There is something exhilarating about unexpected color.

And exhilarated is just how I felt when I came across the elegant yet flirty dress pictured below.

It immediately called to mind an ad I saw recently for the new Martyn Lawrence Bullard collection for Schumacher. The collection was inspired by Bullard’s “passion for exotic travel, luxurious materials as well as unexpected color and scale.” And it shows. The collection is brimming with playful patterns, iconic ikats and copious color!

As we head into the weekend, break out of the beige, take a cue from the ever chic Kate Spade, and remember to “live colorfully!”

View the entire Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Schumacher Collection online or drop by Schumacher’s Dallas Design Center showroom.

Photos via Schumacher.com and Pinterest

The Splash Media studio was incredibly impressive and Renay was a gracious host. The interview ended up being quick and easy and the video turned out great! Take a minute to watch it and remember back to the beginning days of LowerOakLawn.com and think about how far we’ve come since then! Couldn’t have done it without you!

Thank you to Renay and Splash Media for having me!

Source: Splash Cast Blog, SplashCast: Social Media Marketing And The Lower Oak Lawn Story

Last week the developers gave an in-depth interview about the project on the D Magazine RealPoints blog. Instead of recapping the article, I decided to have a little fun and throw all the juicy details into an infographic.

While this is jam packed with fun insights, it is just the tip of the iceberg of the coolness that is 1400 Hi Line. Stay tuned to LowerOakLawn.com for the latest amenity reveals and leasing deets!

[View Larger]

Sources: D Magazine RealPoints,  PMRG Execs Provide Details on 1400 Hi Line

Today, I was delighted to see a new take on the chevron pattern in my inbox from Kelli at Pindler & Pindler. Rhythmic, their new signature exclusive print, brings a softer look to the edgy chevron pattern, adding zig zags to their zig zags!

The print comes in several fresh color ways, including periwinkle, lilac, sky, stone, natural, and citron.

Have you joined in on the chevron craze? How do you like to incorporate this geometric print into your home or wardrobe?

Rhythmic is available at Pindler & Pindler showroom in the Dallas Design Center.

Inside Oak in the Dallas Design District

Word is out; Oak is open, and the reviews are pouring in! Elegant, sexy, sophisticated, and perfect are all words that have been used to describe the ambiance and food of the Design District’s newest eatery. And not only is Oak wowing food critics in the press, it’s winning among patrons, garnering an impressive four out of five stars on Yelp.

Read a sampling of the reviews and check out the beaucoups of stunning photos of their food and space brought to you by a handful of Dallas’ premiere publications:

• D Magazine – Side Dish Blog - First Take: Oak in the Dallas Design District
• Dallas Observer – City of Ate – Oak Now Open in the Design District (Photos)
• Crave DFW – First Look: Oak
• Thrillist – Oak: Gutsy by Design (District)
• UrbanDaddy - Oak – A DJ-Fueled Dinner Spot in the Design District

Have you tried out Oak yet? Leave your first impressions in the comments below!

Photography by Desiree Espada via D Magazine Side Dish Blog

Helping you halt your hoarding tendencies is Green Living in the Dallas Design District. This Saturday, January 28 from noon to 5pm they will be hosting their quarterly E-Waste Collection drive, collecting your old electronics and sending them to greener pastures. All electronics collected will be recycled and put back into the manufacturing process to make new products instead of being dumped in landfills.

As a reward for being green, Green Living will offer 10% off anything in their showroom when you recycle. Also, Velvit Oil, Safecoat, and other furniture finishes will be offered at a whopping 50% off.

For more information on what types of electronics you can bring, visit this helpful E-waste flyer at Green-Living.com.

“We’ve really hit the ground running since entering the Dallas market,” says Daniel Ocasio, vice president of franchise development for LED Source. “We’ve been working with several area businesses and plan on continuing to work with a good mix of large and small entities. We’ve positioned ourselves in the Design District for that reason. There is great design in Dallas and we are excited to be a part of this truly innovative and forward thinking community.”

Today LED Source will host their official grand opening celebration with an open house from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. They will be serving Jason’s Deli for lunch and celebrating with a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Guests are invited to stop by to say hi, browse the showroom, meet their team of LED lighting experts, and see the latest fixtures and lamps from LED manufacturers such as Philips Color, Kinetics, EcoSense, Toshiba, Cree, and Lighting Science Group.

The LED Source showroom is now open at 154 Glass St., Suite 108 in the Dallas Design District.

Can’t make it today? Worry not — they’re not going anywhere! In addition to today’s grand opening festivities, LED Source will host an open house for entertainment LED lighting on Jan. 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for house of worship LED lighting on Jan. 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with special guest Camron Ware of Visual Worshiper.

LED Source is located at 154 Glass Street in Suite 108. Stop by and tell ‘em we sent you!

The Design Center Sample Showroom features 20,000 square feet of designer offerings at sale prices.

The Dallas Design Center is home to some of the design industry’s most adored showrooms and brands, both national and local. Offering custom designer furnishings in styles ranging from traditional to contemporary, the center represents a wide array of design options.

In the spirit of cooperation and to make room for new inventory, several Design Center showrooms have teamed up to fill an ongoing sample sale showroom, offering their furnishing and accessories at drastically reduced prices. Spanning over 20,000 square feet of space, the sale features sofas and seating, rugs and tables, accessories, and more.

