AUTHENTIC AND ACCESSIBLE

In-Detail debuts curated, a lifestyle showroom

BY KRISTA FRANKS BROCK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOLGER OBENAUS

There’s something new happening at In-Detail on the fifth floor of the Dallas World Trade Center, and designers can’t get enough of it.

Breaking from the traditional mold of a showroom based on ordering goods, In-Detail debuted Curated, a lifestyle showroom serving up authentically crafted home accents and furniture straight off the showroom floor. It’s a new venture for In-Detail, and it has been warmly embraced by customers in its first few months.

“We’ve been successful for 22 years, but we’re pivoting to meet the needs of our customers,” says Kim Pettigrew, who along with her partner, Georgina Weddell, created In-Detail.

Selling exclusively to the trade, most of In-Detail’s customers now work on a projectby- project basis and want pieces they can offer their clients immediately. Pettigrew and Weddell began to hear clients say, “Can I take this piece now? Just this once, can I take a piece off the floor?” They listened, and Curated was born.

Curated has been “very successful in a short period of time,” Pettigrew says, adding that she and Weddell plan to expand on the model.

“The uniqueness and authenticity of materials is really resonating,” she continues. In fact, the biggest challenge has been replenishing fast enough to meet demand.

In the eclectic and everchanging showroom, many of the pieces are American-made. Antique doors line one wall in front of a long sycamore table with a transparent Lucite base. Authentic longhorns sit prominently atop Lucite bases, and delicate agate cocktail tables shimmer gracefully nearby.

The pieces that are not made in American carry a story across the thousands of miles from their origins. There are mud cloths from Africa, vibrant velvet silk pillows from Turkey and petrified wood from Madagascar.

“These are not one-dimensional products,” Pettigrew says. “People want authenticity, things that have a story they can connect with, not a resin piece from China, not a placeholder.”

“The younger generation is very tactile,” Weddell adds.

Much of what Curated offers is one of a kind, which is part of why the inventory at Curated is always changing. Once the petrified wood centerpiece is sold, there is no duplicate. Its place in the showroom will be taken by something else entirely.

Pettigrew and Weddell travel near and far, meeting artisans and purchasing unique products. Knowing what to buy and what’s trending “is kind of instinctive,” Weddell says.

“We both have great passion,” Pettigrew adds. “Georgina and I love product and immerse ourselves in it every day.” They also listen closely to their clients.

“We want to help designers solve problems and finish projects,” Weddell says.

For 22 years, that is what she and Pettigrew have been doing at In-Detail. They represent major lines, such as Arteriors, CFC, Loloi, and Noir. They have sales reps in five states. While In-Detail will continue its tradition of serving designers with quality products throughout its five-state territory, Pettigrew and Weddell plan to expand on the Curated model specifically for the Dallas market.

“We love to serve the design and retailer community,” Pettigrew says, adding that she is excited to welcome new and young designers to Curated and In-Detail. “We want to mentor young people who have the same passion we have.”

Krista Franks Brock is a Dallas-based freelance writer and editor who enjoys writing about art and design. For more information, visit kristafranksbrock .wordpress.com.

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