Comforts of Home

Hess Home Essentials brightens your abode with colorful decor and customfurniture

Hess Home Essentials helps infuse your home with color.
Photo by Jerry McClure
Hess specializes in home accessories and accents.
Photo by Jerry McClure
Customers can browse the colorful vignettes at Hess.
Photo by Jerry McClure
Hess accessories make great layering pieces, says owner Elizabeth Mast.
Photo by Jerry McClure
Colorful, patterned rugs start at $400.
Photo by Jerry McClure
Owner Elizabeth Mast also owns Talulah Belle next door.
Photo courtesy of Hess

Elizabeth Mast dabbles in all things home and design. The style maker owns Lakewood boutique Talulah Belle; works in real estate, focusing on historic homes in East Dallas; and, in early October, opened a home and design store named Hess Home Essentials.

“When I started working with homes, I saw there was a huge need for home accessories,” Mast says.

Although she had always wanted to open a home store, it wasn’t until the space next to Talulah Belle became available that she decided to forge ahead with the idea. Mast opened up Hess in the former Bebe Grand space and created a walkway between her two shops.

At Hess you’ll find bright lamps under $200 and large, colorful rugs that start at $400. “The transitional, basic pieces are where customers should invest,” says owner Elizabeth Mast.

Hess is filled to the brim with cheerful home decor, from upholstered pieces in solids and patterns to colorful lamps, artwork and other trinkets. Everything is expertly staged — no surprise there, because Mast and team offer those services too — making it easy to imagine how it all comes together.

Between Hess and Talulah Belle, Mast employs up to 17 people on any given day.

“We’re seeing extreme growth on the Hess side,” she says. “We’re bringing in more resources to help with design.” We suspect that’s because Hess is more than a home furnishings store; it’s a one-stop home and design shop.

In addition to home staging, Hess offers interior design and custom-made pieces. “It’s all about the customer,” Mast says. “We can build furniture from the ground up. We’ve got a full selection of fabrics, but if we don’t have what a customer is looking for, we will find it.”

Mast also uses as many local sources as she can, from manufacturers to artists. She says her accessories — bright lamps under $200 and large colorful rugs that start at $400 — make great layering pieces. “The transitional, basic pieces are where customers should invest,” she says.

So what’s with the name? “I wanted something that was timeless; it’s my husband’s middle name,” Mast says. “So I worked backward. It stands for home essentials simply stated.”

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Swedish meatballs news

Swedish furniture fave IKEA reveals opening date for first Dallas store

IKEA

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The first IKEA store inside Dallas city limits is ready to open its doors: Called IKEA Dallas - University Park, the store will be located at The Shops at Park Lane (8080 Park Ln.), at US-75 and Park Lane. According to a release, it will open Wednesday, March 11.

The Swedish-born furniture company will say hallå to Dallas with some fanfare on March 11, beginning with giveaways, coffee, and cinnamon buns at 8 am, followed by remarks from VIPs at 9 am. Doors will open to customers starting at 10 am.

And yes, there will be meatballs, they promise.

At 63,000 square feet, the Dallas IKEA will be a smaller-format store than its suburban siblings, such as the Frisco location, which spans 310,000 square feet.

IKEA is on a journey to become more accessible, affordable, and convenient, with smaller "urban" stores that have a limited inventory of items sold on site: 3,200 articles, just 2,200 of which will be on display. (The full product range, including big items like beds and couches, can be ordered online for free store pickup or home delivery.)

“This new store is a great example of our commitment to making IKEA even more convenient and accessible," says Rob Olson, Interim CEO of IKEA U.S., in the release. "We’re excited to become part of this vibrant shopping district and look forward to meeting the needs of customers in the area."

The Park Lane store will be two levels and will include a unique As-is Department, featuring gently used and discontinued items to support more sustainable home furnishing choices, they say.

The store will also feature a full Swedish food experience, offering IKEA favorites like meatballs, plant balls, hot dogs, and veggie dogs to enjoy in‑store or at home.

“We’re excited to celebrate the grand opening of IKEA Dallas – University Park and share the IKEA experience with members of the Dallas community,” says Ben Sandoval, market manager, IKEA U.S. “From finding inspiration for your dream space to enjoying a taste of Sweden, we can’t wait for you to experience the joy of making yourself at home at IKEA Dallas - University Park.”

IKEA is not the only new tenant at The Shops at Park Lane. The shopping center piggybacked on IKEA's announcement to share the additional debuts of Crème + Crepes, Connect Studio DFW, and Intuit Turbo Tax, all of which are now open.

Once IKEA debuts, it will be open 10 am-8 pm daily.

openings retail university park, tx ikea