time, but he is still a kid, so I went for bright, primary colors, and lots of repetition through circular shapes and forms. The lamps, pillow pattern, circular shelf units, turntable, swirls in the rug, and the shape of Big Bird’s head in the painting all mirror the ovular shape of the nest, which is the focus of the room. Since he doesn’t wear clothes, he doesn’t need much storage, but things like books can be stored in the two red end tables on either side of his nest.