Luxe & Lucid

Broken

Breakup, Breakdown, Breakthrough, Breakaway. 

Breaking Bread, Breaking News, Breaking Ground, Breaking Bad. 

Tough Break, Flat Broke, Broken Hearted, Goin’ for Broke.

I thought I would have a little fun exploring all the ways we use the word “break” and its derivatives in our daily speak.  This because I took a bit of a spill and broke my arm two weeks ago.  I was mountain biking in Virginia and had a pretty nasty wreck – flying over the handlebars of a bike was never on my bucket list.  However, what I clearly lacked in skills, I made up for in fortitude.  I’m proud to say I finished the ride and made it all the way down the mountain, break and all.  I’ve hung up my helmet for now (and possibly forever) to refocus my attention on safer and surer things.  However, in honor of my epic tumble, I’ve decided to find the beauty in broken.

 

  

Sea Breeze light sculpture, Deborah Thomas 2013   |  still from The Sixth Sense

  

a geode split open reveals the magic inside  |  broken boulders in New Zealand

     

abandoned villa by Eva van Oosten  |  modern faceted mirror  |  glamorous rubble by Esther Watson

  

Pompeiian wall crumbling in 2014  |  a Greek wedding tradition

 

“When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by

filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something’s suffered

damage and has a history, it becomes more beautiful.” Billie Mobayed

 

 

Tricia xo

 

Garnet & Goats

Hmmm, January.  This can be a challenging month.  The holiday sparkle has worn off, a little too much winter lies ahead and we’re all a whiter shade of pale.  I agree it’s tough to feel motivated when it’s cold and dreary outside and happiness is Haagen-Dazs and a Snuggie on Friday night.  However, I’m a January baby and a Capricorn which means I believe from problems come opportunities and there is still reason to celebrate a month as gloomy as this.  January can actually offer inspiration.  Not in an obvious way, but beneath the surface and outside the box.  As with so many things worthwhile, in January you have to dig a little deeper and work a little harder to get to the good stuff.

  

 

 

GARNET

January’s birthstone is like no other. The deep crimson is at once sophisticated and sultry. It has undeniable glamour, yet totally lacks pretention.

   

 Garnet jewelry is always dramatic.

Modern earrings by Caprichosa, antique Victorian brooch, Islamic ring,

  

  

 This look from Gucci is all about the lips. I have been saving this photo since fall with the intentions of replicating it for a glamorous night.

 

 My current garnet pedicure.

 

 

A stunning garnet velvet I used alongside pastel fabrics in a Virginia living room.

 And speaking of fabric …

 

  

 The gorgeous drape of Zac Posen on Naomi Watts at the Golden Globes. She is always red carpet perfection.

 

 

 

JANUS

 January is the month of Janus, the Roman god of gates and doorways.  As a designer and architecture buff, I photograph a lot of gates and doorways … actually more than I realized once I began combing through my files.

 

      

      

     

 - all photos from my life and travels except central image -

row 1:  Munich, Los Angeles, Hempel Hotel

row 2:  Georgetown, Melbourne residence (via est Magazine), Italy

row 3:  Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Dubuque church, Dumbarton Oaks

 

 

 

 

THE GOAT

 Although January 19 ended Capricorn’s (i.e. the goat’s) reign, it’s never too late to have fun with die ziege.

 

 We found these darling little guys in Montreux.

 - photo by M. Hammond -

    

 

     

       If there’s one thing most of us like to do in January, it’s eat.  And Lord knows, I love me my cheese … thank you goats!  Clearly a girl who takes photos of cheese and cheese shops (as seen here) has a thing for chevre.

 

 

     

Goatskin (often referred to as vellum or parchment) is a preferred material of designers and furniture makers both contemporary and past.  I gravitate to it myself and have selected several furniture pieces for projects over the years.  Like wood or marble, its beauty is innate and born from nature; it can’t be faked.

 Furnishings for DC, Switzerland and London Huntley & Co. projects respectively.

 

 

 

WHITES, GREYS & PALES

The colors of winter may seem a bit solemn, but they translate beautifully.

 

  

White, grey and pale works in a stark, ethereal European bedroom or in a bar/restaurant on Mallorca.

 

Moonstone and black onyx rings by Mathilde Danglade.

 

  

The concept of black and white in art stretches beyond the medium of photography.

A painting by Picasso, a photo study of a golf swing and a neon installation by Glenn Ligon.

 

 

 Perhaps the only thing that could entice me to spend an afternoon in subzero temperatures - beautiful, beguiling and utterly happy sled dogs.

