Lower Oak Lawn

Some sports fans wait all year for football season, others yearn for for opening day at the diamond, but me, I live for the Olympics. My favorite season of sports only lasts for seventeen days every two years, so I like to soak up all the Olympic spirit I can while it lasts!

Right now we’re sitting at t-minus twelve hours till the opening ceremony and I could not be more excited. In honor of the impending games, I’ve put together an Olympic ring-inspired design board featuring colorful furnishings and accessories from our very own Design District showrooms.

I’m a big fan of using color in home design and this was the perfect excuse to round up some of my favorite colorful accessories!

Blue: Sunshade Umbrella in Admiral, Brown Jordan // Black: Asterick Clock, Scott + Cooner // Red: Red Ball Penant, BoConcept // Yellow: Agatha Flower Side Chair, JANUS et Cie // Evergreen Clear Goblet, Green Living

Are you excited for this year’s summer Olympics? Which events do you plan to watch? Share your Olympic love in the comments below!

In April, I highlighted the work of Derrick Tribbey, a professional photographer who not only calls the Design District home, but uses it as a locale for many of his photo shoots. Derrick was kind enough to share photos from a recent session he did for newly engaged Leslie and Tyler.

I adore Derrick’s work and was excited to see that he incorporated several new backdrops into his photos. “Almost every building has something unique about it,” says Derrick. “I am always keeping my eyes peeled for new sites to use. My new favorite location is the building that has walls with ivy. It gives the photos such a pop of color! ”

Speaking of pops of color, the Derrick explained how the couple’s outfit choices worked perfectly with the backdrop of the neighborhood. ”Leslie and Tyler are so stylish and their great outfit choices made the session even more fun to shoot,” says Derrick.

The Leslie, bride-to-be and an elementary school teacher in Garland, was kind enough to sit down and tell me more about the happy couple, their engagement, and how it was taking photos in the Design District. Keep reading for their story and all their lovely photos!

First, congratulations to you both on your engagement! I must know, how did y’all meet?

We met in college. We kept running in to each other on campus and making small talk until he finally asked me out!

Now the good part: The proposal. How did he pop the question? 

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and we always spend it with my family. Every year my entire family goes around the table and says what they are thankful for. (Cheesy, I know, but I love it.) I was sitting in between my dad and Tyler. It was Tyler’s turn and he was talking about being thankful for his family, his job and me. He elaborated on why he was thankful for me and said these are the things that he wanted in a wife. He then got on his knee in front of my entire family! It was amazing! My 87 year-old grandmother was there, which was really special.

How/why did you choose the Design District to take your engagement photos?

We wanted a urban feel. We had seen some photos that Derrick had previously shot in the Design District and loved them. We loved the colorful walls and the different textures in that area.

Did you enjoy shooting in the Design District? With Derrick?

It was great shooting in the Design District. Everybody was very friendly and Derrick was very professional. He has a great eye and directed us flawlessly.

How do your photos reflect your relationship/personality as a couple?

We love living in Dallas, so our pictures are fitting to our style and urban feel we love!

What is your favorite photo? 

I love the one of us sitting on the wooden ramp and all the ones with the vine covered wall behind us! To be honest, we love all of them!

From me and all our DallasDesignDistrict.com readers, congratulations to Leslie and Tyler on your engagement and best wishes for a long and happy marriage! 

For a limited time only, Allan Knight’s showroom at the International on Turtle Creek is offering 60-80% off all in-stock, off-the-bolt fabric.

The sale includes hand embroidery, velvet, linen, upholstery weight and outdoor fabric — stop by the showroom today before it gets snatched up!

It might be Monday, but I’m already craving another weekend! This upcoming weekend is particularly exciting since it will play host the Design District’s inaugural summer Gallery Day.

Today I’m excited to give readers a sneak preview of the event’s commemorative t-shirt. Designed by the Lunch Buddies, a group of Dallas-based artists and printmakers, the shirt features a fun, abstract design that highlights the names of all of the event’s participating galleries.

So, how do you get your hands on one of these beauties? The shirts will be in swag bags the day of the event; 25 bags will be available at each gallery. Three hundred shirts total will be up for grabs and the turn-out promises to be in the thousands, so the best way to get one is to SHOW UP EARLY!

I love a good t-shirt, and definitely plan to try to get my hands on one of these!

As a reminder, Gallery Day will be hosted from 12 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 28. For more on the days activities, visit last week’s post: Celebrate Dallas’ New Holiday: Gallery Day. Hope to see you there!