Ruth Woodling, Leasing Director for PegasusAblon, has been active in helping the tenants take the sample showroom from dream to reality. “The Design Center tenants have been extremely proactive with the sample sale and we truly appreciate all the time and effort they’ve put towards the project. The sample sale allows for instant gratification and immediate access to Dallas’ finest luxury furnishing brands — a very rare and valuable opportunity,” says Woodling.

Showrooms participating in the sample sale include Abrash Rugs, Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Edward Ferrell & Lewis Mittman, George Cameron Nash, ID Collection, J.H. Minassian & Co., J. Robert Scott, and Murray’s Iron Works. Click the thumbnails below to get a peek inside the showroom.

The sample sale showroom is located at Suite 200 in the Dallas Design Center and is open weekdays 10 am to 4 pm to the trade.

On the prowl for a bargain? Be sure to stalk the other sales taking place this month in the Dallas Design District:

• Design District newcomer The SofaWorks is hosting a grand opening sale, offering 40% off of all custom orders placed before January 31, 2012.
• The Anteks Annual January Sale & Clearance is on. Get 20 to 50% off of all in stock inventory and 20% off any custom orders.
• BoConcept’s Super Sofa Sale features discounts on sofas and storage through January 31, 2012.
• Coming up soon is the Scott+Cooner Winter Sidewalk Sale. Hosted January 19-21 at Decorative Center Dallas, get great prices on a huge selection of contemporary furnishings.
• Now through January 31, 2012 take 15% off all purchases of Scalamandre’s stocked fabrics, trims and wallcoverings.
• Prime yourself for a clearance sale at Vintage Chic Trading Co., taking place this Thursday through Saturday January 19-21, 2012.

Kay Agnew at her new restaurant, Bridge Bistro, on Riverfront Boulevard

They say change is a good thing, and that is certainly the case with Kay Agnew’s new Bridge Bistro in the Dallas Design District. Formerly operating as Margaux’s in the International on Turtle Creek on Irving Boulevard, the Bridge Bistro is sporting a new address as well as an updated menu. Kay Agnew, proprietress and restaurant darling of the Design District, is thrilled to finally be opening in her new space.

“After being closed for almost four months, it is so exciting to finally have people walking through the front door,” says Agnew. “It is so nice to see all of our friends and customers that we haven’t seen in a while. It’s like reuniting with family.”

Bridge Bistro's Strawberry Mint Flavored Iced Tea

Earlier this week, my coworkers, Ruth and Michael, and I ventured over for lunch to check out the new space and try out the new menu. The restaurant was remarkably easy to find, and parking was a breeze.

“We also have parking available in the back,” said Agnew.

As the buzz gets out about her new locale, I am confident that will be a good tip to remember.

Kay, the ever gracious hostess, greeted us at the door with hug and a warm smile. Ruth and I couldn’t resist taking her up on her strawberry mint flavored iced tea offering, which was tasty and refreshing.

The menu was classically Kay, featuring her signature cajun dishes as well as American eats and an enticing selection of lunch-perfect soups, salads and sandwiches.

I ordered the chicken salad sandwich with sweet potato fries. The sandwich was served on a fresh and fluffy roll, and the chicken salad was just to my taste. The sweet potato fries were equally delicious — just the perfect blend of soft and crispy.

Apricot Field Greens Salad with Chicken

Ruth ordered the apricot and field greens salad with chicken, which she described as fresh, tasty and a nice healthy choice. Michael opted for the enchiladas which he said were “terrific” and still his favorite.

The dining room is open and airy with large glass windows pouring in natural light. A classy, yet relaxed atmosphere made for an inviting ambiance.

Though I didn’t get a chance to sneak a peek, the restaurant’s back space, named “The Twilight Room,” is open for event rental.

“The Twilight Room is available for parties as well as business luncheons or breakfasts. We have already booked it for design seminars and even a burlesque show! We’re really covering all ends of the spectrum,” says Agnew. She is also continuing Margaux’s catering as usual.

Now open at 921 N. Riverfront Boulevard, Bridge Bistro currently is serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays. Plans for dinner, weekend brunch and special events are in the works and will commence as soon as they receive their liquor license.

Kay also mentioned that there are future plans for a rooftop patio, which will boast beautiful views of the Big D skyline as well as the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (the inspiration for the restaurant name.)

“My intention is to truly make our restaurant a neighborhood hangout — a place where people can come to meet up with friends and just relax,” says Kay.

I, for one, am glad that Kay is back in action and have added Bridge Bistro into my regular lunch spot rotation!

To get updates on menu specials and upcoming events, visit the Bridge Bistro website at www.bridgebistrodallas.com or like Bridge Bistro on Facebook.

Custom Couture Engraved Wedding Invitation by Bell'Invito

Job seekers, take note! Bell’Invito, the Design District’s favorite stationary and custom letterpress company, is now hiring for an account manager position to focus on the Dallas/Fort Worth market. A great opportunity to work with a quickly growing market and pedal pretty paper like this >> sounds just too good to be true!

DFW Account Manager, Bell’Invito

Bell’Invito is looking for a smart, driven, polished individual who is willing and eager to learn about how our company works to make the best stationery product offered.

The environment is fast-paced and challenging. Problem solving skills are admired and expect ambition should be second nature. If the shoe fits, call the studio for an appointment at (214) 741-1717, or email your resume to Robyn Wise, Director of Business Development, at robyn@bellinvito.com.

Know someone perfect for the position? Please send them a like to this post!