 

 

Happy January.  Hopefully your new year is off to a good start!

Tricia xo

 

 

 

[Re]defining Beauty

I made a long overdue trip to the nail salon this weekend for a mani/pedi. And while scanning the assortment of possible nail colors from which to choose, I stumbled upon a stunning shade of peacock blue. It's one of my favorite colors in general - rich, complex, almost regal - so the thought of it on my fingertips was titillating. Sure enough, I love it. Not only do I think the shade of blue is absolutely stunning, but in a strange way, I think it complements my skin tone. It's funny then that some of the conservative loved ones in my life don't share my enthusiasm. Don't they see what I see? What's not to like? Some people think pretty is synonymous with conventional. But I think some of the prettiest things are those that are actually unconventional. I'm not talking about anything bizarre or distasteful. I mean looking beyond labels and stereotypes and thinking about what makes something beautiful ... the confidence with which a man carries himself, the complex ideas behind an abstract painting, the texture of an unusual plant. Of course, what's stunning will always catch our eye, but sometimes beauty and substance wear an unexpected guise.

 

 

 

 

 

My peacock blue manicure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A study for “Woman Pulling Up Her Stocking” and “Salon in the Rue Des Moulins”.

Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec found inspiration in bars and brothels. Unseemly venues perhaps, but the artist found warmth and vivid color in these unlikely spectacles.

Felicity Brown’s 2010 collection was inspired by Toulouse-Lautrec’s work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tilda Swinton is a chameleon on and off-screen. She can look ethereal, severe or aristocratic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people don’t like modern art or furniture. It’s hard to understand with gorgeous, sculptural shapes likes these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who needs gold or diamonds? Dahlia Kloss’ necklace is a showstopper without precious metals or stones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although two of the world’s deadliest snakes, the Rosy Boa and Malayan Coral Snake are also two of the most beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Hawkes, Mick Jagger & Adrian Brody.

The talent and swagger of these men makes their unconventional looks incredibly sexy.

Mother Nature, The Original Muse

I created the inspiration board below for a client this week.  The concept of “bespoke-modern-organic” is specific to this particular project, but it’s also an underlying theme I try to channel in my work.  I often find that design is at its best when it is inspired by something true and natural.  And I don’t mean conservative.  Mother nature is not exactly bourgeoisie; she rocks some pretty crazy stuff.  She informs some of the most interesting, avant garde art and design.  She’s the perfect muse.

 

 

 

    

 

  

 

 

 

   

Samples of stone slabs and my Christmas wrapping from last year.

 

 

 

 

   

The “bloom” of the coolest plant ever, Asclepias (aka Monkey Balls).  A pillow in the new Kelly Wearstler fashion boutique at Bergdorf’s. 

 

 

 

 

   

The underside of a mushroom being prepped for dinner.  Several pleating options from a favorite textile manufacturer in the DC Donghia showroom. 

 

 

 

 

       

The ribcage of a dinosaur skeleton at the Museum of Natural History.  A sculpture at Darrell Dean in Georgetown. 

 

 

 

 

       

 A beautiful shell I found on the beach in Chappaquiddick last summer.  House of Lavande’s Seashell Cuff.

 

 

 

 

       

The incredible artist, Julie Wolfe, took this photo in the Amazon rainforest while traveling via the Art in Embassies program.  My chic, French friend Sophie wears this delicate, yet modern bracelet with flair.

 

 

 

 

   

The simple beauty of a bird's nest finds its way to a handcrafted gold ring.

 

 

 

 

Thanks ma’ for all the goodies!

 

Tricia xo

 

Tune Out and Turn On

 

I’m inspired as of late.  I’m finding crazy/wonderous/beautiful things everywhere I look.  It’s like I’ve snapped out of a foggy stupor.  I haven’t discovered a new vitamin or taken up Buddhism, but I have made a committed effort to unplug from the oversaturated and under-inspired world of regurgitated design.  It’s become pretty obvious lately that most of what’s online, in magazines and in the stores is the same recycled concept over and over again – i.e., a random mix of genres with the ubiquitous pop of color, pseudo-ethnic pillows and obligatory mid-century focal piece.  Bleh, enough!  In this day and age it seems that the internet has become our main source of inspiration - I think that may actually be one of the seven signs of the apocalypse – and everyone is plugged into the same circuit.  So as one who is not only guilty of this crime, but who champions the cause (yes, I realize as a blogger I am the pot calling the kettle black), I say turn off your smartphone, log off Facebook, ignore this week’s blog feed and look around you.  There is beauty in the world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   

   

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tricia xo

 

 

 

Chez Huntley - update 07/15

  

After a painful start to 2011 and an arduous renovation on the Huntley & Co. office, I

am happy to say that work has finally begun on my own home.  Phase 1 is underway!

