Celebrating 22 Years Of Interior Design Excellence

At J. Douglas Design - we're celebrating 22 years of Dallas interior design excellence! We are thrilled to have been named WFAA-List Best of Dallas Furniture for 2010, are proud to be the recipient of the prestigious McSam Award, and none of it would have been possible without YOU!

Of course - we only select the finest brands of home furnishings and accessories - such as Christopher Guy, Fine Art Lamps and we are the exclusive Dallas area retailer for Marge Carson; and that helps.

To celebrate - we're offering:
20% OFF
furniture, special order and design services until August 15th!



Contact our office for more information on how you can take advantage of these savings and refresh your design just in time for holiday entertaining.

Dallas Interior Design Spotlight: Christopher Guy Furnishings

Christopher Guy Harrison is to interior design as Prada is to fashion and accessories. With heirloom quality and timeless designer style - Christopher Guy interior furnishings are elegant, sophisticated - and hand crafted. At J. Douglas Design - we've been using Christopher Guy furnishings for years in our interior design projects - and for good reason: his pieces are among the most distinctive in the interior and home furnishing market.

The quality of his designs comes from a true mastery of the materials - combined with a cross-cultural flair for detail inspired from European and Asian craftsmanship. The end results are usually fine furniture a fusion of several different genres of design, modern and traditional at the same time - but ALWAYS in style.

His fine furnishings can be seen in movies and high-end hotels and commercial facilities worldwide. From the Venetian Las Vegas, to Ritz Carlton worldwide and Trump Plaza New York - exclusive and expensive destinations and those with a taste for luxury know well the Christopher Guy name.

More recently, he and his legendary internationally inspired designs received the highest honors of World Market Center Las Vegas: the Design Icon Award. The "Design Icon" award honors design visionaries who have created a body of work that left an indelible print on the industry. Created in 1996, the honor gives modern-day design legends a platform to share their stories and inspire others.

Red, White and Blue: What it Means For Interior Design

This July 4th weekend, we thought it'd be cool to venture into the RED, WHITE and BLUE of interior design! And what better way to do it - than with Feng Shui - the ancient Asian art of using color and space to balance your life.

Turns out, the color meanings of Old Glory and the American colors are VERY fitting when referenced from Feng Shui. Some of the descriptive words would be - powerful, poised, confident, wise, adventurous, peaceful and trusting. Sounds like America to us!

Most colors in Feng Shui can be broken down into two groups - Yang, and Yin. Yang colors typically tend to be fire and wood elements. Yang colors will be the colors that provide you the enthusiasm or the positive energy required to do something or be motivated. On the other end of the spectrum - are the Yin colors, which are the colors that bring about healing and relaxation. Obviously, you need a balance of these - for optimal success, luck, motivation and mental clarity. On this patriotic holiday - let's look more into RED, WHITE and BLUE!

YANG:
Red: is Feng Shui's power color! Its feng shui color meaning is warmth - or, heat, strength and power, fame & fortune, and happiness. Something we all need, right?

YIN:
White: White represents poise, confidence and purity.

Blue: Blue is cool, calm and soothing. This color has great significance in Feng Shui as it reflects love as it heals and relaxes. Blue creates a feeling of peace and trust. Since it is the color of the sea and sky, Feng Shui associates it with adventure and exploration. Navy blue is the color of intellect and wisdom.

Need a little help integrating color for your best balance? Contact Dallas interior design firm J. Douglas Design - we're always on standby to help.

Fresh Southern Summer Fabrics

What fabrics keep your design (and your body!) cool during these hot Texas summers? Does your Dallas interior design work well with these hot Dallas summer days?

Certainly, cotton fabrics are divine in terms of quality, cost and coolness, and are a natural fiber with tons of organic variations. Any savvy interior Designer knows this. But - the design industry is also utilizing the newer cotton/linen and hemp combinations in fabrics.

Perhaps the most important aspect of designing with fabric to consider during these hot summer months is your bedding. It needs to cover you, be stylish - but not smother you - especially here in the South.

Image Credit - from Southern Living - A Cottage White master bedroom.

Of course - color therapy plays in as well. White for that 'light airy' feeling, anda shabby-chic southern antique feel. Distressed milkwashed walls and a some flea-market-perfect accessories really romanticize this space. The whimsical chandelier over the bed seals the deal. What's important to note, is that the bedding is that light, fluffy (both in color, weight and texture) feathery down comfortable. Summer-cool, and Southern-chic.

Summer Color Inspirations

Let Summertime guide your color choices this year - and you'll be pulling nature into your home, and creating your own 'happy place'. Certainly, you could consider these palettes anytime of the year - and painting is the perfect quick change for an interior space.

