At Promemoria Dallas the Glamour is in the Details


Details from a handmade linen-covered chest with Murano glass knobs
at the new Promemoria showroom in Dallas.
The frog handles are symbol of good luck, which designer
Romeo Sozzi uses frequently in his pieces.

Photos by Rebecca Sherman

Tonight's the night... Mikung Chun officially opens her much buzzed-about new Promemoria showroom in Dallas tonight at 1316 Slocum Street, with a cocktail party from 6-10 pm.

Mikyung and Promemoria Dallas are also new sponsors of my blog, and I'm thrilled to have them!

Promemoria was founded by Italian designer Romeo Sozzi in 1988, who is Mikyung's good friend and now her partner in the Dallas showroom. All handmade in northern Italy, the line is known for its craftsmanship and couture detailing. Materials are luxurious in leather, bronze, velvet, and linen -- there's a buffet made from solid oak brushed with 14k gold and inset with fine silk linen; a monumentally-sized floor mirror covered in plum color velvet; and a gargantuan velvet and linen covered chest of drawers with smashing Murano glass knobs.

Sozzi tried unsuccessfully to lure Mikyung to New York for years after she closed her muli-line showroom in Dallas, Haroo Harroo, which had carried Promemoria along with other luxury furniture and lighting lines such as Philippe Starck and Baccarat. She didn't want to leave. "I love this big land," Mikyung says. "My son was born here. Dallas still has so much potential. I think it needs a showroom like Promemoria, which has really simple, luxury things."

Seven months ago, Mikyung sealed the deal with Romeo to bring the line to town. The space is small -- only 2,400 square feet -- but it's big on perfection. She's repainted the ceiling three times to get the right color. It took four months to specify the furniture. The invitation to the party was designed and engraved in Italy and went back and forth on approvals for more than a month. And we haven't even started talking about the furniture yet.

Take a look at some of the superb details you'll see when you visit:




A hand-stitched velvet chair with bronze handles and back detailing



Top left: oak brushed with 14k gold, inset with silk linen;
inlaid wood table; alligator embossed leather tray table.





Preview of Mikyung Chun's hair, which she had woven
with sparkling synthetic strands for the party tonight.





Wrapped in velvet: the glamorous Promemoria Showroom.
Photo courtesy of Promemoria




Iconic, multi-color velvet upholstered Bilou Bilou chairs
at the Promemoria Showroom. Photo courtesy of Promemoria.

Peek Inside the New Peacock Alley Design Studio


Beauty Sleep... I missed the opening night party for Peacock Alley's stunning new Design Studio, which opened in Dallas in early May, so I ran by with my camera this weekend and shot some photos, in case you haven't been yet. I love the loft-look space with its polished concrete floors, and how it contrasts with all the soft bedding.





Located on Slocum Street in the heart of the Dallas Design District, the studio is open to the public but also geared for design professionals. There's a huge worktable and chairs for seating, where you can bring clients and spread out samples or bedding. There's also a "naked" bed for styling and mixing and matching, and an open kitchen with fresh espresso.






The new space really has more of a residential look to it, and makes it fun to shop in. I think it looks like some hip photographer's studio, and the roomscapes are all just waiting to be shot....





Peacock Alley's spring 2011 collection includes shams,
duvets, and coverlets in Oxford Scalloped (quilted) and Marcella (in blue).







Peacock Alley has come a long way from 1973 when it was founded in Dallas by Mary Ella Gabler, who's now retired. Back then, Peacock Alley was one of the few lines that made bedding in natural fibers and in classic looks. Remember climbing into bright, scratchy polyester sheets as a kid? I do.









Peacock Alley's new spring Egyptian cotton blankets, left, and samples
of duvet and sham fabrics at right and below











A classic menswear look is part of Peacock Alley's newest collection for spring 2011, including a wonderful gray and white Sloan houndstooth duvet.







Love the open kitchen, too, where's there's coffee, espresso, hot tea and snacks on offer.






Dallas Homes and Gardens Tours!

5112 Swiss Avenue
House Proud... The annual Swiss Avenue Historic District Mother's Day Home Tour will take place this weekend, Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8. There are six grand homes on the tour and something unexpected, too -- the nearby Munger Place Church. Go here for tickets and information.




1704 Kessler Parkway

The Garden Conservancy's Open Days Program provides unparalleled access into some of the country's top gardens. Five of Dallas' most beautiful gardens, small and large, will be on tour May 21, including this grand 1920s terraced garden in Kessler Park. Go here for information.

The Rug Company Opens Today in Dallas


The Rug Company's trippy Madelaine rug by William Yeoward


Today's the Day! London-based The Rug Company opens its new Dallas showroom doors today in the Dallas Design District. Founded in 1997 by Christopher and Suzanne Sharp, their unbelievably creative rugs are handmade in Nepal, using natural yarns (no synthetics!).





The Rug Company, Sellarsbrook Blue, designed by Suzanne Sharp


The Rug Company has made a name for itself by teaming up with top designers such as William Yeoward, Kelly Wearstler, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, and Diane Von Furstenberg. These are all fashion-forward creatives who really know how to make a statement with graphic designs and unexpected motifs.




The Rug Company, Flintstone rug by Vivienne Westwood

Watch a beautiful video of the rugs being made here.





The Rug Company, Magnolia Black rug by Vivienne Westwood




The Rug Company, Left to Right: Feathers by Alexander McQueen;
Beam by Tom Dixon; Swirl by Paul Smith