The millwork, the hardware, the furnishings and the fabrics have all been selected.  The

subcontractors are on site and all is chugging along.  It’s a little bit surreal, in fact.  I’ve

 overseen dozens of renovation projects, but it feels a lot different in my own space.  I’m

fortunate that I can document all the progress on Luxe & Lucid for posterity.  Cheers

to progress.  Cheers to design.  And cheers to the new and improved chez Huntley!

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

- The Facade -

  

 

 

A little more groomed, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

- The Public Rooms Scheme -

 

  

 

The fabrics and finishes for the first floor rooms have a natural yet glamorous

vibe that suit the architecture of the house as well as my own aesthetic. 

I’m sure there will be a little tweaking, but I definitely have a scheme in place.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

- Paint Colors -

 

 

 

Neutrals have countless nuances, so you have to pick the value and hue that

complement your lighting, furnishings and softgoods.  So far I’ve settled on

Benjamin Moore’s Vanilla Milkshake and Sherwin William’s Windfresh White.

 

 

 

  

- Work in Progress -

 

Living Room

 

 

  

 

Living Room

 

 

 

 

Dining Room

  

 

 

 

Dining Room

 

 

 

 

 

Living Room / Dining Room / Sunroom

 

 

  

 

Stair to Master Suite

 

   

 

 

 

 

More to come – stay tuned!

 

Tricia xo

 

Branded

 

There is one question I receive more than any other from prospective clients, writers, editors, vendors and

the public-at-large.  “What’s Your Style?”  Simple enough I suppose.  After all, most designers and novice

decorators have a catch phrase … “edited elegance”, “shabby chic”, “retro glam”, etcetera.  The funny thing

is that despite having worked as an interior designer for fifteen years and having my own firm for five, I’ve never

been able to provide a nice neat answer to that all-important question.  I guess I found it difficult to sum up all

of my professional passions and aspirations into a few choice words.  And perhaps subconsciously I realized

that I needed to soak up as much as I could from the talented pool of designers, architects and artisans around

me before attaching myself to a specific slogan.  Or maybe I’m just a knucklehead.  Whatever the reason, in this

era of branding, I think it’s time to find a trademark for TRICIA HUNTLEY INC. and certainly for HUNTLEY & CO.

I believe I have a contender, so I’m hoping the Luxe & Lucid audience will help me with my decision.  Based on

the cues below, let me know if I’m on target.  I welcome comments and suggestions from my clever readers.

 

 

 

 

 

- Influential Designers -

 

 

  

 

Sills Huniford (now parted), Jeffrey Bilhuber & Solis Betancourt (top to bottom),

Three stellar firms that deliver genius with every project.  Of course, I may be a little partial to SB

since it is headed by my former bosses who happen to be the nicest, most gracious men on earth.

 

 

 

 

- The Glamour Found in Nature -

 

       

     

I love me a manicured hedge and a nice hunk of rock.

Jacques Garcia temple photo c/o World of Interiors

 

 

 

 

- Gorgeous, Dramatic Art -

 

 

 

 

   

 

  

 

 John Singer Sargent, Elliott Puckette, Francisco Goya & Giacometti (top to bottom).

 

 

 

 

- Sexy, Laid-Back, All-American Fashion -

 

 

Tory Burch, Gwyneth Paltrow and one of my favorite looks -  skinny jeans, flats and a [faux] fur coat. 

 

  

 

 

 

- My Collected Thoughts-

 

 

 

 

 

This scrapbook is a collection of images I have pulled because they are beautiful

and inspiring, regardless of context.  I started this “stream of consciousness” project

to help me with the idea of branding and to jump start the design for my own house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

- My Own Work -

 

 

 

Whether I’m working on a modern apartment or sprawling traditional home, there are always

three elements key to my interiors; they need to be beautiful, original and unpretentious.  Not 

only do I want them to reflect the spirit and lifestyle of my clients, but I want them to be livable.

 

  

  

  

  

 

  

  So taking all of the above into consideration, I think the best way to describe my style is …

 

 

 

 

“NATURAL GLAMOUR”

 

 

 

 

  Wacha’ think?  Tricia xo

 

 

 

* Refer to blog posts Designer DNA and Wuzzup?

as well as the Huntley & Co. website for more info.