• Hillcrest mudroom by Huntley & Co. with Tricia Huntley's dog Ursi

    New and Improved : Hillcrest v.3

    My final installment (for now) on the Hillcrest renovation. This area definitely receives the award for most “new and improved”!

    The Mudroom (and then some)

    Before

    What I call Hillcrest’s “back-of-house” was originally three distinct spaces – the den, a bath (I use that term loosely), and a hallway to the rear yard. All three rooms were cramped and too small to function well. In fact, the bath was just a quarter bath; that means a toilet and NO SINK (?!). The whole footprint of this area made absolutely no sense and needed a major overhaul to accommodate a practical lifestyle. First, there was no use wasting space on another sitting room when I needed a proper powder room and coat closet. Second, having a fluffy, large breed dog in Minnesota meant a mudroom was CRITICAL.

     
    (above) The original floorplan. The arrows labeled 1 and 2 indicate the direction of the views shown in the photos.
    Before photos of View 1 (above) and view 2 (below). You can see the house was in pretty rough shape. Also visible is the “dimensional texture” on the walls that I mentioned in my last post.

    After

    Space planning is one of the most valuable skills a designer can have. Working with what you have and “fixing” an area without making it bigger is hugely satisfying. This space just needed thoughtful consideration to make it sing. Now it’s my favorite room in the house. I store my china here and all my fall/winter coats. I can do laundry and pot plants. I use the sink as a wetbar when entertaining. It’s Ursi’s access to the yard and where I wipe her off if she’s wet or muddy. And not to be understated, drenching the room in one color* helped quiet the envelope and make the room feel cohesive. If you have watched my IG/Tiktok video about the Hillcrest upstairs hall, you will know I love to color drench a room/space that has a lot of “perforations”. 

    * Want to know the paint color? Leave a message on this post to request the spec.
     
    The revised “back-of-house” layout. It actually feels larger and more cohesive now even though I packed six or so functions into it. 
    After photo of view 1 (above). Closing off the living room made all this possible. The double doors open to my primary coat closet. The cabinet to the left holds my china, glassware, etc.
    View 2 (below) includes the sink area, exterior access (the opening was moved), and two doors that open to amenities … see next images. The marble I chose for the counter and splashes is called Arabescato Corchia and is a refreshing counterpoint to the olive green envelope.
    (above) Two shots of the east end of room with doors closed vs. open – revealing the powder room and laundry closet respectively. I do have a large laundry room downstairs, but this one is great for smaller, daily loads.
    (below L) A closer look at the powder room that now includes an all-important sink! (below R) Detail of china cabinet doors with custom hardware, chicken wire, and striped curtains from Europe. Click the photo to see a video of what I keep inside ; )
    A few detail shots worth sharing:
    carved hand sconce with gilt finish
    a powder room mirror and sconce above a white sink with marble splash
    modern art on green wall above sink and marble splash in mudroom

    I hope you enjoyed spending time in this part of my home a much as I do! Please feel free to post your questions about selections, etc. I am happy to answer anything requested directly here on the Luxe & Lucid blog.

    signature of name Tricia
  • What Will Make a Difference in Your Interior?

    What Will Make a Difference in Your Interior?

    I have been inside a lot of homes recently; early fall is house-tour season here in MSP.  A few I visited were spectacular (bravo!), some were nicely done, and most were perfectly fine. Those that caught my attention typically had good bones, quality hardware, better finishes, and a unique point of view. The unfortunate reality is that most projects require value-engineering. Deciding how and where to uplevel makes the difference between the “perfectly fine” homes and those we remember.

    Behind the Design

    The photos below are behind-the-scenes shots of our cover star, the primary bedroom of our H&Co. Greenwich Village project. What decisions made a difference in this project? 1) Drenching the walls and ceiling in a similar hue/tone to minimize the impact of the bulkheads. 2) Installing custom cabinetry at the perimeter so we could eliminate furniture. Architecturally, this room has a lot going on, so it was necessary to reduce clutter and quiet the envelope. 3) Finding the vintage, hand-painted, silk folding screen and mounting it behind the bed. What an impact!

    Clockwise from upper left: (1) a better view of the cabinetry and the terrace; (2) a detail of the vanity mirror; (3) a hidden door on the bed wall leads to the bath; (4) my all-time favorite flower/plant, aka “monkey balls” found their way into the corner of the cover photo.

    3 Details Worth the Investment

    There are three details that I consider mandatory in a custom home. Keep an eye out for these the next time you visit, what is considered, a custom / luxury / high-end home. It should have these details, full stop. 

    1.  LUTRON DESIGNER STYLE LIGHTING CONTROLS

    two photos of 2 types of lightswitch plates with arrow between

    The lightswitch controls at right are ganged in a screwless, satin finish plate with dimmable capabilities. Worth it.

    2. CUSTOM VENT COVERS

    comparison of two types of vent covers - a commercial version at left and a custom style at right

    The decorative vent cover at right has a design motif specific to the home’s vernacular, and again, no screws are visible. Worth it.

    3. STONE COUNTERS

    stone types

    The real marble at right has veining with layered, nuanced hues and movement that is natural in its unpredictability. Worth it.

    How to Prioritize Like a Type-A

    Want to know a secret? Type-A’s are not born, we’re made. My love of systems and spreadsheets developed at a young age as a way to manage overwhelm. That turned out to be fortuitous since – as an interior designer – I’m responsible for overseeing, tracking, and implementing thousands of details. From problems come opportunities! I now have a multitude of procedures, and templates in my arsenal. Some are elaborate in their construction (20-column matrices, anyone?), but others are really simple – just habits really. This is one of those little tricks. 

     

    daily planner page showing handwritten notes of to-do's, schedule, and piorities
    Daily Prioritizing Process

    // Every morning I do a “brain dump”. I pull these to-do’s from my week’s priority list (on another page) and add anything else that comes to mind.

    // To combat the paralyzing issue of priority, I do a quick run-through of the list and number each task with a #1 (must do today), a #2 (important, but not critical), or a #3 (can roll over to tomorrow, but let’s not forget about it). Suddenly, it’s no longer a laundry list of action items; I’ve essentially broken it into thirds and the first third is the only portion that needs my attention right now.

    // To clarify further, I will circle one (or two) #1 tasks if they are screaming for priority.

    As you can see there is other coding that develops as the day goes on: checkmarks, X’s, arrows, and strikethrough’s. I will explain those details, and the other blocks of my DAP (daily action planner) for another day.

    Footnote: The use of cursive is not accidental. This practice is going the way of the Dodo bird, but I will tell you nothing gets thoughts out of your head and into actionable tasks faster. I rediscovered this skill when I started my own firm and #cantlivewithout it.

    Asked and Answered | our new Instagram Q+A feature

    We have started a new, regular feature on Instagram called Asked and Answered. I will answer interior design questions in a weekly IG post from readers/viewers who (1) follow us on Instagram(2) sign-up for our newsletter, and (3) DM their inquiry. More details are available on IG: click the image at right and look for the 10/30 carousel post with “High Expectations?” in the first photo. Send in your questions!

     

    signature of name Tricia

    Hey Insider, Luxe & Lucid will have more frequent drops moving forward, so I will see you next week!

    In the meantime, I would love to connect with you via our social media platforms. Links below.

    TRICIA HUNTLEY  |  HUNTLEY & CO.

    “The glamorous space where tradition and modernity collide.”