Derek and Christen Wilson's Incredible Art House in Highland Park

Wow, you gotta see this house...that's what I said to my editor at Modern Luxury after I took these scouting shots at Derek and Christen Wilson's house in Highland Park. The Wilsons are up and coming art collectors with the kind of works you don't often see outside of museums or galleries. Their mentors are the likes of Howard and Cindy Rachofsky, with whom they've worked on Two by Two for AIDS and Art. Extraordinarily, they're also raising children amid all this investment-quality art, including a four-year-old boy.

Read more about how the Wilsons manage a house full of kids and great art here. Because space is limited in magazines and boundless on the web, you'll see way more images on my blog. Still, I've only included a fraction of what is in the house -- they have art in the bathrooms, closets and children's rooms as well.

In case you're wondering who did the fantastic interior design, it was Brant McFarlain of Bloc Design Syndicate.

Back in the World: The Last Almond Joy, 1982 by Barkley Hendricks, oil acrylic and aluminum.

This is a Sol Lewitt, Scribble #13 done in graphite directly onto their dining room wall.

Liam Gillick, Rectified Projection, 2008, painted aluminum.

This is a view from the sitting room into the spectacular entry. The ceiling even has art -- it'sLiam Gillick's Parity Platform in aluminum and Plexiglas, which reflects colored shafts of light onto the floor. The pink fluorescent light is a Dan Flavin (I can't remember ever seeing a private home with a Flavin), and the oil on canvas is Richard Phillips' Eye.

The Flavin casts a pink glow into the sitting room, which feels like it's enveloping you. Derek Wilson told me it's one of his favorite places to sit. That's a Donald Judd on the left (Untitled, 1986, clear anodized aluminum with transparent blue Plexiglas). If Christen Wilson could have anything she doesn't have, she said it would be more Donald Judd sculptures.

Al Taylor, Untitled 1985, wooden broomsticks with enamel paint, etc.

Stuart Cumberland's Fat Rod-Black Over Pink, 2008, oil on linen.

E.V. Day's Mummified Barbie (Barbie, beeswax, twine), 2008.

Kevin Todora's Untitled (Intervention), paint on magazine newsprint.

A commissioned portrait of Christen Wilson by Richard Phillips, 2007 oil on canvas.

Sterling Ruby's Time Machine, 2008 (wood, spray paint, etc.). Pretty edgy for a house in Highland Park, isn't it?

Paul Feeley's Alphard, 1964 oil-based enamel on canvas.

Tony Scherman's Looking for Mummy, encaustic on canvas, 2004.

Stuart Cumberland's Forty Days Orange, 2009, Oil on linen.

Tony Feher's Untitled 2009 work. Not sure what the materials are.

Fabrice Langlade's Chrysalide shirt sculpture is made of PVC plastic and pearls.

Dallas Artist Aaron Tate's Lighting Now at Culp Associates!

So fun and glamorous....this mouth-blown bubble glass sconce was made by Dallas glass maker Aaron Tate and is part of his new line, designed in conjunction with Dallas lighting designer Catherine Miller.

You might remember that I showed Tate at work in his studio last October, shortly after he'd moved here from Seattle. At the time, they were hard at work refining designs, and just getting started on prototypes for their lamps and sconces. It's exciting to see how the line has evolved, and I just got an email from Miller letting me know that the line is now available to the trade at Culp Associates.

I love the masculine colors combined with a collar of delicate ruffles.....

It's a small line to start -- just five pieces -- but considering that they are each mouth blown and then wired and fitted with handmade shades, it's probably a smart idea to limit the collection.

Bubbles table lamp......it really mimics the way bubbles rise in a pool of water, doesn't it? Can you imagine how hard it is to capture an effect like that, blowing molten glass at the end of a long metal pipe?

Aaron Tate in his studio

all white with a sumptuous chocolate silk shade.....I never get tired of white and chocolate combinations.

Miller and Tate do custom work all the time, so there's really no limit to what designs or colors you can get. Also, FYI -- Dallas interior designer Michelle Meredith is designing a collection for the line soon....

Great New Design Store: William Christopher

Tantalizing turquoise....what a great eye these two designers have. William "Ty" Burks and Christopher Ridolfi's new Henderson Ave. store, William Christopher, is one of the best new design stores to open in years. It's got a vintage vibe but everything's beautifully crafted and of top quality.

Many of the pieces in the store were designed by Ty and Christopher, such as this black lacquer sideboard and the macassar ebony table (above, with turquoise accessories). Ty tells me those tall metal lamps are Barbier from the 60s-70s, all the rage in Paris at the moment.

They're all about beautifully figured woods mixed with interesting textures.

This desk was designed by Ty and Christopher and made from cerused oak and olive ash. The leather desk accessories are hand stitched in Italy.

Wouldn't this Lucite mousetrap paper holder be a great gift? It's chic and cheeky at the same time.

They've also got a lot of original pieces of art, picked up in Paris on shopping trips, and other uncommon objects selected for their particular beauty. It's also a great place to buy art and design books.

There's something wonderful about this bronze sparrow....

These unusual vessels are made by an artist in Canada who carves them from fallen trees and then lacquers the insides.

I think I like this one best, with its white interior and smooth wood exterior. I can think of all kinds of ways to use this -- in the bathroom with bath salts or soaps, or on a table in the living room, just by itself, or used as a bowl for nuts.

Click on the photo to see the details of these amazing pencil sketches...

That drop front chest is made of cerused walnut, which gives it a refined mid century flair. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more cerused woods for sale around town the next couple of years.

vintage metal boxes

This French sculpture is circa 1950. $950

They're the only people in Dallas who carry John Robeshaw's hand-blocked pillows (they're a bargain at around $100 each).

hand-blocked dog beds!

Very cool dog bowls from Paris.

The back room is filled with wonderful lamps.

I love anything that's tufted. Woven leather really gets to me, too.

There's a pair of these 40s era guaches by Parsian artist J.Marly for $5,500.

Ty Burks and Oscar, the cutest dog on Knox-Henderson.

This simple, elegantly packaged candle is what you should bring to your next dinner party.

The building is a restored 1911 warehouse/garage on Henderson in the former Stacy Hyde space.