HOLLY HUNT Remains Timeless with HH40 Collection

First a tastemaker, then a designer, then a name that morphed into a brand, HOLLY HUNT celebrates its 40th anniversary with a new furniture line, HH40. The collection, which pulls in motifs from many eras of art and design, focuses on American craftsmanship and the signature timelessness that initially drew in customers.

The 40th anniversary collection, which consists of 18 designs including a sofa, chandelier, and sconces, was led by the company’s Executive Creative Director, Jo Annah Kornak, in collaboration with Holly.

“It was important to deliver a collection that is true to the HOLLY HUNT DNA of classic and timeless, yet sets a fresh direction for our next 40 years,” HOLLY HUNT president Marc Szafran said in a press release. “Jo Annah, Holly and our design studio each played an important role in developing these designs. Through it all, innovation, scale, proportion, quality of materials and craftsmanship were the driving forces and continue to be what sets us apart. We want to create special pieces that are livable and last for generations.”

HH40 mixes multiple eras of design history into the collection. With its deep-set cushion and fixed slant, Tubac Lounge Chair draws inspiration from mid-century modern design, whereas the brass bars running across the mosaic-style fused and slumped glass on the Strata Chandelier takes notes from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style architecture. The teardrop surface on the Ripple Side Table brings in a touch of Memphis, and the curvy frame on the Caldera Cocktail Table, modeled after volcanic craters, goes all the way back to the Mesoamerican civilizations.

Despite this vast variety of references, HH40 finds cohesion through material and finishes. Brass, bronze, and aluminum pull together the stiff planar cuts of the Déjà Vu Dining Table with the rugged, tree bark legs of the Petro Drink Table. The alloys are offset by wood finishes, like walnut, oak, and European chestnut, which are available for multiple products.

The line also holds several mini-collections within it. The Ripple Side Table is the smaller twin of the High Tide Drink Table, which gets its height from a skinny aluminum neck firmly affixed to a striated Slovenian marble base. In the bedroom, the Eon series, which includes a bed, nightstand, and drawer cabinet, has a retro, cosmopolitan vibe that circles back to HOLLY HUNT’s 1980s beginnings. The upholstered headboard on the Eon Bed serves as its own work of art, and can be flanked with cabinetry or just stand alone.

The Eons bedroom set calls back to Holly Hunt’s 80s roots.

In 1983 as an interior designer, Holly opened a showroom in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart (recently rebranded as THE MART), where she introduced clients to furniture, textiles, and lighting designs that prioritized craftsmanship over trends. Holly then stepped into furniture design, and her brand became an empire as the furniture entered the homes of celebrities like George Clooney and new showrooms opened in New York, London, and Belgium. In 2014, Holly sold HOLLY HUNT to Knoll, but she remains a consultant.

Daring decorators can mix and match the pieces in the diverse HH40 collection, or they can stick to a theme for a more understated look. No matter which route one takes, the pieces are meant to outlast trends to come.

hollyhunt.com