DC Designer Series: Tricia Huntley

Sumptuous. Luxe. Inviting and comfortable. These are words that come to mind when I think of the work of Tricia Huntley of Huntley and Company. The pairing of this modern white metal lamp with the traditional styling of the bureau, mirror and painted screen is fabulous... I think I should add the word flair to my list of descriptors. (all photography by Kevin Allen, except where noted) Warm neutrals and plush fabrics create a cozy and stylish room.
In this room there's a great balance of clean lined pieces with a touch of classical elements like the urn, bust and greek key border. Back in 2008 I posted about another bust, draped in a Bobbie Medlin turquoise necklace, that Tricia included in a powder room she designed for the 2007 Washington Design Center showhouse.
A calm, relaxed sunroom that lets the backyard vista take center stage. (photo by Tricia Huntley)
This kitchen is absolutely incredible! Love the sleek and sophisticated look and feel.

I think that Tricia has a special talent for designing unique bathrooms. The wall faucet and sleek modern sink and vanity contrast beautifully with the dark, rich walls. The more traditional styling of the sconce is a great counterpoint; keeping everything interesting and special.
The mirror-on-mirror creats an expansive feeling in this bath. Love this elegant bridge faucet and the choice of just one sconce. What else can you say - this glass counter & sink is cool! (photo by Tricia Huntley)
A beautiful powder room. Isnt' that traditonally styled bridge faucet a standout?

For me, both these bedrooms are creating a bit of bedroom envy. The first pic is all about luxury. In the bedroom below, the primarily white painting against the black walls ties in with the white lamps, headboard and bedding, creating a very tailored look that I admire.
Gorgeous styling on this table set with a colorful suzani.


To see more of Tricia's designs, go here. Tricia also has a beautiful blog, aptly named Luxe & Lucid.

Pin-striped Seersucker, Bamboo & Tromp l'oeil at the GreenHouse

My personal tour, courtesy of Annette Hannon, continues with Charlotte Palmer Lekakos's charming and cozy bedroom retreat. Featuring two twin beds under half-canopies of pin-striped seersucker, this bedroom is classic and beautiful. Charlotte is a native of South Carolina and studied in Charleston and I think her room exudes that you know it when you see it Southern charm.

Tortoiseshell split-bamboo was applied as architectural picture molding; the interior space painted blue to contrast with the butter yellow walls. This beautiful camellia bouquet is from Diane James - I didn't realize they were't live flowers until I read about it later. Eco-green in their own way as they're everlasting. A second multi-colored bouquet is placed on another bureau. (not pictured in this post.) Diane James has a lovely blog - you can check it out here.
Love this style of bedspread with the long, gathered skirt. Why don't we see more of these? Smooth one of these over your bed and it instantly looks put together. Love these pillows and the patterned headboard of hand-printed fabric made without chemical dyes.
I'm still enamored with the molding! Love that Charlotte chose to back the curtains in a checked fabric for contrast. Notice the found deer antler - they're serving a utilitarian purpose. I think this one small gesture will be copied again and again in the coming months.
My photo doesn't do this closet door - um, I mean bookcase, justice! It really was a WOW moment when I first saw it. The "shelves" are stocked with recycled books that were brought to a printers to be cut down.
The peaked ceilings were wallpapered with Farrow & Ball's Polka Square. Lacey edged plates add interest above the doorway.

Instead of purchasing a new ceiling fan, a century old fan was restored. Built in the last century, it continues on in this new carbon neutral, green house. I should also mention - it is practically silent! I'm not sure of the company Charlotte used but here is a link to a firm that offers restoration services and also sells restored fans.

There is still more to see in this lovely room. The showhouse remains open through October 30th. Click here for information and to buy tickets.

One of the four charities that will benefit from the showhouse is the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The Intrepid Fall Heroes Fund was established in 2000 to provide financial support for the dependents of United States military personnel lost in performance of their duty. In 2005, the Fund decided to start helping another area of the military community: our wounded soldiers. The award that has been granted to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund will be used for the construction of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence Traumatic Brain Injury Research and Treatment Center on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Center will offer the most state of the art services, as well as conduct research and provide training and education to patients.

Eco-Green is Gorgeous: A Personal Tour of the CharityWorks GreenHouse

The CharityWorks Greenhouse proves that Green is the new Gorgeous, in so many ways. I'm sure the following statement will seem archaic in 10 years, but unless someone told you this was eco-conscious green design you wouldn't know. I would like to thank Annette Hannon of Annette Hannon Interior Design for giving me a personal 2 hour tour and for spending as much time providing insights into all the rooms as much as her own. Annette's beautiful petite suite is only 115 square feet and it envelopes you in a sense of calm refinement. A central feature is the custom built-in bed and bookcases that completely conceal the fact that the window placement is off-center. A pitched ceiling was changed to 10 feet to also deemphasize the small footprint. The mattress, from a Virginia based firm, is organic, eco-smart and vegan friendly. I think this type of mattress would be especially interesting to parents seeking a healthy sleeping environment for their children.
Annette is well know for her attention to details. Notice the micro-pleats along the top of the valance, they mirror those on the bolsters (first pic). The curtains are made from sustainable linen from Pollack Associates that exceed LEED requirements and the pillows were fabricated by Bella Studios.
Another element of green design is the use of furniture that already exists - in this case a Swedish antique chair and desk. The walls are painted with Farrow & Ball paint, which exceeds all European environmental standards, and then finished over with a naturally eco-friendly Milk Paint from PA to create a crackle finish.
At first glance, the walls appear to be wallpapered but they are coverd in an Elizabeth Eakins fabric that is woven in CT and utilizes natural vegetable dyes. A rose pink gimp ribbon trims out the walls - one more detail that makes a lovely impact.
Doesn't this vignette make you want to settle in and write some letters? - check out this vintage stationary!. The bracelet is vintage too, found at the Big DC Flea.
Annette also designed this very pretty bathroom with the found sea shell mirror. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball Pink Ground and the photos to the left are by photographer, Angie Seckinger.
Annette had the patterned roman shade interlined in pink fabric which creates a lovely effect with the sunlight.
The shower is tiled with recyled glass and the shower curtains with valance are custom embroidered in her own design. The towels are bamboo and vintage linen.

The stone floors were sealed in a water based finish as opposed to a higher VOC product.

I will be featuring more elements of the Charity Works GreenHouse in future posts. Hopefully just enough to convince you not to miss out on this must-see showhouse! Located in McLean, VA, it is open now until October 30th - click here to buy tickets and for additional info.

More good news - the money raised from this Showhouse will benefit the Friendship Public Charter School, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, and the McLean Project for the Arts. Go here to read more about these worthy charities - (I will be posting more about each charity in subsequents post on the showhouse)