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In Conversation | Husband Wife

INTERVIEW

2024 Designer In Conversation Designer Interviews Husband Wife new york New York design

We sit down with designers and life partners Justin Capuco and Brittney Hart, who together founded the New-York-based design studio Husband Wife in 2015, to reflect on the importance of human-centric spaces, embracing the unexpected and how their projects capture the essence of New York.

Outside of your own practice, how does design have an influence on you?

Brittney Hart: We believe it’s almost impossible not to be influenced by design in some way. We strive to uncover ways in which design has a more indirect, unexpected, and subtle influence on our lives. We look for design in small things, such as the ethereal light streaming through a sheer curtain or the texture of a surface. To us, these elements impact the way we feel and live.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of running a design studio with your partner?

Justin Capuco: Since we began working together, we’ve realised that our synergy isn’t in our ability to think alike but in our ability to communicate with each other. Now, we see our differences as a strength, and our communication binds these ideas together.

What insights do your projects offer into your family values and your approach to daily life?

Brittney Hart: When you own your own business, work and life inevitably intertwine, especially when you do so with your life partner. Being parents to two young children, we’ve learned that you always have to leave room for the unexpected and for a sense of wonder to unfold. We establish a framework and let the various objects and elements evolve through discovery. This risk and spontaneity bring the project to life in a way that no amount of planning can foresee; for us, this represents the poetic side of design, both inside and outside the office.

Justin Capuco: Life has taught us that no matter how hard you try, there are always things you can’t control. In this regard, we strive to create well-considered and approachable spaces that can grow and change over time. Layering eras and styles provides an excellent platform for that evolution.

Husband Wife co-founders Justin Capuco and Brittney Hart

One Hanover by Husband Wife | Photography by William Jess Laird

111 West 57th Street by Husband Wife | Photography by Nicole Franzen

Design Dissected:

Where we get designers’ takes on a broader topic, theme or event currently surfacing in the design world.

Can comfort and style be independent of each other in residential design, or is their coexistence always necessary?

Brittney Hart: In our experience, comfort and style are deeply interconnected and their coexistence is crucial. When we approach our projects, whether residential or commercial, we put the human experience at the heart of our design process. We believe that a successful design is one that seamlessly blends both comfort and style to create spaces that are not only visually appealing but also functional and inviting. After all, we’re conceiving spaces for people to exist in, whether it’s their home, their office, their local coffee shop or their favourite clothing store.

Rapid Fire:

Somewhere that inspires you? Palm Springs

Someone that inspires you? David Bowie

Favourite three materials to work with (please be specific)? Brushed stainless-steel, nubby fabrics, textured glass

Something you want to see more of in design? Refurbished/reused pieces that are affordable

Something you want to see less of in design? Short use toss away pieces.

In your projects, how do you capture the essence of New York City?

Brittney Hart: Our experience of this city is heavily influenced by the people we meet and the realities we become a part of. We wouldn’t necessarily say that our work captures the essence of New York from an aesthetic standpoint but rather from the multitude of identities and energies it encapsulates.

Justin Capuco: New York is an amalgamation of people, places, experiences, and generations. We aim to capture some of that in our work, layering old and new, found and purchased, local and international.

Warm and playful materials hallmark your projects; how do you intend these palettes to resonate emotionally with people?

Justin Capuco: The answer is quite simple and is a founding principle of our studio: we are sensitive people and we design spaces for people to live and exist in. We always put the human experience at the centre of our designs.

Brittney Hart: From a material standpoint, we find that layering honest materials with very different personalities – warm woods with stainless-steel accents and textured ceramics with reflective metals – is a very effective tool for creating spaces that feel considered and simultaneously open to change over time.

What exciting projects are you working on at the moment?

Justin Capuco: After a busy year, our team designed three of our largest projects to date. First, we completed a tranquil and timeless three-story, free-floating office space in Manhattan’s FiDi, inspired by ’70s sci-fi and French Modernism. Second, we undertook the full gut renovation of a top-floor office space in Noho for Orange Barrel Media. This particular project has a very ‘Old New York’ feeling to it and was inspired by loft architecture of the ’80s and ’90s. Lastly, we completed our first hospitality project, transforming a three-story, 30,000-square-foot, Anglo-Italianate-style landmark building in FiDi into a mixed-use Class-A office space.

Brittney Hart: We’re working on some exciting residential projects in the city. We’re renovating an incredible townhouse on 23rd Street, a beautiful carriage house on the Upper East Side, and a gem of an apartment in Chelsea. We’re incredibly fortunate to have the most incredible clients who constantly encourage us to think creatively and explore new ideas.