Of course - Chromotherapy, sometimes called color therapy, colorology or cromatherapy, is of itself a way to effect your mood, and balance "energy". And, on a more practical application - light therapy is used in medical circles to treat SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

So - you will want to consider the room you're going to paint - the color, and the lighting. Depending on the size of the room and the color, a test patch on the wall is always a great idea. If it's well lit with natural light, you can generally assume that any inspirations from Mother nature that you pull in will be reflected similarly. If it's not well lit - then you'll want to utilize lamps and artificial lighting of course. Make sure the color works with the space, the accessories and furnishings - and that it's what you want it to be, and has the desired effect on your mood and sense of well being. Colors always can 'feel' different once they cover a large space.

The Beach
Teals, deep blues - these cool colors are sure to keep the mood light, relaxed and fresh. Utilize stark whites along side the bold walls - with lamps, drapes and accessories - couple with soft lighting.

The Meadow
"The Meadow" theme is frequented by all shades of yellow, and works well with almost any space. Yellow is one of those colors that is generally considered a 'happy' color, and goes especially well with nearly any floral print, or pattern - and looks great with whites or woods (even really dark woods!).

The Desert
You don't need a mesa to feel on top of the world, just paint your walls the color of a hazy gray-blue sky, and accent with the colors of pink sunlit sands. You'll really be bringing nature indoors, so make sure to consider and review the actual desert at different times of the day - and notice the differences in hues between early morning, and late evening. Be your own Yogi in minimalistic style, with colors you might have thought only God could paint.

Starry Skies
The darkest blues and violets call for bright white accents or rich furnishings. Be careful with patterns and use of other colors when using dark blues and purple hues - in fact - monochromatic accents are safest here if you must use a color other than white or a metallic accent.

Don't be scared though - this is another cool combination that can really soothe the senses if done correctly.

Just don't ruin this one with complimentary colors - it won't work. In fact, it might make you sick. Could you imagine this cute little powder room with orange anywhere - ? It's miss the mark.

Observe your world and figure out what moves you. Then - grab a can of paint and go to town. Bring your love of life into your interior design.

A King's Throne

Father's Day is June 19th

What is man’s best friend? We think a dog might actually be a close second, and a fine chair the winner of this war! And with Father’s Day coming around we’re sure that dad’s old recliner is getting to be a bit out of date – so why not get him a new one? In fact, why not go even further and make him feel like a king with a new throne for his office, or perhaps a fine piece of seating?

Of course, J. Douglas Design is the exclusive retailer in Dallas for Marge Carson fine furniture. (both chairs pictured in this post are from Marge Carson) We not only have many different types of chairs for every day use, but more specifically, we have chaises, super-manly wing back styles, executive desk chairs and sets of chairs and foot rests.

Chaises, while not a traditional recliner, certainly act like one. They are long chairs for reclining that not only give your dad – or any family member – the capability to recline, but to recline elegantly at that. At first, chaise lounges were neither easy nor inexpensive to create. The metal hand of the chaise was actually curved by hand, which made the chaise lounge unavailable to the public. It also had to be shipped in full assembly, which presented transportation troubles. Now, though, chaises (like ours) are put out into our stores so that anyone – with a good eye, of course – can have one to complete their home décor.

Father’s day is an important day to be celebrated and revered, and we know that you only want your dad to have the best – so let us help you! J. Douglas Design sends well wishes to ALL the Father's out there. Still not sure what he might love? Come down or call J. Douglas Design any time and we will gladly help you pick the best gift for your father and his tastes!

Matching Luxury

Here at J. Douglas Design we are always striving to give you, our clients, the finest selection of furniture and unique pieces for your home furnishing endeavors. And did you know? There is a magazine out there, which strives for the same sort of excellence that we do: Grand Luxe Magazine.

Grand Luxe Magazine works in the same circles as we do - with a distinctive style and a clientele who expects only the very best.

Every issue of Grand Luxe Magazine is filled with stunning full-color photography and includes culture, society and lifestyle features which are printed on the highest quality of paper around.

What all is in this magazine? Well, there are multiple profiles of influential people, the arts, philanthropy, destinations, fine dining, entertainment and luxury event coverage. And if you decide that you would like to be on of their Grand Luxe VIP members, then you have access to multiple different events like the monthly Happy Hours and Trunk Shows and the Annual Holiday Wish Book Cocktail Party, as well as the Grand Luxe Polo Cup Championship.

If you are one of our customers then we already know that you look for the best within your community, so, if you haven’t already, sign up today for Grand Luxe Magazine and enjoy all that life, and Dallas, has to offer!