Local Color

In the corridor, this particular shade of aqua “turned out to be much more neutral than we expected,” says Huff. Also neutral is the office“s carpet, which helps to unify the contrasting spaces.

Although Huff considers his favorite shade of bright green to be “soothing,” he admits that the color “needs to be broken up.” He did so by adding white trim to his office walls, which gives the effect of a paneled room.

Although Huff considers his favorite shade of bright green to be “soothing,” he admits that the color “needs to be broken up.” He did so by adding white trim to his office walls, which gives the effect of a paneled room.

Dewberry“s office, the same one she had when working for Carithers, is a snappy mix of color and pattern, including lavender walls, a red-lacquered Parsons desk, Chinoiserie-patterned curtains and a leopard-print chair.

Designers Will Huff and Heather Dewberry specified comfortable upholstered furniture, as well as striking art and accessories, to create a reception area as stylish as any residential living room. The sofa was purchased years ago for the designers“ very first designer showhouse room. Dewberry credits much of the success of her 11-year design partnership with Huff to the fact that “we started together so young and we“ve grown up together.” The two are so in-step with each other that they often return from separate shopping trips with the same fabrics.

Here, the designers mixed old and new pieces, including a bamboo runner, ikat salad plates, traditional gold-banded dinnerware and vintage Asian animals.

So that clients can look at color chips and fabric samples without distraction, the designers chose a neutral beige wallpaper for the conference room. Between the windows is a bench that once stood in the foyer of the home of their mentor, Dan Carithers. The conference table doubles as a dining table.

Huff notes that “brown woods have so much life” when placed against the hallway“s light aqua walls, while Dewberry appreciates the hue“s ability to bring colorful accents like their collection of yellow porcelain into sharp focus. A Chinoiserie cabinet, purchased from a local antiques store, houses trim samples.

Huff notes that “brown woods have so much life” when placed against the hallway“s light aqua walls, while Dewberry appreciates the hue“s ability to bring colorful accents like their collection of yellow porcelain into sharp focus. A Chinoiserie cabinet, purchased from a local antiques store, houses trim samples.

History has a funny way of repeating itself—oftentimes when we least expect it. That was the case four years ago when designers Will Huff and Heather Dewberry, of Huff-Dewberry, Inc., were searching for studio space. When they learned of a vacancy in a charming Peachtree Road enclave, they leaped at the chance to rent it. But it wasn’t solely the space’s high ceilings and abundant natural light that enticed them to sign on the dotted line. The office had once housed the studio of Dan Carithers, the revered designer for whom both Huff and Dewberry had previously worked. For Dewberry, moving into their old office “felt like coming home.”

Decorating their studio became an experiment in color as well as “an opportunity to show clients something bolder,” says Huff. Inspired by Albert Hadley’s use of aqua in his Manhattan apartment, the designers selected Benjamin Moore’s Antiguan Sky for the reception area and hallway, a color that Huff believes “acts as a backdrop like the sky.” For their respective offices, Dewberry chose lavender—a color with which she had never before worked—while Huff went with one of his favorite grassy shades of green. They did not, however, abandon neutrals. Beige wallpaper was selected for the conference room, proof that the creative duo is comfortable working in a range of colors and styles.

Comfort is also important to these designers, which is why the office feels more like a chic Upper East Side apartment rather than a typical workaday space. Antiques and vintage furniture, contemporary art and thoughtfully chosen accessories are mixed in with the designers’ favorite upholstered pieces, while drawings, fabric samples and trims are cleverly stored out of sight in cabinets, drawers and baskets. But it’s not all work and no play at Huff-Dewberry. Inveterate entertainers, the designers are known for hosting lively parties in their office, including seated dinners, cocktail parties and the occasional baby shower.

With their flourishing design business, Huff and Dewberry have come a long way since their early days in this space. Who says you can’t go home again?

INTERIOR DESIGN Will Huff and Heather Dewberry, Huff-Dewberry, Inc. 2300 Peachtree Rd. NW, Suite B-201, Atlanta 30309. (404) 355-7600; huffdewberry.com