Last month, the US Corps of Engineers declared that the Trinity River levees, which the City has been working hard to repair in the last three years, now no longer need further enforcement and are fit to withstand up to a 1,000-year flood. This news, arriving just before the City started construction on $30 million underground concrete walls, was met with much confusion; Why weren’t the levees safe yesterday but they suddenly are today?

Fortunately, Craig Holcomb from the Friends of Fair Park and Trinity Commons Foundation distributed a letter written by Brigadier General Thomas W. Kula of the Corps of Engineers explaining the situation. To introduce the letter, he mentioned a conversation between Mayor Mike Rawlings and the General in which the Mayor asked General Kula whether “political pressure had caused the Corps to change its position on the Dallas levees,” and the General replied, “absolutely not.”

Here is his letter explaining why:

“Friends and Partners,

The Dallas Floodway System and the state of the levees that protect our metro area are topics that are important for all of us.

Last month, our Fort Worth District leadership briefed the Dallas City Council on the results of the Risk Assessment Process, and the results were some good news for both residents and business leaders in Dallas:   We now understand that the levees will perform better than previously thought.

This Risk Assessment process helped us better evaluate and understand risk for the Dallas levees in three major areas:

Flood frequency:  We previously believed that the likelihood of a storm event creating a flood level that could overtop the levees to be a one in 800 year chance event.  Thanks to 20 additional years of flood history, the latest technology, and additional data, we now believe it to be one in 1000-5000 year chance.  We will refine the flood frequency estimates to a narrower range this summer.

Flood duration:  The estimated flood duration is significantly shorter than originally estimated—from 90 days to a few days—meaning that floodwater is on the levees for a much shorter time, so the levees are less likely to become saturated and fail.

Levee slides:  Levee slides have occurred over the years.  We were concerned that these slides indicated a more serious problem.  But after extensive analysis by geotechnical engineers using the data from more than 5000 borings we concluded that these slides do not pose an unacceptable level of risk.

Based on this new data, along with the 198 corrections performed by the City of Dallas, we have a greater confidence that the levees will perform as they should during a significant flood event.

The attached Corps of Engineers Fact Sheet provides more perspective on this process, and how it helps us better understand the levees.

All of our actions are driven by these key principles:

–Public Safety is our number one priority.
–Levee safety is a shared responsibility.
–Levees reduce risk, they do not eliminate it.

Our goals forward include finishing the Feasibility Study and to continue to identify flood risk reduction measures that help us further protect the citizens of Dallas.

 
I hope that these facts will help you better understand both the Risk Assessment process and the state of the Dallas levees.  We have posted (and will continue to update) information on Risk Assessment and the Dallas Floodway on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/swdusace.”

Tom Kula

BG Thomas W. Kula
CG, Southwestern Division
US Army Corps of Engineers
Dallas, TX  75242

The fact sheet General Kula mentions is below. With the new levee news, the Trinity River Projects should be soon underway.

Featured image from the Dallas Morning News.

I truly love working in the Design District. Now you can work here too. Make your Design District dreams come true by snagging one of these great jobs!

Junior Interior Designer, Deborah Walker Design

Deborah Walker, an interior design firm in the Metroplex, is looking to hire a full time Junior Interior Designer. Designer must be very organized, must relate to client and public in a positive manner, complete assigned client tasks, shopping, proficient in Auto CAD and keep tracking orders.

The company’s offices are located in a new space in the Design District of Dallas. The designer should be able to corresponded with vendors, track orders, assist designers with installation as needed and assist in answering phone.

Qualifications are 1 to 3 years interior design related experience and an Interior Design Degree – FIDER accredited school.

Email resumes to Deborah Walker at Deborah@deborahwalker.com

Account Manager, Dahlgren Duck

This position will serve as the primary business contact for assigned Dahlgren Duck accounts and be responsible for overall client satisfaction. Consistently provide excellent customer service to assigned accounts, as well as represent client needs and goals within the organization to ensure client expectations are met. In addition, build and maintain relationships with clients to encourage new and repeat business.

Download a full job description: Account Manager Job Description. Email resumes to Amira Duck at ajduck@dahlgrenduck.com.

Dallas Territory Sales Manager, Coraggio Textiles

Coraggio Textiles is seeking an enterprising and experienced design professional to manage the sales growth of Coraggio Textiles’ Dallas showroom. The ideal candidate is energetic and polished with a proven track record of cultivating customer relationships and meeting sales goals.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Inside & Outside Sales – Promote collections to interior design professionals both inside and outside the showroom through presentations and targeted sales efforts. Travel within the state of Texas is required.
• Extensive product and brand knowledge
• Deliver excellent customer service
• Cultivate new business by staying abreast of industry news and project awareness

Desired Skills & Experience:

• Extensive outside sales experience in Interior Design field (2+ years preferred)
• Working knowledge of textiles
• Excellent customer service skills
• Energetic and enthusiastic team player
• Professional demeanor and dress
• Ability to see projects through completion
• Excellent organizational and communication skills

Download a full job description: Dallas Territory Sales Manager Job Description. Please send resumes to dallas@coraggio.com.

