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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
{ 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
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Unleash Your Power!
The last 24 hours have not been easy. To see a fierce, beautiful, intelligent, and accomplished woman lose to a (insert reader’s choice) has me reeling. Yet despite the shock and distress, we have seen nothing but grace from her. Typical. Just like a woman. It just proves how awe-inspiring women are. Goddam we’re fabulous. So if you have held back, stayed small, or lived in doubt – now is the time to DO YOU. Wear what you want, speak your mind, start that business, move abroad (not a bad idea). The braver, fiercer, bolder version of you is waiting. And we are here to cheer you on!
Multi-Dimensional
Contrary to a certain, popular narrative, women are not one-dimensional. A woman can be ambitious and sensitive, athletic and feminine, creative and type-A (yours truly). Case in point, the Huntley & Co. vibe. It’s a study of contrasts, eclectic and somewhat disparate. Not everyone gets it, and that’s OK. It resonates for me and feels like home.
My Secret Point of Power
Perfectly inline with this week’s topic, is one of my favorite things to use in the studio – PowerPoint. I’m not kidding. I have learned to exploit this software within an inch of its life and it always has more to give. I do create the occasional slide show, but you wouldn’t believe how many other uses there are for it.
3 Unexpected Ways I Use PowerPoint:
1. Vibe boards (e.g., like the one at top)
2 Our huntleyco “roomXroom” files:
For our projects, we collect images of furnishings, lighting, etc. and copy them into slides, sort, and label them by room. We hyperlink all of the photos and delete and replace them as the design develops.
3. 3-dimensional elevations
The room shown here was created in PowerPoint. It’s not as robust a program as SketchUp or Revit, but it’s a thousand times faster and easier … and creates beautiful results!
Screenshot(s) of the Week
Rebranding chocolate as “Wenge” is genius marketing. It didn’t need to be done, but I dig it.
I wish I could properly credit these gorgeous photos. @wittok1 is a curator, not the source.
Here is to the women who fight the good fight, stand tall, and persevere. Bravo!
Hey Insider – If you are noodling on a problem or project, I may be able to help! Share in comments.
Otherwise, I will see you next week or on social media. Links below.
TRICIA HUNTLEY | HUNTLEY & CO.
“The glamorous space where tradition and modernity collide.”
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West End Process :: Concept
One of our favorite Huntley & Co. projects this year was for a young couple who hired us to design and renovate their newly purchased townhouse in the West End neighborhood of Washington. Much to our delight, the duo brought a combination of sophistication and excitement to the endeavor. Translating that into a concept and then into a finished product was a multi-step process — and worth every minute.
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| THE CONCEPT |
Our clients inspired a decidedly cosmopolitan aesthetic. Accordingly, we imagined an eclectic mix of vintage and antique furnishings, unexpected stone and tile, and layers of complex colors and tones. As shown below, the mood board we created conveyed our idea of an elevated yet spirited home – a true classic that’s never boring.
Selected photos clockwise from top left: Cartier Tank watch via Goop; Timothy Corrigan vignette; a crisp Madrid living room by Isabel Lopez-Quesada; a bedroom from Architectural Digest; a corner of Sandra Nunnerley’s home featuring “Diamond” artwork by Kenneth Noland; an austere and elegant marble bathroom.
| HOW WE GOT THERE |
The start of a project is full of excitement and potential. Before diving into design, we take time to fully understand both the space and the client. On the technical side, we site measure the building and generate CAD drawings for study and revision. On the conceptual side, we issue a questionnaire and cull images related to our clients’ answers. The questions range from pedestrian to abstract and are intended to give us practical information as well as insight into their lifestyle and aesthetic.
// Question & Answer
A two page questionnaire sheds light on what’s important.
The client questionnaire is a key part of our initial survey and analysis.
// Pulling Together a Visual Story
We pull images that reference our clients’ feedback … and they share photos as well.
TRAVEL // From a honeymoon spot to favorites in Paris and NYC, these hotels topped our client’s list. L to R: Royal Mansour Marrakesh; George V in Paris; The NoMad Hotel in NYC.
FILM // Playful, witty and adventurous. L to R: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Amélie; The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
MUSIC // Eclectic and soulful music that bridges time and genres including the Hamilton soundtrack and Carla Bruni’s album, Quelqu’un m’a dit.
FASHION // Classic, all-American cool c/o Vince, J. Crew and Celine.
INTERIORS // Rich and sleek. Warm and bright. Tailored and organic. L to R: Interior by Joseph Dirand includes works by Anish Kapoor, Pierre Jeanneret and Paavo Tynell; Patricia Urquiola collection for Georg Jensen; a sculptural Alvar Aalto chair; master suite cabinetry seen on Pinterest.
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We love the conceptual stage of a project. Engaging in a thorough deep dive to excavate both the practical and the magical is the difference between a good project and a great one. Stay tuned for our next post where we transition into design development and project management — when we make the concept a reality.
xo, Huntley & Co.
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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 Huntley & Co. “clients” are an art dealer wife with an international childhood (thanks to a father who was Ambassador to Peru) and a west coast-born husband with a Renaissance spirit. The couple shares a love of art, music and philanthropy. Both travel frequently to New York, California, Europe and South America. With that in mind, our goal for these busy and passionate entrepreneurs was to create a true LIVING space that reflects their personal histories and nurtures the lifestyle of their young family.
Already inspired? Fantastic! Because Huntley & Co. will be sharing more insights into our showhouse process as well as a final ‘reveal’ in forthcoming Luxe & Lucid posts. Subscribe to our feed or follow us on Bloglovin to stay tuned!
THE MUSINGS OF DESIGNER TRICIA HUNTLEY
