• paint and other samples on a table in the huntley & Co. studio

    Concept Before Color

    The most common question I have been asked as an interior designer over the years is, without a doubt, “What are your favorite paint colors?” I suspect it ranks among the most popular design topics of all time. Funny thing is, I don’t have favorite paint colors (shock, awe!). I do not have a stable of SW’s BM’s, or F&B’s that I play on repeat. I liken that to a makeup artist applying the same look to a young, cherub-faced, blonde as she would a middle-aged, raven-haired woman with high cheekbones. Each home has its own architecture, light, and vibe that necessitates its own palette and specific application. How do you figure out that palette and specific application?! Start with a concept. 

    Example 1 | Delray Beach, FL

    CONCEPT

    COLORS

    RESULT

    WHO/WHERE: A beachfront, second home in Florida for empty-nesters.

    VIBE: Relaxed, soft-modern

    PALETTE: A low-contrast range of beiges and browns with accents of silvery, blue-grey

    Example 2 | Washington, DC

    CONCEPT

    COLORS

    RESULT

    WHO/WHERE: A city townhouse for a young couple and soon-to-be parents

    VIBE: Old-school formal meets youthful cool

    PALETTE: From ecru, cafe au lait, and green-grey to caramel, peacock blue, and near-blacks

    What you’ll notice is that the Delray Beach and West End palettes are not in opposite hemispheres; there is overlap. It’s the contrast, variety of hues and color temps, as well as the adjacent materials and finishes that set them apart. Both interiors may have shades of creamy-white, but we selected different versions because the light and vibe in DC varies considerably from the light and vibe in Florida. And, of course, the floors were a factor as pairing paint with white oak is worlds away from pairing it with an ebony-stain.

    Visit the Delray Beach and West End portfolios on the Huntley & Co. website for a more comprehensive view of each project (note, not all rooms are photographed). Go to Tiktok and view my companion video to this post for additional examples of the concept-color-interior throughline. I am on a quiet mission to change hearts and minds! #conceptbeforecolor

    signature of name Tricia
    { PS: Photography and online screens distort the actual colors of the samples shown above. } 

    All work and projects above are by Huntley & Co. Interior Design

  • 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! 

     

    DSC_4678.1

    IMG_0204      IMG_0196 - Copy

    Our design studio becomes a laboratory for deep diving, where we work elbows deep in samples to determine the best tone for the wood floors.  We consider location, use, and material adjacencies when making our recommendations.  Ultimately, we outfitted a Georgetown residence with rich, classic patterned parquet in a deep and luxurious tone.

     

    P6230002      IMG_0755      IMG_7965

    Material and tone are carefully considered for each client.

    (left): We installed subtly hand hewn floor boards in soft, neutral tones to be bright but forgiving for a young family.  (center): This grand PA home called for rich tones that complimented adjacent materials and the scale of the space.  (right): We were inspired by sandy textures in this beachside retreat when we chose these soft, washed, waxy tones of warm brown.

     

    IMG_4153      IMG_9517

    (left): We gave the existing parquet flooring of a pre-war Manhattan apartment new life with a lighter stain – showing off the beautiful pattern and brightening the small space.  (right): New french oak flooring in an Alexandria townhouse has been pickled, adding much needed warmth and texture to a once incohesive collection of different vinyl flooring.

     

    bilhuber - Copy       hillwood - Copy

    archetypal_GREAT

    Inspiration at its finest.  (left): Jeffrey Bilhuber  (right): Hillwood Estate   (bottom): Archetypal Floors

  • Thanksgiving and the beauty of home

    paragraph

     Like so many, I love Thanksgiving.  So many wonderful things come together — decorating, family, food! — on one glorious, indulgent day.  I’ve designed quite a few dining rooms for clients throughout the years and it’s always exciting to see these spaces come to life on Thanksgiving.  Décor isn’t the reason for the season, but sharing beauty and joy with loved ones is.

    paragraph

    Eclectic, tailored and dramatic is just the right vibe in a dining room.

    paragraph

     KAP_9868[1] - Copy2 cropped    R30A6591.2

    Picture2

    paragraph

    For me, design is about expression.  The dining spaces below are in Maryland, DC, New York and Arizona respectively.  Each is a signature of a particular home, lifestyle and client.

    paragraph

    DR_crop    DSC_3757_lighter

     IMG_7323    breakfast room

    paragraph

    Details are a key part of the magic when entertaining for the holidays and year-round.

    paragraph

    Picture3DSCN315309 breakfast room detailDR_detail1

    paragraph

    Sometimes simplicity is all the drama a space needs.  Traditional in Virginia and modern in Florida.

    paragraph

    R30A2568    Delray-05_c

    paragraph

    The dining room below is one of my favorites.  The sophisticated color scheme creates a room that sings.

    paragraph

     IMG_01 (17)

    paragraph

    paragraph

     Happy Thanksgiving from Huntley & Co.

    And a special thanks to our clients who make these images possible and our work lives so rich.

    paragraph

    kitty blurry

     signeture