• Huntley & Co. DC Design House

    show-house // faux-client :: the reveal!

    We know you and our fabulous faux clients have been waiting for our big reveal.  The design process is nothing, if not, an exercise in patience.  From concept to installation, interior design requires vision, tenacity and know-how.  It’s a labor of love, but labor nonetheless.  So when the time finally comes to present our clients with their dream home, our excitement is hard to contain.  This particular dream home is ‘faux show’, but the thrill of the reveal remains the same … So without further ado! — THE 2016 FAUX HOUSE REVEAL — [ Our clients seem pleased ] *  *  * — DESIGNER Q&A — Our Huntley & Co.…

  • SHOW-HOUSE // FAUX-CLIENT :: PART III

    Sourcing goods and materials for our interior fuels our creativity, but drawings take the design to the next level.  After all, a room is only as good as it is functional — we aren’t aiming for beauty just for beauty’s sake.  Working out our ideas in AutoCAD ensures that we are on target with scale, proportion and spatial relationships.  A well-trained designer can evaluate whether a piece will work in a room or not simply by looking at it.  Still, transferring its dimensions to paper (or the computer as in our case) ensures down-to-the-1/8” accuracy.  Huntley & Co. is a business built on mindfulness and our drawings are the technical backbone of our…

  • dc design house huntley & co.

    SHOW-HOUSE // FAUX-CLIENT :: part II

    Like the early stages of a romance, the onset of a new design project brings lots of excitement, energy and anticipation.  Now that we’ve “gotten to know” our Faux Clients better and have defined a visual narrative for their space, we are ready to start deep-diving the design.  It’s time to measure the room, pull our materials and find our gorgeous furnishings — let’s show this showhouse what we’re made of! Prep Work______________________________ Preparation and foresight are the secret weapons behind a good design.  We always arrive well-prepped for site visits and measures.  Camera? Check.  Tape measure? Check.  Comfortable shoes? Definitely check.        Scouting for Furnishings____________________ Scouting for hidden treasure is one of…

  • dc design house inspiration - DC interior design showhouse

    SHOW-HOUSE // FAUX-CLIENT

    A showhouse is unique in that it provides a designer with the freedom to create a space that is bound only by her innovation and talent.  With a project that lacks a scope of work and a flesh-and-blood client, we find it important to invent a narrative to guide our design concept.  At Huntley & Co. we create a “faux client” to serve as muse during the showhouse process.  We have been blessed with some pretty wonderful clients throughout the years, but our Faux Clients 2016 definitely have us crushing hard!   dc interior designer Concept Development______________ Washington DC is a city filled with people of varied and interesting backgrounds.  Our…

  • HARDWARE – THE ESSENTIAL ACCESSORY

    Those who won in Rio can be found post-games posing with their hard-earned medals (gold, silver and/or bronze) at news conferences, talk shows and celebrity events.  Olympic hardware is pretty delicious — and not just because the athletes like to take a playful chomp during photo-ops — the heft and quality of the medals is obvious.  That’s why hardware is one of my favorite elements in design.  Well-crafted hardware not only looks good, if feels good.  Handling a door knob or drawer pull that’s cast and detailed to perfection is like nothing else.  Install beautiful, substantial hardware throughout a residence and the home will have guaranteed gravitas and soul. MAKE…

  • The Floors Beneath our Feet

    Like a painter preps his canvas, a good designer attends to the bones of a room before honing in on its decorative elements.  We make strategic shifts in proportion, tone, and detail, both subtle and grandiose, when thoughtfully designing a space.  A beautiful wood floor is one such essential element that has the power to really make our rooms sing.  We’re always told to “look up” or “look forward”, as a kind of mantra to mindfulness, happiness and all things good.  Well, I say “look down” because there’s beauty and inspiration to be had at your feet!         Our design studio becomes a laboratory for deep diving, where…

  • Tableaux

    There are only two things in this world of which I will never tire.  One, cute animals.  And two, vignettes.  It’s true, nothing snaps me out of a bad mood faster than a cleverly styled tabletop or an otter eating lettuce on Youtube.  Vignettes I love because they can be pulled together in minutes.  I love them because everyday things – a branch from the yard, a child’s toy, a vintage teacup – always make them more interesting.  I love them because they have personality.  I love them because they’re artistic and inspirational.  I love them because they make me happy … even sans otter.      A favorite vignette from…

  • THE BEST OF LA // DESIGN

    I was in LA recently.  It’s the perfect getaway and has everything my heart desires — a warm climate, a cool vibe, a lush and luxurious urban landscape and all the shopping a girl could want.  It’s not called the “city of angels” for nothin’ people.  For designers, the LA scene offers gorgeous settings, lovely laidback staff and some of the best furnishings in the US.  Key streets are Highland, Beverly Blvd, La Cienega, Melrose Ave and Melrose Place.  Head to Blackman Cruz, JF Chen, The Window, Harbinger, Hollyhock, Nicky Kehoe, Kelly Wearstler, Galerie Half, Garde, Lief … to name just a few.  The east coast is unseasonably cold and Legends of…

  • THE BEST OF LA // FASHION

    I recently spent some downtime in LA.  And when I travel, I shop.  That’s just how I roll.  Shopping at home feels like a chore to me and I almost never do it (save my visits to Hu’s in Georgetown).  And it’s just so damn easy in LA.  You get in your car, you park RIGHT IN FRONT of the store, you peruse and chat with the nicest of people.  Then you walk out with a half dozen bags that you drop into your trunk.  So lovely … and um, possibly a bit too easy?                                         Beverly Hills :: Maje, Perrin, Etro, Barbara…

  • THE AD DESIGN SHOW :: TRICIA’S 10

     I spent the day at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York on Friday.  It’s always good to see what’s new, talk with vendors and “kick the tires” so to speak.  Seeing the finish/scale/construction of products in person is integral to quality control and intelligent design.  And, of course, it’s fun.  I’ve shared ten best picks — whether it be a specific piece or an entire collection — and why each was worth a closer look. #1  Van Cronenburg I am passionate about hardware and this company is stellar.  Substance and exquisite detail in every piece.            #2  A Space Wall Sconce All of the products from A Space – lighting,…