DDD Spotlight: TKO Associates

One thing that never goes out of style? TKO Associates’ timeless design and their commitment to the highest-quality service. Since they settled into suite #230 in the Decorative Center over 20 years ago, they have continued to turn out some of the most stunning kitchen and bath spaces we’ve seen to date. Read on to learn more about the TKO (Technical Knock Out) experience + their expertise.



Tell us about the background of TKO Associates and how the Dallas Design District showroom came to be.
TKO moved to the Decorative Center in 1983, after 2 years based in a loft office in Cedar Springs. Always forward-thinking, our owner and president Betsy Hoag worked to optimally position TKO to the small but loyal contemporary design community from the beginning. Even then, that meant securing a space in the Dallas Decorative Center. The first space was a 1,200 square foot corner space, where Aria Stone lives today. We have been in suite #230 for over 20 years.

What do you enjoy most about having a showroom in the DDD neighborhood?
We really are a Design District showroom, through and through. With 38 years spent embracing and serving Dallas’ design community, we have witnessed the expansion and growth of the neighborhood. In the early days, there was very little in the Design District outside of to-the-trade showrooms, industrial warehouses, and pawnshops; one had to venture downtown or into Oak Lawn for restaurants, shops, and attractions. No one walked around. Today, the DDD atmosphere is highly complementary to our showroom experience: stay a minute, wander, and luxuriate in design. Have an experience, not just a visit.

What can visitors expect when they visit the TKO Associates Dallas showroom?
The nuances of excellent design need to be experienced to be truly appreciated. At TKO, we use vignettes to help visitors imagine products in their own homes or projects and to play with color, scale, and lighting. We encourage visitors to become familiar with the ergonomics of a piece, be it the knurling of a cabinet pull, the in-hand feel of a lever, the depth of a bathtub, or the comfort of a toilet seat, in order to make the best possible elections for their needs. In short, visitors can expect to be welcomed into a warm, artful environment, and be met with detail-oriented attention from the tenured sales team.

In your opinion, what sets TKO Associates apart from other local and national luxury kitchen + bath showrooms?
TKO is focused on longevity and high-quality service. We strive for personalized relationships with our vendors and our clients. In doing so, we witness their evolutions and learn their proclivities, ways of doing business, and are better able to connect our clients to product lines effectively. We work ahead to prevent any sense of stagnation or redundancy in the industry by staying current, pursuing small lines, and connecting innovators to one another.

If you had to describe the TKO Associates style in one word, what would it be and why?
Timeless. As clichéd as that word has become, we know that thoughtful modern design transcends time and does not become dated. Think of Villa Savoye, built in the 1930s, or the Bauhaus Master Houses, built in the mid-1920s. By placing importance on form (beauty) and function (innovation) in equal proportion, the quality designs we provide aren’t as subject to the comings and goings of passing trends.


Any emerging industry trends or new collections you’re loving at the moment?
We continue to see gunmetal and polished finishes (think gold and brass) being spec’d in kitchens and bathrooms, and entertainment-oriented ‘workstations’ in kitchens. Elements of Deco are back, and we love them thoughtfully placed. We love that lines are embracing organic, creative, colorful materials and forms. There’s a definite trend in upcycling materials that is exciting to watch. The passion for innovation in our industry is often overlooked by the broader public, so we want to get it on people's radars and get the products in their hands and homes.

Complete this sentence: “No kitchen or bathroom is complete without _______________.”
No kitchen or bathroom is complete without water.

What better way to start 2022 than with an update or two to your kitchen or powder room? If TKO has you as tempted as they do us, take the time to reach out to their team today. And in the meanwhile, spend some time this holiday break browsing their website and Instagram page.