The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Love of art brought designing duo together
Huff Harrington Home recently moved to a new airy and white space on Roswell Road. The Buckhead store offers a mix of modern and antique furnishings, unusual decorative object and lighting, plus a wide selection gifts.
Founders & owners :Ann Huff and Meg Harrington were raised in Europe: Huff in Geneva and Harrington in lots of different countries. Huff earned a degree in art history from Swarthmore College and worked in marketing and advertising for years in New York and Boston before relocating to Atlanta. Harrington received a degree in French from Stetson University (Fla.) and also worked in New York in public relations before moving to Atlanta. They connected when they discovered they were both selling art (separately) out of their homes in Atlanta and had so much in common — from their careers to similar upbringings in Europe.
The company & background: With their interest in art, the duo opened Huff Harrington Fine Art in 2006. Five years later, they opened a retail store (Huff Harrington Home), adjacent to the St. Regis hotel in Buckhead, to complement the gallery. Last fall, the store moved to its new spot in the Buckhead Court shopping center.
What makes our shop different: We shop at antique fairs in France and Belgium, looking for unusual, one-ofa-kind pieces that have a history, patina and story. We mix old and new, sleek and crusty, shiny and worn.
The main goods: We mix national and local furniture and accessory lines (such as Worlds Away, Global Views, Arteriors and Square Feathers) with our antiques. We offer some French brands (like Loxwood bags); a leather accessory line from Modern History; and clothing, fur and outwear from Symphony and Linda Richards. Jewelry lines include Cindy Ensor Designs, KZ Noel, Sam DuPont and Robin Haley.
Services: Whether it’s refluffing a room or two — or a whole house, we have dedicated designers on staff who can help. We’re big believers in trying pieces out first, so we offer approvals for our clients. We also offer along complimentary gift wrap and free shipping on our website for most items.
Popular gift items: Original jewelry ($30 to $3,000); little gold-decorated champagne flutes ($15); chic scarves and throws ($50 to $325); Aquiesse candles ($42); Arte Italica ceramics for the table (from $20); and one of our customized trips to France to scout your own antiques or explore Paris and Provence (from $3,950).
People would be surprised to learn: Our new baby department includes clothing, furniture, books and plush toys.
Favorites
Blogs & websites: Cote de Texas; Greige Design; La Dolce Vita; Lisa Mende; The Enchanted Home; Quintessence; A Femme d’Un Certain Age; From the Right Bank; Design Indulgence; The Pink Pagoda; and This is Glamorous.
Instagram: Steve McKenzie; Nandina Home; Atlanta Homes Magazine; Victoria Hagan Interiors; Ivy and Vine; Suzanne Kasler; and India Hicks.
Magazines: Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles; Elle Décor; Veranda; Traditional Home; Côte Sud.
Movie or TV interiors: Anything by director Nancy Meyers (from “The Parent Trap” to “The Intern,” with a special shout out to “Something’s Gotta Give”); on TV, “Billions,” and new favorite, “The Crown.”
Atlanta home/design stores (other than our own): Steve McKenzie; Redefined Home Boutique; Erica Reade; BD Jeffries; Mrs. Howard; Bungalow Classic and Boxwoods.
Design obsession : The mix! Like the French, we love the mix of modern and antiques with original art.
New (or re-emerging) looks we like: We have open minds — as long as it feels collected and reflects a personality and passion, like a gorgeously curated gallery wall.
… and looks we are glad to see go: Too much of anything, like too much modern or too much mid-century. Even too many antiques or too much greige.
Most unusual request: Redecorate a four-story townhome in London in three days and four nights. We never slept, but it got done.
Biggest design mistake we’ve made: Not measuring properly. In the early days, we did this with a sofa purchase. It didn’t fit through the front door and up the stairs. Another time we mismeasured a window so the custom curtains were too short. Lesson learned: measure, measure, measure.
… and mistake homeowners make: Buying something for the wrong reasons: because it was a bargain, a trend or simply because it fit the space. We tell people to invest in what they love. It will work, whether it’s art or a sofa or an antique commode.
New or ongoing projects: A glamorous condo project in Buckhead, where we’ve been working room by room. Also re-doing the living and dining rooms of a home near Chastain Park.
Find Huff Harrington Home:
- Facebook: HuffHarringtonHome
- Instagram@: huffharrington
- Website: www.huffharrington.com