Every designer knows the moment. You're in a showroom with a client or your team, the conversation turns toward budget or timeline or the fabric swatch that's about to make or break the whole room, and suddenly you need somewhere quiet to talk it through.
Dallas Market Center is building that place.
Phase one of the new Designers Lounge is set to open in the Interior Home + Design Center (IHDC) this September, just in time for Dallas Design Week (Sept. 15-17). Located next to K&K Interiors (IHDC-2F440) on the second floor, it's being developed as a dedicated space for private conversations, focused work, and the kind of presentations that deserve more than a corner table. And, of course, it’s going to be suitably stylish.
We sat down with Ileana Saldivia, DMC's Director of Interior Design, to talk through what's coming.
Dallas Market Center: Let's start with the basics. What is the Designers Lounge, and why now?
Ileana Saldivia: "A great feature of DMC is how it's a one-stop shop — you can source everything you need in one trip, our amenities encourage ease and efficiency, and there's an established community of fellow designers and showrooms that are always ready to help. And we do have a terrific resource in the Textile Salon, which works well for panel events and features A/V capabilities. But we kept hearing the same thing: designers need somewhere more private to meet. This is us building the space that solves that."
DMC: What will designers be able to do there?
IS: "The Designers Lounge is built for brainstorming sessions, client meetings, small presentations, individual work — anything that calls for a room instead of a hallway conversation. It will also be a space to relax and recharge whenever you need a quiet moment.
Because we've identified how important it is to have a dedicated lounge for our designers, this area will never be leased as a showroom. It will stay available, always."
DMC: Tell us about the design itself.
IS: "Elevated and elegant, but functional above all — that's the direction. Think boutique hotel lobby meets high-end coffee shop.
We've already done fresh paint and new light fixtures, but that's a starting point, not a finished statement. Karl Marshall, DMC’s VP of Creative Design, and I are in conversation with designers, brands, and showrooms to partner with us on the space, and the final look will take real shape from that partnership.
The entryway will function as a working gallery, and we've relocated valuable art from the Crow Collection of Asian Art to live there — we'll likely rotate what's on display over time. The back of the space is larger and built as a space to really dig in, whether that's for focused work or comfortable lounging. It's a good size for hosting small presentations, too."
DMC: Any parting thought for designers who'll be using it?
IS: "Just this: It will be your space."
Phase one of the Designers Lounge is targeted to be open and operational in time for Dallas Design Week, September 15–17. Details on the final design partner and full amenities will follow as the space comes together — stay tuned.
Mark your calendar for Dallas Design Week, September 15-17, 2026. See programming and register here.