Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Hall.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Annie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My father, an architect used to take my family on architectural tours around the Twin Cities where I grew up. He shared his favorite buildings and explained the elements of the design that made them compelling. He also pointed out architectural blunders and why they didn’t work. And so at an early age I became highly sensitized to the impact of good design.
The house I grew up in, designed by my father also influenced my aesthetic and sense of space. Built of concrete block, glass and wood and set into a hillside with a Southern exposure, it had many compelling features. There was no basement. The bottom level contained the public space: the kitchen opened to both the family room and the dining room. The dining room then flowed into the living room. The entire floor filled with light from walls of glass angling up to 2 ½ stories high. It offered constant enjoyment of the grassy yard that sloped to the surrounding woods, in addition to great bird watching.
At fifteen years old, when I first inherited a bedroom of my own, I immediately began transforming it. I found two large amorphous-shaped tree trunks and brought them in to my room as tables. One I placed near my bed, the other was for the sitting area under the window to hold the yellow rotary telephone. I painted one wall dark green and left the other walls white. I bought an Indian print for a bed cover and pulling from its colors, I chose fabrics in red, yellow and blue for toss pillows for a sofa-like feel during the day. I found an antique floor lamp, a director’s chair, and asked my father to cut down the high wooden shelf unit so it had more of a horizontal rather than vertical presence. The effect was so lovely, my father used to bring his friends into my bedroom to show them how I decorated it.
In retrospect, I was displaying an impulse and talent that took many years to fully realize. There it was: nature brought inside, traditional and modern furnishings creating an eclectic aesthetic that worked, ethnic accessories, accent wall. I had not studied design nor even seen Interior Design magazines. That came from my gut.
As an adult, it took me a while to come to design. I received a BA in History, an MA in Education, taught high school history, and worked as an education consultant for start-up Charter Schools for 16 years, before I made a switch to study and practice Interior Design.
I finally began paying attention to my dreams in which I’d take my father, who died at the early age of 50, on architectural tours of homes I’d discovered and wanted to share with him. After years of these vivid dreams, it finally dawned on me that I was designing these homes with the interesting roof angles and captivating interior spaces.
At the age of 42, I enrolled in the Decorative Arts Program at the Boston Architectural Center, and had the opportunity to decorate a 7000 square foot home. Five years later I took a job at Crate and Barrel as a salesperson to hone my skills and gather a clientele.
In 2007, I left Crate and Barrel and opened my little store on Concord Ave in Cambridge. That store, in the wonderful community of Huron Village, launched me. I’ve been busy as a full-time designer since I opened my door ten years ago.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In the beginning of my full-time career as a designer, I took on any client that came to me interested in my services. I was so eager to please, that I didn’t vet the client and their proposed scope of work. I have learned through the years, that as much as a client interviews me, I must be certain that the potential client’s wishes and requirements are something that I can and am willing to meet. At this point, I don’t take on every potential project.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Annie Hall Interiors – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Annie Hall Interiors, (AHI) offers full service Interior Design, from initial design concepts to furnishings and Art consultation.
We specialize in gut remodels that include reconfiguring the interior space, moving walls, new kitchens and baths, custom closets and built-ins, lighting, and new finishes throughout.
What draws clients to us is the clean, modern lines that can be found in our work -softened with a mix of finishes and furnishings that make each room harmonious and comfortable. Many clients have chosen us due to the eclectic, but skillful mix of furnishings and styles seen in the variety of projects on our website.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I have designed many of the furnishings in my projects over the years, and I plan to launch my own furniture line.
Also, I’ve worked primarily in the residential design sector, and am dying to design a restaurant. I’m hoping that a project comes along soon.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anniehallinteriors.com
- Phone: 617.413.5620
- Email: annie@anniehallinteriors.com
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/ashannie/__public
Image Credit:
Michael Lee, Greg Premru
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