Luxe recognizes the innovators and names to know in design whose portfolios are as unique as the cities they call home.
ECHE MARTINEZ
San Francisco | echemartinez.com
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER STARK PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY WE LOVE HIM: Argentinian-born designer Eche Martinez’s masculine, dramatic interiors showcase a global perspective while nodding to the diverse and rich culture of the Bay Area. He believes in using shape and color to drive design, instead of dipping into what he calls the “pattern pool,” and cites David Hicks, Jean Louis Deniot and Zaha Hadid as major influences.
ON THE HORIZON: Martinez is literally setting sail with a new design–a private unit aboard MS The World, a luxury condominium at sea. The ship travels the globe, changing routes every year, so Martinez’s designs could be in Alaska for the summer and in Sydney for New Year’s Eve.
IN HIS WORDS: “For me, new apps and websites are key to spotting the genesis of trends and color palettes. Using graphic black and white, ‘millennial pink’ and ombre effects as visual backdrops are all things I noticed online years before they started making a splash in our industry.”
ASHLEY WADDELL AND COURTNEY WHATLEY
Vero Beach, FL | oliviaobryan.com
PHOTO BY JESSICA GLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY WE LOVE THEM: Sister-act Ashley “Olivia” Waddell and Courtney “O’Bryan” Whatley teamed up to form the design firm Olivia O’Bryan in 2005 and have since perfected their signature coastal-cool look. Their homes are full of visual surprises–with neutral palettes that pop when punctuated by vibrant soft goods.
ON THE HORIZON: The duo is excited to be working with architects Moor, Baker & Associates on a creative, understated interior in the exclusive luxury enclave of Windsor, Florida. Plus, they’ve got a residential project in the works on nearby Jupiter Island, which will showcase a more tropical vibe.
IN THEIR WORDS: “We love our projects to feel lived-in and collected so that the clients can experience an immediate connection to the home.”
CHARLOTTE LUCAS
Charlotte, NC | charlottelucasdesign.com
PHOTO BY CHRIS EDWARDS
WHY WE LOVE HER: A devoted fan of graphic wall treatments, Charlotte Lucas is a master of feminine-glam style that runs the gamut from traditional to mod. No wonder she cites such “fearless” female designers as Sister Parish, Madeleine Castaing and Dorothy Draper as muses.
ON THE HORIZON: Lucas is looking forward to introducing new fabric and wallpaper lines through House of Harris, the recently launched coverings company she cofounded with her sister, Liz Harris Carroll. Offerings will be available through Travis and Company in Atlanta and Supply in Austin. And more is to come–this year Lucas will be consumed with exciting coastal projects in South Carolina.
IN HER WORDS: “If I could wallpaper every room in a client’s house I would! I never tire of pattern. The more the merrier for me.
MEGAN MOORE
Denver | dado.design
PHOTO BY JC BUCK PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY WE LOVE HER: Employing monotone palettes and a Zen-like restraint, designer Megan Moore takes a refreshingly minimalist approach to interiors. Her thoughtful spaces favor clean lines, calming neutrals and natural, tactile materials.
ON THE HORIZON: Moore is looking beyond the Denver residential scene this year with interior projects in Manhattan and Seattle in the works, giving her a new bicoastal perspective that informs her evolving aesthetic.
IN HER WORDS: “Style as it relates to any specific design period doesn’t really interest me. Instead, the things people want to surround themselves with are interesting to me. I think about how people will feel in the space and how our interior environments impact us on a daily basis.
MARGARET NAEVE
Houston | mnaeve.com
PHOTO BY MAX BURKHALTER
WHY WE LOVE HER: Mixing muted palettes with unexpected large-scale contemporary art, Margaret Naeve strikes a sophisticated balance between soft and edgy. Inspired by her travels, Naeve is currently obsessing over early-20th-century French and Scandinavian furniture and believes in a curated, collected home.
ON THE HORIZON: The designer continues to introduce cutting-edge brands, such as Apparatus, Martyn Thompson Studio and Egg Collective, to her shop M Naeve, and subsequently to the Texas design market. Up next, she has a new project in the works on Houston’s much-sought-after North Boulevard.
IN HER WORDS: “I look at selecting items for clients as a global shopping experience. I’m not a go-by-the-rules type of designer; I’m more intrigued by creating a ‘feeling.’”
UMA STEWART
South Orange, NJ | umastewart.com
PHOTO BY LAURA MOSS
WHY WE LOVE HER: Utilizing natural light, layered neutrals and rich jewel tones, Uma Stewart designs boho-luxe interiors for the worldly, modern family that are meant to be lived-in.
ON THE HORIZON: This year, Stewart will introduce a new collection to her eponymous textile line that is rooted in vintage Indian pieces sourced from her travels. She’ll take this blending of cultures one step further, too, bringing French and Indian style to two grand Victorian homes in progress.
IN HER WORDS: “My design perspective is based in a well-read, well-traveled point of view, punctuated with counterintuitive touches such as original art or vintage pieces.”
MEGAN PAPWORTH AND DAWN TERRY
Scottsdale, AZ, and Temecula, CA | einteriors.design
WHY WE LOVE THEM: Daughter Megan Papworth calls Southern California home, sourcing unique items from local makers, while mother Dawn Terry holds down their Arizona roots. ON THE HORIZON: The mother-daughter team are working on a complete renovation of a 14,000-square-foot, Tuscan-style home in Scottsdale. IN THEIR WORDS: “Thanks to social media and networking, we’ve been able to grow the business. We are constantly inspired by the people around us.” WHY WE LOVE HIM: A visual storyteller, Jason Dallas utilizes the Pacific Northwest’s natural surroundings to inform his environmentally aware interiors. Don’t mistake him for just another flower child of the west, though. Although he was raised by creatives–his father once converted a school bus into a mobile home!–he actually pursued a technical degree in architecture. ON THE HORIZON: This year, Dallas is working on a brick-and-mortar retail component to his brand and is excited to showcase a 19th-century Victorian home and a houseboat renovation, as well as several multifamily commercial projects. IN HIS WORDS: “Each design tells a story, from the colors on the wall to the collectibles on the shelf. Mixing an individual’s existing possessions with new ‘on-trend’ colors and elements can completely update and modernize any space.” WHY WE LOVE THEM: Karen and Guy Vidal’s spaces are as sunny as the Southern California landscape they reflect. The design couple’s imaginative use of colorful tile and pattern mixing has become their signature. ON THE HORIZON: Previously known as Design Vidal, the firm is rebranding as the Vidal Design Collaborative this year to reflect the creative team at the growing studio. IN THEIR WORDS: “Our fearlessness has allowed us to push ourselves beyond our boundaries and be unfettered by rules.” WHY WE LOVE HER: Elizabeth Krueger is a decorating daredevil who has been known to wallpaper a ceiling with dramatic patterns. It’s those innovative moves with prints, color and texture that de ne her spaces and create environments that re ect both her aesthetic and the client. ON THE HORIZON: Krueger is a longtime fan of Michael Abraham Architecture and recently signed on to design a dream project with the rm: residential, new construction in the historic suburb of Riverside, a tony area in Chicago. IN HER WORDS: “My best work happens when I’m not forcing myself to be creative. That’s when I feel the ideas come out of the corners of my mind.”
JASON DALLAS
Seattle | jasondallasdesign.com
PHOTO BY PAUL GIBSON
KAREN AND GUY VIDAL
Los Angeles | vidaldesigncollaborative.com
PHOTO BY ORIANA KOREN
ELIZABETH KRUEGER
Chicago | elizabethkruegerdesign.com
PHOTO BY MIKE SCHWARTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
