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The Essential Tool Every Interior Designer Needs
This may seem like a less than romantic choice for Valentine’s Day, but this subject is near and dear to my heart. I’m talking about SPREADSHEETS. Yes, I am an interior designer who looooves spreadsheets. As an equal part Type-A/Type-B personality, I revel in creating designs, and managing and implementing them. My secret to staying on top of hundreds of details and enjoying myself along the way? The humble spreadsheet.
Budgets
This budget is the cornerstone of every Huntley & Co. project. It’s where we can view all items – comprehensively and in detail, calculate pricing, and track purchasing. I developed a very specific procurement color-coding* system for our budgets, as seen here.
* Color-coding is a love language all its own. If you get it, you get it ; )
Schedules
A renovation or construction project is only as good as its schedules. There are the basics like the plumbing schedule and the paint & finish schedule. But we have also generated bulb schedules, switch/plate schedules, and decorative hardware schedules – like this one. Each is unique. The objective is to transform an “information assault” into easy-to-read, easy-to-implement data.
Timelines
If a client requests a firm deadline, we generate a production schedule (aka reverse timeline) for the project. We plug in key dates — presentation, approval, payments, etc. and correlate that with realistic leadtimes and construction to calculate the installation day. Showing a client the ‘why’ of how long a project will take helps mitigate the sting of unrealistic expectations.
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Are you are interested in learning how to implement spreadsheets into your own interior design business? I will be hosting a free webinar this spring …
I will teach you how to create your own customizable budget and how to use it to outline costs, track orders, and stay on top of all those details!
Fill out the form below and include #spreadsheetsuccess in your Message to receive updates and an invitation to sign-up.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Today is about celebrating love in all forms, not just spreadsheets!
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A Closer Look at Windows
I’ve been discussing windows quite a bit lately – with colleagues, in my last Luxe & Lucid post, on Tiktok, etc. – in reference to café curtains and their installation. So it’s important to note, that they are so much more than a backdrop for drapery treatments, and can be everything from pragmatic to extraordinary. Nerd-out with me and let’s take a closer look at windows.
Anatomy of a Double-Hung Window
A double-hung window is the standard of American homes and the receiver of many a huntleyco curtain. As you can see by the diagram above, it’s far more complicated than its pedestrian reputation would suggest. Knowing all its parts may not seem critical, but it’s certainly useful when conversing with builders, selecting window treatments, and simply understanding how it functions.
FYI: The difference between a double- and single-hung window? Both the upper and lower windows function in a double-hung, whereas the top is fixed with a single-hung.
A Directory of Window Types
There are numerous window styles from classic to modern, everyday to ornate. Seeing them grouped together helps one see the variety that’s available, and how different they all are.
row 1 (L-R): Casement, double-hung, and transom windows; row 2 (L-R): Hopper, Palladian, and picture windows; row 3 (L-R): Awning, oculus, and center-pivot windows; row 4 (L-R): Gable-dormer, lunette, and eyebrow windows.
The Why of a Window
- Transom: Historically a transom window served one or two functions. One, when operable, it provided ventilation in the era before air-conditioning. Two, in narrow row houses, it illuminated dark central hallways by allowing light to pass through from the perimeter rooms.
- Hopper: Hopper windows originated in the 19th century, designed primarily to keep dust and debris from dirt roads out of homes while still allowing fresh air to circulate. Their inward-opening design was ideal for trapping dust as it settled, while the lighter, clean air could flow upward into the home.
- Center-Pivot: This particular window’s main goal was likely a dramatic and modern appearance, but as a center-pivot it also provides excellent ventilation due to the large open area when rotated, and makes cleaning easy with full access to the exterior glass.
- Gabled Dormer: A triangular-shaped projection from the roofline, the gabled dormer brings natural light and ventilation into an attic or upper floor. It also makes the space more liveable with additional headroom, and can break up the expanse of a roof creating a more pleasing facade.
Learning about the reason, history, and/or function behind architectural elements is always fun. I ate it up as a child, grad student, designer employee, and even now. I could never know enough and hope it continues to thrill me.
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The Right and Wrong Way to Hang Cafe Curtains
Café curtains are one of my favorite window treatments. Equal parts practical and charming, they provide privacy without cutting light, and can look sweet or elegant depending on the fabric, length, hardware, etc. They are almost a no-brainer, but not quite. How you hang them makes a difference. There is a right way and a wrong way, so take notes!
The Wrong Placement
A lovely bath, no doubt, and installing cafe curtains was the right choice. The clients have privacy, plenty of light, and can push the curtains aside if they want to enjoy the landscape outside. What would have made this a home run, is if the curtains were hung in alignment with the metal grid – either with the muntin above or the rail below. Currently, the hardware and the window framework are in competition, creating a busier than necessary viewpoint. Sidenote, black or oil-rubbed bronze should have been the obvious hardware choice here instead of brass.
The Right Placement
The windows above and below all have cafe curtains installed with the architecture of the window in mind. It’s a detail that conveys the thoughtfulness behind each space’s design.
A pistachio living room by Nicky Kehoe.
