A Working List
Contractors and craftspeople Michelle trusts for historic home work — with a strong preference for those Preservation Dallas has already recognized.
A Dallas institution since 1946, when Charles "Red" Orr and James Reed founded it on Red's Army mustering-out pay and Reed's goat herd. Antique lumber, doors, mantels, hardwood flooring, wrought iron, and salvaged architectural detail — the first stop for anyone restoring a historic Dallas home.
Founded by Tam Pham, a seven-time Preservation Achievement Award winner for historic home restoration work in Dallas.
Preservation Dallas Craftsmanship Award winner for ornamental plaster work — the kind of hand skill that's hard to find for cornices, medallions, and original wall detail.
2022 Preservation Dallas Craftsmanship Award winner, for restoration work on fine art and antiques — useful for homeowners restoring original fixtures and furnishings alongside the house itself.
2024 Preservation Dallas Craftsmanship Award winner. When a historic house is in the path of development, McMillan is who moves it instead of losing it.
An Oak Cliff fixture since 1923 — a full-service lumberyard, hardware store, and millwork shop right in Michelle's own neighborhood. Custom moulding, stile-and-rail doors, window sashes, and CNC radius millwork for matching original trim.
These are personal recommendations from Michelle, not a paid directory — treat this as a starting point, not an exhaustive one. Have a vendor to add, or need something not listed here?
Ask Michelle