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Edgemoor Sunroom :: Part II
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EDGEMOOR SUNROOM
November is filled with anticipation as the holidays quickly approach and designers clamour to wrap up design projects. At Huntley & Co., we have labored long and hard for one Bethesda client in particular and are eager to put the finishing touches on their remarkable sunroom renovation. Our goal was to create a sculptural, textural space that elegantly captures the spirit of indoor/outdoor living. We will be featuring work product and site photos for this sunroom-cum-lounge in the next several posts. And we’ll reveal the installation around Thanksgiving, so just a little more patience! To give you an idea of the inspiration behind our design, we’ve shared the Edgemoor Sunroom concept board below. Wrap yourself up in the luxe imagery and escape.
xo, Huntley & Co.
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POM POMS
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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 ]
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— DESIGNER Q&A —
Our Huntley & Co. clients and room may have been crafted from imagination,
but they do speak to the real methodology and design vernacular of our firm’s work.
Here, principal Tricia Huntley, opens up about her influences, the importance
of breaking the rules and the best song to get a party started.
1. What are some of the things that influence you, aside from furniture and décor?
Museums, music, fashion, history, parks/nature, architecture, poetry … those things that are thoughtful, provocative, moving. I like to start with a feeling or mood before I pivot to the tangible aspect of things.
2. What qualities of a room do you most admire?
Substantial hardware and appropriate, expertly executed millwork. I would rather live in an empty house with those two qualities than a shoddy new-build with the best furniture.
3. Design rule you love to break?
Symmetry. I was classically trained so I believe in building a space according to the rules of symmetry. But I also believe that breaking that symmetry in clever, nuanced ways is what brings a room to life.
4. You know these clients will be having many a fete, what’s a good hostess gift?
I love to give sophisticated, unusual candles and fragrances. Aedes de Venustas, Joya and Santa Maria Novella all offer intriguing scents in stunning vessels. And of course, good booze and wine never go out of style. Add a beautiful ribbon with a handwritten tag and you’re done.
5. Rapid Fire!
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It’s been fun, but we need to dash! Our clients told us to get out so they can enjoy their new home ; )
If you want another glimpse at the process, simply click on posts Part I, Part II and/or Part III. And special thanks to our “faux clients” Justin O’Shea and Veronika Heilbrunner. They are the coolest couple on the planet and dream clients fo sho!
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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 work.
The Floorplan___________________________
We start with a floor plan, which guides the flow and circulation of a space. With our clients’ penchant for entertaining, it was important to think outside the traditional box and get creative with furniture placement. Our ‘star’ is the four sided bench that beautifully anchors the room. Varied seating arrangements offer opportunities for independent conversations and debate for our clients’ guests who come from a wide range of cultures, professions and political views. The room is meant to be as warm, interesting and thoughtful as the clients are.
The Elevations___________________________
Elevations reveal how a room’s architecture, furnishings and art will work together. A space won’t look or feel good if there are too many masses, it’s too ‘leggy’, everything is at the same level or the values are off-balance. Deep-diving the millwork, fenestrations and other details gives us the platform we need to make good decisions. Not to mention that “pulling the design up” and seeing it come to life happens to be pretty exciting ; )
The Presentation Board____________________
The presentation board is our opportunity to showcase the tactility of a room. Ambience is affected by the ratio of soft vs. coarse, understated vs. luminous and natural vs. refined materials and textures. We wanted this space to feel glamorous, but totally approachable with an air of intelligent wit. With that in mind we combined fibers like linen, seagrass and rushing with velvet and damask. Then we took it a step further by incorporating lacquered leather, eelskin and electric-colored cowhide. This is a luxurious space where you can kick up your feet and have fun!
The Response___________________________
And because these are the dreamiest of clients, they love everything and will TAKE IT ALL! Orders are placed and construction begins. This next phase is about site visits, management, coordination, follow-up and a lot of patience. But we’re getting our hands dirty and seeing our workrooms do their magic — so we love it!
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Tune in next week for a fun Q&A and the FINAL REVEAL! We will be sharing more insights about our process and the why’s and how’s of a successful design project.
Subscribe to our newsletter or find us on Bloglovin’ and you won’t miss a thing ; )
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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!
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HARDWARE – THE ESSENTIAL ACCESSORY
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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 Bui
WEHO :: Jenni Kayne, Curve, Kitson, Decades, Reurrection
Melrose Place :: Marc Jacobs, Eoldie K, Maria Cornejo, Carolina Herrera, Isabel Marant
And, of course, dozens more if your mortgage isn’t a concern ; )
** The next Luxe List will feature LA’s best of home & design. And it is FABULOUS!
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PARADOX = DESIGN HARMONY
Paradox is my passion — contrasting modern with traditional, sexy with conventional and subtle with provocative. Introducing incongruity and tension give a room interest and energy. As we designers say, it’s what makes a room “sing”. In the simplest of terms, I like a little rock-n-roll with my ladylike. It’s integral to my designs, my fashion sense and my attitude.
bubble chandelier + oushak | classical-themed wallpaper + midcentury architecure | columnar lamp atop leather-wrapped dresser + modern high-rise apartment
graphic polka dot tank + pink animal-motif shorts + snakeskin heels | distressed jeans + damask pattern jacket + large belt buckle
camelback sofa + vintage lamps + saarinen table | bust of hermes + robin rose painting + lamb’s tongue railing
modern asymmetrical mirror + velvet flocked wallpaper | surrealist watercolor + toile wallcovering | antique iron bed + globe pendant
oak paneled wall + silk velvet headboard + circular shag rug | multiple contemporary genres + yellow-painted vintage valet chair
chunky woven sweater + gold lame harem pants | grey heathered tee + quilted derek lam skirt
pitched beadboard ceiling + gold dome pendant | midcentury mobile + antique leather hall chair | builder-grade powder room + contemporary wallpaper + bronze repousse mirror
… in other words, “luxe and lucid”