Timeless Interiors
An Interview with Design Team Leslie Dunn and Ann Tighe from Dunn & Tighe Interiors
Photography by ChiChi Ubiña

Where did you grow up?
LD: I was born and raised in La Jolla, California.
AT: Walterboro, South Carolina

What influences did you have growing up that made you become a designer?
LD: My mother was an incredible designer whose talent and creativity helped nurture my own passion for design.
AT: My mother was an art teacher. She taught students from age six to eighteen in her own studio which gave me the opportunity to experiment in many different mediums. Working with so many different materials gave me good sense of color, texture and how they play off one another.

Tell us a bit about your business:
LD: Dunn & Tighe Interiors has been in business for 12 years. We are a team effort that respects and appreciates each other’s individual insights and vision to create an inspired interior.

What would you consider your design style?
LD: My style is fairly simple yet sophisticated, clean and elegant. Colors, shapes and textures as well as personal objects all make my look warm and inviting.
AT: Clean, classic, timeless interiors that also incorporate some unexpected elements.

How long have you been designing? Where did you study?
AT:We started our firm in 1997.  I worked for Billy Francis Design in New York and prior to that worked for 5 years for H.M. Luther Antiques also in NYC.
LD: I have been in the interior design business for over 18 years. I never actually intended to become a decorator and graduated from U.C.S.D. with a major in sociology thinking my future was in individual and family therapy. Somewhere along the way the lever on the track was pulled and I have joyfully enjoyed a successful career in interior design.

How do you define “home”?
AT: Home is the place where you can feel completely comfortable and also the place that is a reflection of  the owner's taste and experiences.
LD: Home is an expression of one’s self and personal style. It is a place where you can passionately express who you are.

What are some questions you ask your cliens?
LD: When starting a project it is always important to know how a client wants to live in their space. Do they have any collections, objects or art work they want to display? What kind of life style do they live? Are they readers? Do they have children or pets? What things do they love? Are they relaxed or formal? What colors inspire them?
AT: What colors make you feel the best? Do you want a combination of formal and informal living spaces?  Do children and pets play into the decision making?

What can you tell about a person when you walk in a room?
LD: Everyone’s life is unique. I want a room to express what makes them different. I do not like a room that feels contrived and predictable.
AT: The most obvious thing is whether that person is a collector or not. If they like a lot of clutter of if they prefer things more orderly and clean.

Who are some designers that have influenced your work, and how?
LD: Billy Baldwin and Sister Parish. I have great respect for both of them. Their innate skills, honesty and incredible confidence have given me both the knowledge and courage to trust myself and my own instincts and imagination.
AT: Mark Hampton, Victoria Hagan and Thomas Pheasant. They all created rooms with a timeless appeal and with wonderful details and accessories.

What are some trends we should look out for in design? Any particular colors?
LD: We get this question a lot. It makes me want to ask, what does a client find they like? Forget trends and ask yourself what do you find visually pleasing? This is your nest and I don’t think a current trend or style should dictate what you should love. It is very personal. I love color and think it a crucial component to any room adding another layer to your work but it must harmonize and balance with the whole room regardless of color trends!
AT: I think more and more designers realize that you can do almost anything as long as the classic base is there. Mixing antique with contemporary pieces, incorporating unusual accessories and lighting, putting a great textured linen on an old bergere instead a silk damask keeps the look fresh instead of predictable.

How does your home design reflect in what you wear?
AT: I dress pretty casually but in pretty classic staples - I'm definitely drawn to cool colors - pale blue, green and cream.

Who is your dream client and why?
LD: One of my favorite clients are those who realize it is a team effort. I love the client who will trust me and are also decisive. As a decorator it is my job to weed through all the wonderful options that are out there and choose what I think are the best options. I like the client who can look at what I present and know what they like or don’t like. It is their home to live in and not mine.
AT: Someone who gives us a lot of input on likes and dislikes and also who is not afraid to put their trust in us to maybe do the unexpected in making design decisions.

Dunn & Tighe Interiors
Tel: (914) 337-4509
www.dunnandtigheinteriors.com