Studio Visit: California Style in an East Coast Enclave

By most measures, Hollie Velten-Lattrell’s career trajectory isn’t a straightforward one. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, where she studied modern dance, the Folsom, CA, native started a jewelry collection (which landed her on the pages of Elle France), then a clothing line (which was carried at Fred Segal). Later, she became a fashion and accessories buyer (Anthropologie), followed by a stint as a textiles buyer (West Elm). Her professional journey also included pit stops as consulting creative director, trend forecaster, stylist, and set designer.

Yet, when you hear Hollie tell her story about how she came to own this sweet little interior design studio in Maplewood, NJ, you realize that the road she’s traveled is far more direct than what’s shown on her resume. “My parents were California hipsters in the ’70s. He was a photographer and she was this long-haired beauty, a flight attendant. I spent my youth wanting to grow up to be her,” she says.

Her mom unexpectedly passed away right before Hollie gave birth to her first child, but her influence is enduring. “There’s an invisible line that connects me to her,” says Hollie, whose love for fashion and interior design all lead back to her mom. She is her mother’s daughter, after all.

Below, Hollie gives us a tour of her design studio, which has a New Jersey address but resides in spirit in California.

Photography by Danielle St. Laurent, courtesy of Spaces by Holllie Velten.

Above: The avocado-green cabinets and bookcase here were designed by Hollie as an example of the type of custom millwork she can provide to clients. She describes the style as “California meets deVOL.” To the left is wall-to-wall open shelving, stocked with fabric samples from her favorite textiles resources, including William Morris, Zak+Fox, and Schumacher; in the drawers under the cubbies are wallpaper samples. Above: Hollie sometimes gifts her clients with homemade paper mâché vessels, like the one on top of the cabinet. “I think one was made from a poster roll tube, and the other from an old Pringles can.” Above: A clever Ikea hack: Hollie designed a curvy top and chunky base (her husband, Sean, fabricated them using birch plywood) to add to Ikea’s Ivar bookcase. Displayed are a selection of pillows designed by Hollie and available for purchase at the studio or on her website. Above: Hollie, clutching a custom bolster with exaggerated proportions. The original flooring in the space gave off “murder vibes,” says Hollie, who opted to replace it with black and white linoleum tiles, laid on the diagonal for a Harlequin-style look. “I was inspired by old-fashioned Italian candy shops.” Above: Hollie consulting with studio director Victoria Bailey-Adamson, a British expat who started her career in interiors at HOWE London on Pimlico Road. She’s been instrumental in adding a distinctively English sensibility to their projects. Above: Each room of a project is assigned a tray that holds materials, color stories, and other objects inspiring its design. Shown is fabric by Beata Heuman. Above: The studio’s powder room features disparate styles (post-modern, traditional, European, Japanese, etc.) that somehow add up to an appealing composition. “I wanted something offbeat and cartoonish as an antidote to the traditional sink skirt,” says Hollie. The zellige tiles (on the walls) and penny tiles (on the floor) can be purchased via her studio. Above: In the window display are samples of the zellige tiles carried by Spaces. Hollie was delighted to find a local source in NJ. She likens finding her team—of contractors, artisans, suppliers, and clients—to putting on a performance. “Above anything, it’s expressive. Telling the story of your home, of you, is such a rewarding experience. It’s magic. It feels like a performance. And the clients are part of that.” Above: The studio is currently open by appointment only, but in the future Hollie may designate a walk-ins-welcome day.

See also:

• Kitchen of the Week: English Country Charm in a NJ Suburb (Plus the Prettiest Pantry)
• Rehab Diary: A Dated Kitchen Gets a Modern Upgrade in Maplewood, NJ
• Before and After: A Summery Bungalow in Topanga, California, Redone by an LA Designer

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