B
renda Houston has long been captivated by the allure of gemstones, crystals and min-
never seen before. Dallas is finally coming
erals. She gives these exquisite materials pride of place in her opulent tables, lighting,
into its’ own, and we are able to keep and
decorative accessories and wallcoverings. What makes Brenda’s work so unique is the
encourage great designers to stay in Big D!
nature of these one-of-a-kind materials, and the way she crafts them into her couture furnishings,
Dallas has always had a strong art movement
creating ‘jewelry for the home’. She has steadily been growing a loyal following, counting A-list
and that is finally crossing over into design
interiors firms, celebrities, royal family members and luxury hoteliers among her clients.
where people are beginning to appreciate
Brenda launched her namesake design studio
investing in their interiors. And whereas L.A.
in Dallas in 2008. And although she has lived in
and N.Y. rely heavily on their Design Centers,
L.A., New York, and Italy and traveled all over the
Dallas has small communities of designers
world sourcing materials for her collections, she
and artists scattered throughout the city,
keeps coming back to Dallas for good reason.
making it really fun to get out and explore.
I recently sat down with Brenda to chat about how the city has taken off in recent years and its
MR: Your favorite insider Dallas destination?
burgeoning design scene.
BH: The Tins neighborhood in Dallas across the Sylvan bridge is a secret underworld of
Megan Reilly: What makes Dallas special and the spot you keep coming back to? Brenda Houston: I launched my company in Dallas because it made sense economically at the time. I was living in New York when I started the company, and I could never have taken a year off to develop designs, So the cost of living here in Texas afforded me the time I needed. And strategically, because it is right in the middle of the US, I can hop on a plane anytime to get to the west and east coasts so I never feel I am missing out. MR: We keep hearing how Dallas is booming, and people are flocking to Texas from elsewhere. How do you see this affecting the city first-hand? BH: I have always thought of Dallas as a town that thinks it is a big city but acts like a small town: now that is all about a change! Dallas is growing dramatically and is on track to be the third-largest metropolis in the US. We have an enormous amount of Angelinos and New Yorkers moving here and you can see their influence in new home designs, landscaping, and interior design. Still, you can get a lot done with just a handshake and that speaks to the heart of Texans. MR: Tell us about the Dallas design scene? How is it different from the design communities you’ve been a part of elsewhere? BH: The influx of new artists and designers arriving here from other parts of the US is creating an incredible dynamic and influence that I have
You can find Brenda Houston Designs showroom in the Dallas Design District at 1216 Manufacturing street, Dallas 75207 (by appointment). She also is represented by Profiles - New York, Maison Gerard - New York, Issarch - Dubai, CEDesign - New York, LA Design Concepts - Los Angeles Discover her collections at: www.brendahouston.com New for 2022 is Brenda’s latest website, offering her designs to the public for the first time at www.Wallcovetings.com
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