FABULOUS FURNISHINGS

Interior designer Monica Wilcox makes high-end furniture accessible to budget-conscious customers

by LESLIE J. THOMPSON / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

Some might argue you can never have enough of a good thing. But when interior designer Monica Wilcox found herself with four storage units full of high-end furnishings, she knew something had to give.

“Being in this business for 27 years, I have so many accounts with so many vendors, and most of them require you order multiples of items to get wholesale pricing,” she explains. Wilcox sometimes planned to incorporate the wares into design concepts for other clients, then would forget what she had on hand and purchase new products instead. After amassing a bounty of beautiful inventory, opening a retail space only made sense, and she launched Designers Consignment Shop in October 2021.

Located on Preston Road in far north Dallas, the 6000-square-foot showroom features the same high-end furnishings Wilcox acquires for her affluent clients but at more affordable prices to serve a broader clientele. “I had a small boutique in the past,” notes the accomplished designer, whose talents are highly sought after by patrons wanting a modern, luxurious living space or work environment. With her newest venture, Wilcox not only offers retail customers substantial savings on luxury furnishings but also helps her full-service clients resell their furniture or accessories when reinventing their space.

Her design firm, Monica Wilcox Interiors, is based in Allen, but Wilcox was immediately drawn to the stand-alone building in a high-traffic area on Preston Road for the retail store. She signed a five-year lease and renovated the one-time framing shop into an inviting space that inspires creative ideas. “It’s not a traditional consignment shop with a hodgepodge of things. It’s curated in vignettes, like a design showroom, but at half the price,” she explains. Designers Consignment Shop also only takes furnishings that follow Wilcox’s brand. “We’re not consigning antiques or more traditional furniture, so the store reflects me and my style,” she says.

Although the displays change frequently, Wilcox and her team try to cater vignettes toward the season, as well as what clients are asking for. Dining room sets and stylish seating are in high demand, she says, and Designers Consignment Shop also carries sleek occasional tables, eclectic accessories, artwork, rugs and light fixtures, many still new in the box. “If a client needs to go home to measure, they can pay $50 to hold the merchandise,” notes Wilcox, and the funds convert to store credit if it turns out the item won’t fit their space.

In addition to the varied selection of modern furnishings, Designers Consignment Shop offers budget-friendly interior design services through the DCS Studio, located inside the showroom.

Wilcox personally trained the two interior designers who work at the store full time, so they understand her brand and the types of pieces she would select for high-end customers. They can put together design concepts at a more comfortable price point, using pieces offered on consignment. “We’re happy to collaborate with people who are designing on a budget, because we have so many great options and great deals for them,” Wilcox says, adding that DCS Studio also can order new products. “Customers can get the Monica Wilcox look without having to hire Monica Wilcox with a hefty retainer,” she quips.

The consignment shop is also a boon for other interior designers, who receive an additional 10% trade discount on all purchases. They can even use the design studio for their own client meetings if they order from the store. “We have a big design conference room with a screen and all the fabrics they need to put together a look,” says Wilcox, adding, “We made it really designer friendly.”

Retail customers often are surprised at the quality of furnishings on display, she notes, particularly those who discover the shop unexpectedly while driving through the area. “They’re used to traditional consignment shops, but our space looks like a beautiful furniture store,” Wilcox says. Although the inventory reflects her talent for creating upscale spaces, she credits her team for the consignment shop’s success. “I have a really good manager and a good staff there, and a visual merchandiser whose only job is to design the store. It’s really pretty in there,” states Wilcox, happily.

Leslie J. Thompson is a Dallas-based freelance writer with a passion for interior design and international travel. Read more of her work at lesliejthompson.com.

More Information

DESIGNERS CONSIGNMENT SHOP

19008 PRESTON ROAD

DALLAS, TX 75252

469.298.2774

DESIGNERSCONSIGNMENTSHOP.COM