James founder Meredith Ellis
Since its opening in Austin four years ago, fabric showroom James has become a design destination for decorators around the country. This month, the interiors emporium opens shop on the third floor of Decorative Center Houston. Here, founder and designer Meredith Ellis gives us the ins and outs of her new home in the Space City. 5120 Woodway Drive, Ste. 3029, jamesshowroom.com
Oliver Street Designs’ Stellate sconce, $805
What new brands are launching with James Houston?
A new collection of dhurries, which is an exclusive collaboration with artisan rug maker From Jaipur With Love. I will also debut a couple of new pieces of my Meredith Ellis furniture collection and more of the Bunny Williams Home collection. Plus, we are also excited to welcome John Robshaw Textiles to the James family!
What about lighting?
We are planning a large lighting display starring handmade light fixture brand Hector Finch, out of the U.K.
Can you identify the style difference between Houston, Dallas and Austin?
With Austin being the gateway to the Hill Country, you see comfortable, livable design with lots of natural materials. Dallas is a vibrant city with an active art scene. There is a lot of color, print, and pattern, but still the underlying Southern tradition that influences its aesthetic. Since Houston is close to the Gulf and just hours from New Orleans, it’s a city with great resources coming into one of the nation’s busiest harbors from all over the world. Here, I see incredible architecture and the mixing of beautiful antiques with an interesting modern twist.
Photography by: Hunter Ellis Productions