Eddie Maestri is one of those guys that innately knows what’s cool. I met Eddie years ago, in my former life as a photography stylist and producer. I was scouting cool houses, and of course, he lived in one. Eddie has become one of the finest architects in Dallas. He has developed Maestri Studio, a full-service, turn-key architecture and interior design studio, into one of the most cutting-edge firms in the city. They not only build you a fantastic home, but with the launch of Maestri Gallery at 401 Exposition Avenue, they can also furnish it right down to the artwork and accessories.
Architects design homes with a clear vision of the total look.
“Because Maestri Studio provides that full-service with interior design and commissioned art for homes, we have developed great relationships with many artists,” Maestri said. “We all love art, and a few of us produce art in our spare time. We decided to invite one of the artists we work with, Carolyn Joe Daniel, into the studio and have a paint party as a team building exercise. It got us thinking that we need more of this in our lives. I’d always talked about having a retail side so why not have a collection of things we all love?”
As fate would have it, a tenant was leaving their Exposition Park space. Rather than move to a new location, Maestri decided a gallery was a natural extension of the studio. “It allows us to showcase our more artistic and whimsical side,” Maestri said. “It’s a refreshing change and a good complement to how we think.”
And voila, Maestri Gallery was born.
If you are super connected, you may have heard about, or even attended, the soft opening of the gallery late this summer. The official ribbon cutting was last week and representation of four new artists was announced. Along with Carolyn Joe Daniel and Kristen Dowd you can find works by Minone Plant, Derrick Hickman, Trevor Mikula, and April Henegar. You ‘ll also find a custom furniture collection as well as an eclectic mix of accessories, and vintage pieces.
“We don’t want what everyone else has,” Maestri said. “We want you to find that unique piece you are looking for, here.”
Maestri, his partner Adam, and their boys travel as often as possible, and make it a point to visit galleries wherever they land.
“We were in Amsterdam last May and found a great artist,” Maestri said. “We also found a piece in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum gift shop and reached out to the artist.”
You never know what you’ll find in Maestri Gallery, and that’s the beauty of what Eddie has created.
When you arrive, be sure to look for the gallery mascot, Martin, the Maestri flamingo. Martin is a stellar representative of the fun, happy, Palm Springs vibe of Maestri Gallery. If you are an Instagram aficionado, you will want to #flamingle, and make yourself at home!
Karen Eubank is the owner of Eubank Staging and Design. She has been an award-winning professional home stager and writer for over 25 years. Karen teaches the popular Staging to Sell class and is the creator of the online course, The Beginners Guide to Buying Wholesale. Her love of dogs, international travel, history, white paint, champagne, artificial turf, and Tudor and Midcentury Modern homes knows no bounds. Her father was a spy, so she keeps secrets very well! Find Karen at www.eubankstaging.com.
