Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1543536
A t this year's Kips B a y D e c o r a t o r S h o w H o u s e Dallas, the buzz was all about the hallway — a space that rarely gets a moment in the spotlight. Wrapped in rich-brown Venetian plaster and edged in inky-black trim, the long, moody corridor shimmered under a metallic geometric paper from Holly Hunt, its glow catching the gleam of a French-polished 1940s sideboard and sculptural brass Klismos chairs. The minimalist space radiated a surprising glamour, dialed up to a level of drama that stopped visitors in their tracks. The dazzling transitional hallway and its adjoining powder bath were the work of 31-year-old designer Joshua Bernard, an under-the-radar talent with a sharp eye and a growing list of renovation, new-construction, and furnishings projects in major Texas metro areas. His previous work drew the attention of interior designer Chad Dorsey, a co-chair of the Kips Bay show house, who asked him in August to take on a room this year, placing him alongside a roster of nationally recognized designers and respected local names. When Dorsey called with the news, Bernard was sitting in the car with his mother and sister; the unexpected invitation brought him to tears. "I literally cried like a baby," he says. "For them to choose me — that was humbling." It proved to be the breakout moment he'd been waiting for. Bernard grew up in a small town in the Arkansas Delta, the son of a creative, entrepreneurial hairdresser who encouraged him to follow his instincts. The signs were there early on — he watched HGTV after school instead of cartoons and rearranged furniture for fun. "I literally had a picture of Nate Berkus on my wall," he says. Joshua Bernard's stunning Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas debut has catapulted him into the national design conversation. By Rebecca Sherman. Photography Patrick Biller. Designer Joshua Bernard in the space he designed for the 2025 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas. Opposite page from top: Bernard's design included brass Klismos chairs by Sylvan from Allan Knight, and Boda coffee table from Arteriors. John Krawczyk sculpture, from Craighead Green Gallery. Arteriors Savo chandelier. Artwork by AJ Oishi, from J Williams Fine Art. One to Watch 82