Team Player
Hallows darkened the silk-backed shelves in the library to set off contemporary art.
Written by Joan Tapper | Photography by Sara Prince
Jamie Hallows Warner Group Architects
As head of the interior design team at Warner Group Architects, Jamie Hallows enjoys working on projects from start to finish. “The firm has a holistic approach to design,” she says, which means she is involved from the initial space planning to choosing finishes and fun stuff like furniture and accessories. “We work collaboratively, and that gives the client a complete experience.”
A graduate of Westmont College with a BA in art, Hallows pursued interior design in Los Angeles and worked there for a decade before returning to Santa Barbara nine years ago. She joined the Warner Group in 2016, and since then she typically has 10 or 15 projects on her desk at any one time. She recently completed a large, three-story residence in Montecito. “We made some architectural modifications, but it was primarily an interior project,” she says. “The existing home had an Old World look, but the new owners’ sensibility was much more contemporary. They liked soft colors and blue tones and wanted things approachable, not stuffy, but luxe.”
She used a neutral palette overall, papered the primary bedroom with a chinoiserie mural, darkened the paneling in the library, and transformed a dark kitchen to a bright white space. The result is classic and sophisticated, an elegant backdrop for the owners’ collection of abstract expressionist art.
“One of the things I really love is when the design comes together,” says Hallows. “There’s a moment when I hear it click. That can be on paper first, and then a second time when the process is done, and the last accessory is in place. When the client is thrilled, nothing makes me happier.” wgarch.com.
