Allan Knight catches a rising "Starr"

 Like attracts like as I've heard it said, and it has never been more true than the story of Allan Knight meets Shelley Starr from Moura Starr. 

Moura Starr, New York
D&D Building

Last Christmas I was running quickly through some of the showrooms in the D&D building in New York whilst Allan met with Dennis Hunt, president of Nancy Corzine (Nancy Corzine represents the Allan Knight brand in two major markets,  L.A. and New York). As I made my way through the familiar building, I ran across something altogether unfamiliar and very different. The showroom I found was crisp and white and housed product that was so complicated and beautiful it defied a quick definition, I was absolutely overwhelmed with it.
I looked for flaws or overlooked details. 
There were none.

Antibes Dining Chair

The lighting was so spectacular and unique and at first, I could not figure out how it was constructed! The
name on the door was Moura Starr and as I looked at the moniker, I noticed it was 10 minutes until 5:00PM. The date was the 23rd pf December, and the building was about to be closed for the holiday weekend. I turned on my heals with David Combs, our textile manager and went to retrieve Allan. I broke into his meeting and said, "You have to see this showroom. You have to come now"!
He did and very thankfully so. They had just opened that doorway and Allan was immediately struck with the specialness of the entire line and the people working there.


Moura Starr is a company built on the will and determination of Shelley Starr. The brilliant realization of her complicated designs hinges upon her uncompromising opinion that her pieces have to be, well... perfect. 
Her lacquers are applied by waterfall method and that is just the beginning of the details which make this line so spectacularly different from any other.

Rohan Dining Table

We came back to Dallas and continued to think about "that wonderful line we found in New York".
In the early Summer, we were contacted by the national sales manager. It seems that they had begun their search for Dallas representation. Richard did not know of our automatic affinity towards the line but we all admitted once the story was told to him that the kismet that brought us together made our decisions very clear. Moura Starr has never been shown in any showrooms other than their own. We are the first showroom they have allowed to carry the line.

We are proud and humbled by their decision to let us sell their product.
Shelley describes her product as "classic designs with a modern flair", but she insists that her line is not contemporary. 

Turkana Lounge

"You can see the traditional aspects in each piece. There is something familiar and comfortable in each and every item in the catalog".     -Shelley Starr

We agree, so much so that we have cleared out, remodeled and created a 100% Moura Starr "environment" in the front corner of the Dallas showroom. We get the first pieces next Monday. "I can't wait for that shipment to come in", says Allan. Anyone who knows him knows that his favorite time is when new pieces fly in the door.


And another Starr lands at Allan Knight.
Pun definitely intended.

Moura Starr, Los Angeles  Pacific Design Center

Allan Knight Finds..

Allan and I do our best at every turn to mix business with a little fun. On the tail end of a sales and training then onto San Francisco, we were lucky enough to be able to get some family time in with my mother's side.

Cornerstone Winery, Sonoma 

Arriving finally in Napa for a few days, we made it out to Sonoma for a reception thrown for my cousin and her new husband by the owners of a local winery called Cornerstone.
The day was only a little cold and was for the most part, very pleasant and sunny so we arrived early and decided to look around. The winery's main entrance exhibits gigantic blue chairs to advertise the sales venues inside. Very cool. The grounds are taken up by different installations by local landscape architects. The range is amazing and keeps you guessing as you walk the trails. Acres and acres of grape vines meet your gaze from all angles and the sky was the perfect shade of blue. 

Allan and my Aunt Dixie

Besides the shops and the grounds, which are the perfect place for weddings and any kind of event, the casual air seems just the ticket when your guests are the kind who always seem to be working. I've been to so many formal weddings and receptions, but there is nothing like casual to make out of towners feel at home. My cousin Susie's choices have been very good over the past couple of years. Don't tell her new husband Yannick.. it could go to his head.

Susie and Yann enjoy a glass of their Y. Rousseau 
Columbard with their roast carnitas

Yannick is from France and as they were married outside of Toulouse in July, it seemed only fitting that they have the reception here in the states. it was the best of all worlds. I got to meet his family and although they don't speak any English, we all had a fantastic time. My Aunt Dixie, Susie's mom, commented that that "everyone in Susie's family is involved in the wine industry". Even Theo, my 15 year old second cousin has his own label of Rose. I suppose it's no different from what Allan and I do. Everyone gets their hand in the family business at some point.

Susie, Aunt Dixie
and myself

And what's wrong with that?


C'est la vie.