Showroom Sale Preview

Sneak peek at the can't-miss design deals at annual showroom sale

Summer’s last holiday weekend has finally arrived, and while most Houstonians will be hosting backyard barbecues, the folks over at the Houston Design Center will be celebrating Labor Day weekend with, well, labor. That’s right — they’re preparing for the Annual Designer Showroom Sale.

Photo by Emily Cotton

Find contemporary items at James Craig Furnishings.

Referring to this annual affair as a “sample sale” would be a disservice of epic proportions. Participants in the sale have stressed that with the release of the 2025 manufacturers’ line sheets, furniture prices are getting ready to soar. So, now is certainly the time to take advantage of the deeply discounted prices on everything these showrooms will have to offer when the doors swing open on Thursday, September 5.

CultureMap previewed the sale and also choose a favorite piece, or two, to highlight for readers. While most of the showrooms will spend the weekend toiling away to have everything showroom ready, plenty had already prepared vignettes. Here are a few of our favorite can’t-miss pieces.

Memorial Antiques & Interiors
Comprised of three large connected spaces, if this showroom seems familiar, it’s not just happenstance. Multiple vendors keep this space stocked with art and antiques sourced from Europe, mostly by way of Round Top. Think beautiful painted and burled wood pieces aglow beneath more antique crystal chandeliers than one is used to seeing under one roof. Prepare to spend at least an hour here to see everything.

Sale: 20 percent off showroom wide, plus individual dealer discounts.

CultureMap picks:

Multicolor fluted Murano glass chandelier.
19th century English Pine breakfront bookcase with floral swag carvings.

James Craig Furnishings
This contemporary showroom keeps things modern, clean, and fresh. As official distributors of Lee Industries, their offerings include solid wood framed upholstered and case goods, plus lamps, accessories, and bedding.

Sale: Select items 50-80 percent off.

CultureMap picks:

Olive velvet swivel chairs.
Tansy King bed.

Design House
Color and pattern really come out to play in this whimsical showroom. A curated mix of custom upholstered furniture and fine antiques, it’s worth a visit just for a lesson in successfully mixing old with new. The art and accessory collection is carefully curated as well.

Sale: 40 percent off upholstery and case goods, plus 25 percent off art, accessories, and lighting.

CultureMap picks:

Lillian August green square ottomans.
Hickory White swivel back chairs.

Fabric House
This sister showroom to Design House is a fabric lover’s dream. Whether it’s fabrics-by-the-yard or a full-service design workroom for bedding, draperies, and the like, Fabric House has it covered.

Sale: 25 percent off showroom wide, plus 3 yard silk panels for $75 per panel. Access to the fabric remnant room; prices marked per piece.

SceneOne Interiors
Those in search of something a little on the dramatic side will be pleased to visit this showroom. Think bold reds, blacks, and golds with metallic accents sprinkled throughout. While there is some diversity, the main theme that comes through is decidedly Old Hollywood.

Sale: Discounts vary, but note that the piece we chose will be 40 percent off.

CultureMap pick:

Hickory White Benson Desk in Walnut.

Turkish Rug Company
This purveyor of fine rugs has a top-notch selection that keeps designers returning to their stacks. If anyone is ever curious about who is responsible for the muted, elegant wovens seen in the impossibly chic River Oaks real estate listings — this is the source.

Sale: up to 35 percent off. (9’x12’ priced from $5,400-$7,000).

CultureMap picks:Everything!

Also participating in the sale are the following interior design showrooms, who will offer a selection of custom pieces and accessories: Sheffield House Design, Teri Pugh Studio, and Chapman Design.

The Houston Design Center’s Annual Designer Showroom Sale will take place from September 5-14. For more information visit the Design Center’s website.

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the feel of cotton

Designer-loved Houston company makes custom bed sheets affordable

Photo by Michael Hunter

The Diamond Pique Collection boasts clean lines and a luxurious, sophisticated texture.

Cool, crisp, freshly-pressed white cotton sheets have secured themselves into the zeitgeist — it’s how the sensation of luxury actually feels, especially when retiring from Houston’s summer heat. Now, three local ladies with deep designer roots have joined forces to bring their attainable luxury bedding line, Look Linen Co., to market. Available online and through exclusive pop-ups, Look Linen Co. offers personalized products with personalized service.

Sylvia Longoria Dorsey and daughter Elizabeth Dorsey Fertitta joined forces with longtime friend and designer Lizzie Kappler to create a linen line that filled a gaping hole in the bedding market: local, affordable, personalizable bedding with reasonable lead times. Look Linen Co. has quickly become a designer darling due to their classic styles and stately embroidery — luckily, it’s available to everyone.

“It’s so complicated when you’re going through custom channels,” Kappler tells CultureMap. “Lead times are long and really expensive. We really wanted to bring luxury linens to the market that feel very custom and that are accessible and feel personal, but also attainable to our customer.”

With a generous 12 luxe embroidery color options, customization is key. “We spent a long time curating the color selections just based on what sold best from both of our [design] backgrounds,” says Kappler.

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All Look Linen Co. products are made of 100 percent long staple cotton, imported from Europe. Monogramming is done locally and completely in-house, which allows for their quick, two week (or less) turnaround time. Three classic styles — Banded, Scalloped, and Diamond Pique — are available, as well as a new floral addition, the Lucky Collection. The soft, delicate clover pattern found in Lucky is perfect for clients who prefer to mix-and-match their linens — especially pillows.

One of the several things setting Look Linen Co. apart from other boutique lines is their Dorm Shop. Fertitta notes that dorm room and sorority house bedding has become a booming market.

“These girls love to decorate their dorms,” she says. To cater to that market, Look Linen Co. offers extra-long twin bedding and a specialized, oversized pillow affectionately called “The Biggie” that can double as a headboard in a pinch. All customizable, of course.

The runaway hit product from Look Linen Co is the wildly popular, hourglass-shaped pillow called “The Boobie Pillow.” Designed to assist ladies of a certain age keep delicate décolletage skin from creasing, it also found another life as a post-surgery neck and shoulder pillow, amazing travel pillow, and so much more.

“We started hearing people were using them at MD Anderson: ‘I couldn’t make it through without this pillow,’ or ‘my husband used it after open heart surgery,’ etc. It has really taken on a life of its own,” says Fertitta. “It’s no longer what we intended it to be, but it’s so great, and a best seller. It makes a great gift, it’s almost like a lovey!”

For anyone curious which collection and embroidery color has been most popular, the answer is the Scallop Collection in Baby Blue, a classic choice. “Everyone loves a scallop,” says Kaplan — we tend to agree.

Photo by Michael Hunter

The Diamond Pique Collection boasts clean lines and a luxurious, sophisticated texture.

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