I know that some IN Kansas City readers may be my children’s ages, but if you were a design-curious adult in the 80s it was impossible to miss the influence of Holly Hunt. Her showroom in Chicago was one of the first to curate the spaces as galleries with room-like settings, rather than by product type—lights here, chairs there, sofas there.
Hunt launched a signature design line that encompassed every element of the room—furniture, lighting, and textiles. I was in her Chicago showroom several times—I can still see it in my mind’s eye—and it was nothing short of perfection.
Hunt, originally from Waco, Texas, is a design entrepreneur who sold her business to Knoll for $95 million. Her new venture is House of Hunt, which produces bespoke interior, architecture, and product design.
Hunt has published a new book, Holly Hunt: Fearless in the World of Design, which showcases her nearly 40 years of collections and partnerships—including Christian Liaigre, whom she introduced to an American audience—and her personal residences in Chicago and Aspen. I’m most looking forward to the images of her own homes in Chicago and Aspen, and her renovation of The Little Nell boutique hotel in Aspen. Her book will be good company as we wait out the steamy and humid Kansas City summer inside with a cold drink.