Opulence shall reign at the gay and gay-friendly dance club Vue, located in the yellow strip mall at Waugh near Allen Parkway. The brainchild of neighboring Guava Lamp owner Woody Gould and Tony Gutierrez of Chelsea Grill, Vue represents a luxe addition to the scene, and may speak to a sophisticated gay nightlife system emerging in the area just north of the Montrose neighborhood.

Design is the main draw at Vue, as conceived by Michael Stribling of HGTV Design Star fame. In a conversation with CultureMap, Stribling explained that it was the sheer open space — 7,000 square feet — that inspired his design.

"It was kind of a blank canvas," he said. "We pretty much had free reign."

His firm focuses on residential interiors, but Vue is Stribling's 12th nighclub project (although his first of the kind in Houston).

Envision over 180 mirrors and celery, orange and gray splashes alongside daring crocodile and zebra patterns. "There's crazy wallpapers everywhere, all imported from France," Stribling said.

His design firm commissioned a rush weaving of a discontinued fabric to upholster the club's custom furniture, all part of the $350,000 overhaul of the former Laff Stop.

"Bright lips are everywhere," he said. "It has a kind of industrial warehouse-y retro reel to it. It's bright, edgy, new and exciting."

Sound a little overwrought? Chill out — "organic, contemporary" neutrals will also play a role in the palette, and the glitz will be tempered with semi-panoramic views of Buffalo Bayou and the downtown skyline.

When unveiled on April 23, Vue will boast a resident DJ in Joe Gauthreaux. With a résumé of international clubs, Gauthreaux "brings a new beat to the Houston gay community." Gould said Gauthreaux will play his own mixes of Top 40 tracks.

Vue is being marketed as upscale (that includes a fluctuating cover), but the venue will also offer a casual getaway in its lounge section. And since it's three-and-a-half times larger than Guava, there's lots of space to mingle. The owners have nixed the idea of a pretentious cocktail menu, instead focusing on a streamlined liquor selection.

When asked if he is trying to concoct a nightlife nexus on the block, Gould said, "That location has proven to be really cool for Guava," citing its convenient site between Montrose stalwarts and the Washington Corridor. Indeed, Guava developed a reputation for being especially welcoming to a mixed clientele. "I don't do a lot of drag or go-go dancers like the stereotypical gay club scene," Gould said.

Is Vue's arrival a harbinger of an expanded homo hotbed along Waugh? When asked whether he plans to expand further on the mini-hub, Gould replied, "I'd love to, but I have to take it one step at a time."