Caveats
1 | Two Approaches
There are two schools of thought when it comes to exact placement of a curtain rod. One, align the rod itself with a muntin/rail. Two, install the rod high enough, so the top of the curtain header aligns with the horizontal element. My opinion is that it should be determined on a case-by-case basis. When the hardware is darker, I think it’s better if the rod aligns, and therefore, disappears. If the hardware is lighter and the fabric is more pronounced, then I align the curtain header with the rail or muntin.
2 | Single-Pane Windows Sans Rail
And what if you have a plain, plate glass window without muntins or a rail? At Huntley & Co., we won’t install cafe curtains in these situations; I think it looks awkward and too forced. Instead, I opt for short drapes that are hung at the inside top of the window as shown in the Huntley & Co. bedroom elevation at right below.
3 | Ready-Made Problems
If you purchase pre-fabricated curtains, you need to be mindful of their measurements. The window dictates the length of the curtain, not the other way around. If you can’t request a specific dimension, order them slightly longer and hem them. Otherwise, your window will scream, “I bought this on Amazon” like (case in point) the kitchen below.
FYI, not only the wrong length, but the wrong fabric, wrong hardware, and wrong placement.
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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:
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.
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New and Improved : Hillcrest v.2
My series on the Hillcrest renovation (aka chez Huntley) continues. Today I am focusing on the living room. It’s the largest room in the house and where I spend most of my time. Be aware, the before photos were taken in the summer whereas the after photos were all shot in winter months. You will see how significantly the temperature of the light changes in Minnesota.
The Living Room
Before
It was the living room’s elegant proportions, wood burning fireplace, and robust cove crown that attracted me when I first saw the house. The room beyond was a small den/study.
After
I retained the cove and the windows, but as you can see, the mantle received a major makeover inluding a plaster overmantle for height. I also scraped the thick, dimensional texture off the walls, refinished the floors, introduced lighting, and added a gracious arched* entry that now aligns with the fireplace.
* See my previous post for the arch origin story.
It’s not obvious because of the coromandel screen behind my sofa, but I closed off the opening at this end of the room (the entry to the den). I didn’t need another sitting room nor did I want my office within view. Closing off that opening provided a proper area for my seating arrangement as well as a place to install my gorgeous screen. Most importantly, repurposing the den gave me the space for a mudroom, powder room, closet, laundry, and china cabinet. Arguably, the best architectural decision of the entire renovation … to be covered in vol 3.
Before
Two additional views of the living room; one facing north (top) and the other facing south (bottom). Note the difference in the opening to the hall, and the deteriorating wallpaper and valances.
The door you see in the entry hall opens to a vestibule. This was another “utility” space that received major changes in order to better serve the house’s function and aesthetics. More on that later.
After
The south side of the room has bookcases on one side (L) and a curved sofa on the other (R). This is my dog Ursi’s favorite spot because she can watch the foot traffic (and bunnies, squirrels, etc.) out the front window.
Above is a view of the south end of the room at night. #goodvibes
See you next week when I share the transformation of what was the den and is now my “back-of-house” miracle room.
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New and Improved : Hillcrest v.1
The new year inspires all of us to make changes in our a) relationships, b) career, c) diet, d) all of the above in service of a better life. As an interior designer, “new and improved” is my modus operandi. My own home has had me knee-deep in renovation since purchasing it in 2022. To describe it as a fixer-upper is an understatement. It was in a tragic state of disrepair when I took ownership with the last “improvements” having been made circa 1975. Not attractive and just the way I like it. The uglier the better. Give me good bones and a hideous interior because I will shine that baby right up and turn it into the beauty it was meant to be.
The Kitchen
Before
An awkward configuration of cabinets (desk next to oven?), laminate counters and linoleum floors are just some of the kitchen’s highlights. The unnecessary bulkhead, small window and contrasting upper/lower wallpaper application make the room appear shorter than it is.
After
The larger scaled, Tecate tiles expand the space and speak to the Spanish Colonial architecture. The raised-panel cabinetry flanking the stove is symmetrical and starts at the ceiling. It’s painted in a cream color that coordinates with the subway tiles, plaster hood, and adjacent trim for a quiet, consistent envelope. I installed a tall casement window with flanking sidelights where the short window used to be to let in more light and heighten the room’s proportions.
Before
Apparently symmetry and alignment were not priorities for the previous owners. Note, the sink and window placement! Clearly the haphazard layout needed to be reinvented for the 21st century. To do this required one important subtraction (hint: look at the lower left cabinet) among numerous others as well as one subtle, but important addition.
After
The first step in reorganization was the removal of the radiator that took up the entire lower cabinet to the left of the sink. Eliminating it gave me the flexibility to move the refrigerator. In lieu of the radiator, I added in-floor heating to this space and other “back of house” rooms. Other features subtracted for good measure included the ceiling fan, jimmy-rigged side-by-side windows, stovetop, and double-swing door to the dining room.
The quietly significant addition is the full height cabinet at the right that conceals the microwave, my small appliances, as well as the trash/recycling below. I loathe clutter, so tucking away miscellany keeps me sane. I added a charming new arched window [directly] above the sink. There are several new arched elements introduced throughout the interior born from an overhang at the front of the house with a recurring-arch detail.
Hillcrest residence exterior
Stay tuned. Next week I will feature another room in the Hillcrest renovation.
Wishing you good fortune for any personal or professional “renovation” plans you have for 2025!
THE MUSINGS OF DESIGNER TRICIA HUNTLEY