Get more updates on job opportunities in the Dallas Design District and network with other local professionals by joining the Dallas Design District LinkedIn Group!

It’s that time of year again; Design District darling f. is for frank is launching their new jewelry collection! This Thursday, July 19, owners Shannah Frank and Casey Melton will host a debut party at their Manufacturing Street studio/workshop, showing off the latest pewter, gold and rose gold treasures.

I spoke with c0-owner Casey Melton last week and she gave me a sneak peek at what to expect. This year’s collection takes on three themes — rope, simplistic architectural and “sweet meets circus freak.” I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I am quite eager to find out!

She also told me that the collection will introduce a few fun new accessories, like the über chic bolo tie, pictured on the right.

The party will last from 6 to 9 p.m. Fun drinks and fab food will be served. Swing by to enjoy a bite and be the first to own a piece from the new line!

Today from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy photography of Turtle Creek and the Trinity River from photographer Rick Turner while sipping happy-hour priced Calatrava cocktails, strawberry margaritas and mango mojitos at Bridge Bistro.

Members of the Trinity Trust, Trinity Strand Trail and Turtle Creek Association will be there chat about all the developments happening along the river, and Kay will be serving up her signature complimentary appetizers.

Bridge Bistro is located at 921 N. Riverfront Blvd. You can RSVP to info@turtlecreekassociation.org

With Dallasites jet setting off for vacations and cooler climates, it’s no surprise to say that summer is notably slower for art galleries in the area. Brian Gibb, an art-lover and gallery owner is out to change that.

Founder of what’s being called simply “Gallery Day,” Brian recognized that summer was a slow time and sought to create an event that would drive traffic to galleries. ”Summer is a slow time for art galleries, and it seemed like local gallery owners had just resigned to this,” says Brian. “I got sick of it this summer. I decided it didn’t have to be that way.”

Owner of The Public Trust, a contemporary art gallery located in Deep Ellum, Brian organized art galleries in East Dallas to host the first Gallery Day event in June. Seven galleries participated, food trucks got involved and the event ended up drawing over 1,200 people.

“The environment was electric and exciting. Some of our usual clients attended, but there were many people I’d never seen at an opening before,” says Brian.

After seeing the success of Brian’s East Dallas Gallery Day, Design District galleries decided they wanted in on the action. Nancy Whitenack, owner of Conduit Gallery, and Missy Finger, owner of PDNB Gallery, reached out to Brian and they set the plan in motion, carving out a date, selecting participants and designing promotional materials.

“I am excited about the opportunity to draw traffic this time of the year and, hopefully, attract a new audience to the Dallas art scene,” says Missy. “We have several strong gallery neighborhoods in Dallas and I hope we can reach people in other parts of the city that don’t necessarily know about this area.”

Design District Gallery Day will be hosted from 12 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 28. Participating galleries include Circuit 12 Contemporary, Cohn Drennan Contemporary, Conduit Gallery, Craighead Green Gallery, Cris Worley Fine Arts, Dallas Contemporary, Galleri Urbane, Goss-Michael Foundation, Holly Johnson Gallery, Marty Walker Gallery, PDNB Gallery and Red Arrow Contemporary.

Food trucks will be open for businesses and host galleries will serve complimentary ice cold beverages, including Brooklyn Lager courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery. Guests who attend early will be able snag a swag bag, which will include the official Design District Gallery Day T-shirt produced by the Lunch Buddies, a group of Dallas artists and printmakers.

“I think Gallery Day will be a fun event that will draw a lot of people who haven’t visited our galleries before. Brian made the planning process a breeze and I’m delighted to see how it will turn out!” says Nancy.

The event hasn’t happened yet, and there are already plans to grow the event next year. “I think it’s great to have a summer event and we definitely plan to make it an annual thing,” says Brian.

F. is for frank has been making a splash in the craft and jewelry world for its quirky and unique jewelry, gifts, housewares and custom metal work for years now — just take a look at this woven rose gold ring or this funky longhorn door knob and you’ll see what I mean.

Fortunately, the duo behind the business, Shoshannah Frank and Casey Melton, are bringing in a whole new collection for fall, and throwing a party to kick it off. Join them on Thursday, July 19th at their 1216 Manufacturing St. studio for light bites, fun drinks and, of course, awesome jewelry on display! The party is open to the public and will be from 6 to 9 p.m.