Design Authorities

Acclaimed San Antonio architects rate among best in world

Lake Flato lands on Architectural Digest's AD100. Photo courtesy of Lake Flato Architects

The new year is looking bright for one San Antonio firm. Lake Flato Architects has been named to Architectural Digest's 2016 AD100, a list of influential and cutting-edge designers and architects from around the world anointed as the tastemakers for the upcoming year.

"Some are daredevils, some are classicists, but all are supremely confident," notes the mag. "From dynamic decorators recalibrating beloved traditions to enterprising architects shaking up a skyline near you, these 100 thought leaders — among them 19 additions from Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Spain, and the U.S. — are raising the bar for global design today."

Lake Flato is the sole Texas architecture firm on the list. The San Antonio team is behind such iconic Texas projects as the Pearl Brewery redevelopment, Austin's Hotel San Jose, and Marfa's El Cosmico. Next up for this firm: a net-zero desert house near Las Vegas.

Two Dallas-based interior designers join Lake Flato on the list.

Emily Summers' modern style has so hypnotized Dallas that her Highland Park Village boutique, Studio 54, has become a magnet for those seeking timeless style with a contemporary punch. Jan Showers has been lending her elegance to interiors for more than 25 years, and many flock to her Design District showroom for a taste of her European-inspired decor. If visiting in person isn't possible, her acolytes get a taste for luxury from her books such as Glamorous Retreats.

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Mini Meatballs

Central Texas city gets new type of IKEA store with 'local' priorities

IKEA

An Ikea trip doesn't always need to be a huge excursion.

People in San Marcos will be getting their own "new format" IKEA store designed for a smaller city, according to a press release. It'll be 35,000 square feet — that may sound big, but IKEAs are often around 300,000 square feet.

The store will open this spring at the San Mar Plaza shopping center (917 SH-80 N.), and it'll be the ninth IKEA unit in Texas. It should be easy to find, since the release says it's "accessible off SH-80, and visible from IH-35."

Ikea's loyal following is generally thanks to its relative budget-friendliness and practical design. In San Marcos, more local sensibilities will be introduced, although it isn't clear exactly what that will mean for how the store is curated. The release promises "local living solutions, tailored to local preferences that reflect the unique everyday needs of the San Marcos community."

That'll be reflected in the store's 2,500 products on the sales floor, 2,000 of which will be immediately available. Everything will be available to order for home delivery or pickup. There will also be a chance to enjoy some of the store's Swedish Food Market finds, presumably including the famous meatballs.

This isn't the first small store in the Austin area, but the one at The Domain (3306 Esperanza Crossing) is really tiny at only 5,010 square feet. It's designed for placing and picking up orders, rather than browsing and then taking something home. The San Marcos store sounds more like a regular IKEA, but smaller.

"The opening of IKEA San Marcos exemplifies our strategy of developing smaller, more accessible urban store formats in this journey towards a more connected and accessible IKEA experience for the many," said IKEA U.S. CEO and chief sustainability officer Javier Quiñones.

The release discusses a commitment to adding "customer meeting points and locations that complement each other," plus e-commerce and service improvements. Overall, IKEA seems to be presenting a goal of greater diversity and accessibility in its shopping experience.

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