Janelle Williams Hughes
photo by rickey film + photo
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? My ultimate goal is to find a slice of heaven in Maryland and in St. Croix. I'm originally from Baltimore, MD and my husband is from St. Croix, where we've been living since January 2022. My twin daughters consider both places to be their home.
What are three words to describe your style?
1. Eclectic
2. Cultural
3. Timeless
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? I shared a bedroom with my older sister and my mother selected pink paint for the walls and French Provencal cream canopy beds with a matching dresser, desk and nightstand. When my twins were born, I restored and painted the dresser and nightstand in an Annie Sloan lavender chalk paint for use in their nursery.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? Framed art that was a Poncho and Bibbs collaboration. I want to collect more art representing the African diaspora. It's important to me that black art is integrated into every room in my home.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Alice Lane Interiors. Her spaces excite me and I love how she designs specifically for the client. I would love to see her interpretation of my vision for an art-curated, family-friendly home that speaks to my family's coastal heritage.
No room is complete without bold lighting. I think the lighting in a space truly helps to define the mood, which is why multiple sources are so important. Just like our mood can change throughout the day, so should the lighting we use.
People think of me as only an interior designer, but I am really a multifaceted creative. Writing was my first passion, but I also spent many years channeling my creative energy in the field of music, including classical vocal training, piano, and bassoon. Most recently, studying black artists has become a passion. If an opportunity is presented to create or express appreciation for various forms of art, I'm all in.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: Lily
An hors d’oeuvre platter: Beef or pork
A bar cabinet: Vodka. I prefer wine or champagne.
A song for:
Dinner at home: Any Justice Der Playlist
Working at your desk: Already by Beyonce
Going for a run: Gbona by Burna Boy
Biggest Vice? Plain Utz Potato Chips
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? Furniture and accessories for the property my husband and I are currently renting in St. Croix, USVI. Sourcing here is so time-consuming, but if I didn't have to prioritize sleep and client projects, I could get the job done!
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? They definitely do in that they are truly eclectic and reflective of the way I like to mix old and new and elements from different cultures.
Who is your star crush? Oprah. She's a true visionary!
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? I would never use pieces of art or decor that integrate glitter. Now if a Design and Mortar Inc. client requests glitter, we always aim to please! Our client's happiness is what is most important and we do our best to blend their vision with our own, hopefully sans glitter.
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? Style and Grace: African Americans At Home. It was a coffee table book that sat in the living room of my childhood home and I would spend hours studying every page. That book was one of the first things that made me fall in love with interior design.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? Design and Mortar Inc would like our work to be known for its ability to be mutable based on our client's vision, culture, and design style.
photo by rickey film + photo
A Few Favorites:
Movie: Eat. Pray. Love.
Book: The Alchemist
Scent: Jivago 24K
The fabric you always come back to: Linen, especially now that I'm living in a tropical climate
Dream project: Designing a beach villa that is accessible and sustainable
Meal: Fried Snapper with seasoned rice, mixed veggies, potato salad, and Johnnycakes
Drink: Ginger Ale or Peanut Punch
Hotel: Carambola Beach Resort in St. Croix, USVI. They suffered a lot of damage during recent hurricanes but it's where my husband and I got married and therefore will always have a special place in my travel heart.
Travel Destination: Jamaica; it has never disappointed me.
Visual: Jordan M. Casteel. I love the way her art tells stories about the spaces people occupy. Her art is just one of the things that inspired me to start @shareblackspaces. I think it's important for the world to see the beautiful ways and spaces in which we live.
Musician: 1997 Lauryn Hill
A cause near and dear to me: Increasing diversity in the industry, and not the kind that comes and go in waves based on the news cycle. I'm talking genuine and sustainable equity across the board.
Thing to collect obsessively: Seashells. They serve as a good inspiration for color palettes and ways to play with prints. They are also perfect table decor.
Era in the history of design: I appreciate them all but I think mid-century modern tends to blend well with a lot of other design styles and eras.
Museum: National Museum of African American History and Culture
Paint Color that always looks great: Dark Blue or Black
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Kelly Wearstler. Her ideas, concepts and the way she plays with color and texture really give me the creative fuel to push wildcard ideas to clients.
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? My puppy Rottweiler Coco has my heart right now, so definitely DOGS!
