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Installing Annapolis (ed. 3)
Now that wallcovering is up, it’s time to layer in the FLOORCOVERINGS at our Annapolis project. Installing carpet and rugs in a home is a sensory blanket of sorts. They reduce ambient noise, soften impact underfoot and warm up cold floors. They can also unify furniture in a large room and make stairs safer. Beauty with benefits – that’s what interior design is all about!
floorcovering installation ::
Got rugs? We do and they are ready to roll!
Installing the first set of three stairs. All three received the same runner style for continuity and balance in the home.
(left) In her office I wanted pattern, but not color. This diamond pattern from Stark expands the space without looking busy. (right) I chose a classic seagrass rug in a round shape for his office. A round rug can work magic in a room. It can soften angular architecture and integrate a disparate furniture arrangement.
Speaking of round rugs, this one for the son’s bedroom is a Missoni pattern. It is spirited yet sophisticated – a style that will carry him into his teenage and young adult years.
(left) A grey and green stripe fills the expansive younger daughter’s room. (right) I chose a blue-grey ribbed style for the older daughter’s room. It marries beautifully with the wallcovering and has just enough slubs and flecking (let’s hope!) to stand up to a teenager.
(top) A view into the dining room and its new graphic but subtle area rug. (bottom) The original sample at left and the artwork for approval at right.
It took months to find the right rug for the guest bedroom. Finally, one day, I found the perfect one. It’s the correct size, style, texture and combination of colors. #needleinahaystack
Isn’t this sample lovely? It’s a custom khotan for the master bedroom. Unfortunately, it’s behind schedule – by a lot – and not on site. It was the first order we wrote for this project, so not receiving it in time was unexpected and very disappointing. We think it will be worth the wait, so we will definitely post photos on Instagram when it does arrive.
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Installing Annapolis (ed. 2)
Last week we shared a behind-the-scenes look at the lighting installation at our Bay Ridge project. This week we are focusing on the WALLCOVERING. Softening the envelope and warming up the interior was a big focus of this design. Once paper is up on the walls (and ceilings in many cases) an interior really starts to feel like a home.
wallcovering installation ::
Our PO with samples of all the papers attached for the paperhanger.
Papering a spacious room requires a ladder and teamwork. The photo at right reveals the texture of the paper.
A soothing beige-on-beige paint and paper combination in the guest bedroom.
(top to bottom) Lining up a paper’s pattern; An installation diagram we sketched for the contractor; The paper freshly hung in the younger daughter’s bedroom.
A subtle grey paper in the final stages of installation in the oldest daughter’s bedroom.
Proof that wallcovering can transform a space. This foyer has become a showstopper in this home.
Thank you Michael for all your great work! Next up is floorcoverings.
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Installing Annapolis (ed. 1)
Huntley & Co. spends months behind the scenes working on our projects. And it isn’t until the last 6 weeks or so that photos are really worth sharing – that’s when we get to the point of actually installing things in a home: lighting and wallcovering first, then floorcoverings, then furniture. We are in the installation phase now at our Bay Ridge project in Annapolis (yes!) and are seeing items that we spec’d or purchased 9+ months ago go up on the walls, ceiling, etc. During the final push, LIGHTING makes a particularly big impact. The placement, style and finish all affect the function and feel of the home. And like jewelry on a woman, it’s these fixtures that can truly ‘light up’ a house ; )
lighting installation ::
Some of the elevations we generated for the contractor and electrician.
The installation of surface mount fixtures in two daughters’ bedrooms – a pendant in the room at left and a pair of wall sconces in the room at right. And yes, sometimes one has to cut 5 (count em, 5!) holes to wire a single fixture.
Determining if/where to install a pinlight in a niche.
Chandeliers, sconces, pendants and lamps we are installing at Bay Ridge. The lighting package is a clean, modern/traditional mix that includes vintage, antiques, and pieces from some of our favorite manufacturers including Ironware, Vaughan, Circa and UEco.
Inspecting a fixture’s finish now that it’s on site.
Vintage sconces in the upstairs hallway. The rest of the lighting will be installed by the end of the week.
Thank you to Bayview Builders for all your great work! Next up is wallcovering.
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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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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”
THE MUSINGS OF DESIGNER TRICIA HUNTLEY
