According to a 2008 article in D Magazine, Perkins was largely responsible for a now-classic Dallas look that was marked by the use of bright color and patterns, traditional (but not staid) furniture, and highly accessorized rooms filled with antiques.
[3] Perkins’ many clients included the families of Perry Richardson Bass, James Ling, Clint Murchison, and Ross Perot, as well as a wide variety of country clubs, schools, hotels, and office buildings.
His father had, himself, been the captain of Texas A&M's first football team and had become a very successful investor in farming, livestock, and real estate.
Instead, in the hopes of "toughening up" his artistically-inclined son, the father insisted that Perkins spend the summer roofing in the Dallas heat.
[6] Perkins’ Drawings, Photographic Materials, Objects, and Papers, 1924-1994, are in the Alexander Architectural Library at the University of Texas, Austin.