Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/618813
A NIGHT OF DESIGN & APPLAUSE — THE INAUGURAL PAPERCITY DALLAS DESIGN AWARDS BY JANE ROZELLE. PHOTOGRAPHY KRISTINA BOWMAN. "Sixty-eight minutes of champagne pouring set the tone for a high- energy evening ahead," said George Cameron Nash, who had a full house in his showroom at The Dallas Design Center for the Awards VIP pre-party, which he co-hosted with Bill Hutchinson. An A-list crowd packed in (Josie McCarthy, Brad Kelly, Kelli Ford, Peggy Levinson, Mark Williams, Bernadette Schaeffler, Shelby Wagner, Joyce Fox, John Robert Clark, Meredith McKee, David Cadwallader, Denise McGaha, Beverly Field, Marilyn Rolnick Tonkon, Mil Bodron, Robert Bellamy, Gretchen Hansen, and Dunhill Partner's Pam Dawson and Andy Crosland) before moving to a sleek new event space, Level Two, just above ID Collection, for the announcement of the winning entries and presentation of the awards. What awaited upstairs was a bustling, 400-person crowd of the decorative biz's brightest. Emcee Bill Hutchinson dazzled the audience with a jaw-dropping announcement: In 2018, Sir Richard Branson will bring the first Virgin Hotel in Texas to the Dallas Design District. With a clever quip here and a laugh-out- loud gag there, Hutchison entertained the audience — even garnering giggles from his three daughters, Holly Hutchinson, Rachel Hutchinson and Tess Hutchinson Merriman, sitting front row. The Design Awards judges, in town from New York and L.A., shared the spotlight next: Brian McCarthy, Timothy Whealon, and Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller of Carrier and Company passed the mic, taking turns to announce the winners and runners-up in 16 categories. Fellow judges, designers Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Joel Barkley, Robert Couturier and Mary McDonald, though unable to attend, weighed in on each winner's project, with their praise projected on on-screen behind the stage. Tiffany & Co.'s regional director Michael Gresham presented 23 Tiffany-blue boxes to the winners and judges. Design devotees: David and Ann Sutherland, Jack Green, Pam Kelley, Justin Moon, Brant McFarlain, Kevin Scott, Smoot Carter, Amy Berry, Britt Pogue, Marci Barnes, Bethany Reese, Jennifer Koen, Josh Mintz, Keith Nix, Janice Blakeley, Kathleen Rozelle, Eric Dorton, Carl Daniels, Mitch Martin, Abby Smith, John Corso, Clair Tompkins, Courtney Ortiz, Kathy Fielder, Margaret Stafford, Marcia Curtis- Hornsby, Robin Daniels, Alice Cottrell, Barry Williams, Joe Demouruelle, Vanessa Bell, Elaine Raffel, Susan Bednar Long, Purvi Patel Albers, Calee Dillon, Shelley Swan, and Candace Culver. JANUARY | PAGE 28 | 2016 Whirlwind. That is the only word to encapsulate the premier PaperCity Dallas Design Awards with Dunhill Partners and The Dallas Design District — which, for all the submissions, careful judging and meticulous planning, seemed to come and go in the chicest blink of an eye. During the months leading up to the event, an impressive 262 entries poured in from some of the city's top designers, architects, landscape designers and preservationists. When October 15 arrived, the itinerary of happenings could have filled a Smythson, with a full day of events scheduled throughout the Design District: book signings, panel discussions, intimate gatherings and the highly anticipated awards ceremony and fête. With Design District owner Bill Hutchinson and his team from Dunhill Partners, along with Alton LaDay of Alton LaDay Media, helping lead the charge, the Dallas Design Awards was thrilling at every second. TO SEE THE PAPERCITY DALLAS DESIGN AWARD–WINNING ENTRIES, RUNNERS-UP AND OUR ESTEEMED JUDGES, PERUSE PAGES 17 THROUGH 25. "DALLAS DESIGN DISTRICT IS DEFINITELY GETTING ITS GROOVE BACK. THE LEVEL OF TALENT HAS GROWN BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, AND WE COULD SEE IT ON FULL DISPLAY." — GONZALO BUENO, TEN PLUS THREE Alton LaDay Kelli Ford Ebony McFarland George Cameron Nash Mark Williams Jason Stein Richard Graziano Erin Mathews Joseph Steffen Louise Youngson- Klasfeld Gonzalo Bueno Jennifer Fordham Jennifer Lewis Lauren Reilly James Campbell Linda Fritschy Shelby Wagner Katie Coffee Noel McDoniel Scott Pohlenz Abby Smith Abbey Ragsdale Shay Geyer Empress Gilbert Luis Araujo Brian Geyer Joshua Rice Meri-Kay Star John Phifer Marrs Lisa Luby Ryan Marcello Lucchetta Robyn Siegel Britt McGannon Cindy Schwartz Kevin Peavy Joseph Minton John Henry Ross Brian McCarthy Heather Wiese- Alexander Joanne Yurich Robyn Menter John Falconer Dana Vidal Sherry Hayslip Smith Laura Lee Clark Falconer Scott Alexander Jim Williamson Mike Gresham Aubrey O'Brien Kenneth Crain Sierra Sintic Bentley Tibbs Braxton Werner Electra Ford Kelli Ford Paul Field Doniphan Moore Kristen Fegale Bill Hutchinson Tess Hutchinson Merriman Rachel Hutchinson Holly Hutchinson Bernadette Schaeffler Barbara Buzzell Brad Kelly Karen Pulaski Jesse Carrier, Mara Miller, Timothy Whealon Holly Hutchinson, Brian McCarthy Rachel Hutchinson, Tess Hutchinson Christina DeOrchis Pam Dawson