In a city full of big-box furniture warehouses and do-it-yourself design marts, Charles Canon is staying focused and intimate in his new interior design studio near Dallas Love Field.
“More is not better. It’s just more,” he says. It’s a philosophy that shapes his business plan and the way he works with clients.
“People think that hiring a designer is intimidating because they feel like they don’t have the budget for it,” Canon says. “But it’s not always just going in and pulling everything out and starting over. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of moving a few things around and adding a few key pieces. I find a lot of times the right throw pillows on the sofa and the right lamps can make a big difference.”
Canon opened his design studio in the Cedar Springs Business Park in early 2016 to serve the public as well as the design trade. In his showroom Canon offers a large selection of fabric and flooring samples, and he’ll go shopping with a client if the job calls for it. You will also find a wonderful selection from the growing line of furniture and accessories ready to go off the floor.
The showroom is so finely appointed and comfortable that you could easily see yourself living there. This only proves the skill and talent Canon has to make any space homey.
In addition to the many décor offerings, Canon also creates one-of-a-kind silk arrangements along with draperies, making a visit a true one-stop shopping trip for all your design and furnishing needs.
Canon was based in Fort Worth between 2001 and late 2006, but his clientele was, increasingly, in Dallas and with the World Trade Center in Dallas, it made sense to move. He chose the Cedar Springs location due to the exciting new growth on Mockingbird Lane and the overall location.
Canon grew up in the Midland area and always had a passion for design and a love of architecture. “My grandmother was from France, so French architecture and furniture spurred my interest at an early age,” he says.
Canon’s family was in the oil and cattle business, and his first client was an oilman and family friend who needed his office redesigned. That led to a project at the man’s house, and Canon’s business grew by word of mouth in Midland, Lubbock and beyond. Today, most of his work is residential and primarily in existing spaces, including remodeling (construction).
“Easily 90 percent of my business is referrals and repeat clients,” he says. “I feel like I’ve always been gifted in being able to assess what clients already have in their space. I also ask them how they use the space, how they live in it and what activities they do in their home. Do they entertain? Do they have kids and pets?”
He also is a proponent of finding the good that is still there. “If pieces still work and they’re not too outdated, I like to reinvent them. It also works great with the budget.”
Canon says styles are always changing and he, too, has changed over the years. “I’ve kind of evolved. I’ve always had anything from a true traditional to a French influence, and now I think I’m finding myself leaning more toward transitional— cleaner lines.”
Canon says he’s not the one to go to for straight-out contemporary design. “I find it cold, but I do love contemporary art mixed with traditional. I feel like traditional no longer has to be boring. Just adding a great pop of color with a contemporary art piece can bring life to a room.”
While trends come and go, Canon says personal service and attention to detail never grow old. “I enjoying getting to know my clients, and nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing a smile on a client’s face after a project is done.”
Jeff Hampton is a freelance writer based in Garland, Texas. Find out more at jeffhamptonwriter.com.
