Designer Spotlight: The Family-Focused Designs of Fox + Chenko Interiors

This month, we sat down with Jennifer and Tonia of Fox + Chenko Interiors for a heartwarming conversation to learn how the foundation of their designs begins with telling the client’s family story through reimagined living spaces.

Get ready for an inspiring story about this dynamic duo and see how their talents of blending classic elements with today’s styles and trends lead to the creation of beautiful spaces that reflect each client’s unique style. What’s your family story?

One-On-One With Fox + Chenko Interiors

What do you love most about being interior designers and working together?

We thank an introduction by a mutual friend who knew we had much in common and were both looking for a talented and dedicated business partner. Now, after over a decade of successfully working together, our synergy is undeniable! Our business acumen is honed, and we literally bounce design ideas off one another to create distinctive and functional spaces. We fully recognize that our clients have chosen to invest in their homes, and we’re respectful of their budget and design spaces that they’ll love for years to come. We maintain a high energy level and keep the design process enjoyable!

How do you combine classic and modern elements to create such a timeless look?

Our firm is known for a fresh interpretation of classic interiors that function for how we live today. We create our interiors with a foundation of classic elements, and then elevate the look by incorporating a style or trend favored by the client. In this way, the space is beautifully finished but can easily be tweaked years later to feel more current as styles or tastes change. A room can have a new look when a fresh burst of color is used in fabrics for window treatments or upholstery, or even just by switching out pillows or accessories.

How would you describe your interior design “must-haves”? Are there certain products and décor elements that you like to use in every project?

• Performance products that look great and withstand everyday wear, and even the occasional mishap; particularly for carpeting, area rugs, fabrics used for upholstery and window treatments, and  tile on floors and walls.

• Furniture finishes and materials—such as stone, shagreen, and coated fabrics and textures—that don’t require special care.

Every room in the house must be fun to design, but do you have a favorite?

It’s especially gratifying for us to design living and dining spaces to enhance the needs and lifestyles of our clients. We take the time to ask questions and listen to responses. How do they wish to use their spaces on a daily basis, and how would they like to entertain family and friends? Will a room need a seating arrangement to foster conversation or orient to a television? And will a dining room be used casually on a weekly basis or only for holidays and larger gatherings? We thoughtfully create floor plans that embrace the function of a room with furnishings and materials that enhance the design. Our ultimate goal is to create beautiful spaces that will be lived in!

What project or accomplishment are you most proud of?

Aside from creating a truly beautiful interior, we’re most proud of a project when we’ve designed a space that reflects our client’s unique style! We love incorporating family heirlooms and antique pieces that have personal meaning, while incorporating current design elements to make the space aesthetically fresh and functional for the way we live today.

For example,—this dining room was designed for clients who wanted to refresh their dining room while retaining the historic character of their 1928 Tudor home. A high-performance area rug anchors the space and features colors of the stained-glass windows, and antiques original to the home are reimagined. A buffet is freshly updated with the addition of a top of colorful piece of quartzite—perfect for a casual spread—and upholstered chairs add a happy burst of color to modernize the antique table. A customized bar welcomes and gives additional purpose to the room, and the perfect accessories enhance the space. The family now enjoys using their beautiful new dining room all of the time!

What inspires you?

We find inspiration everywhere—from nature and gardens, small town main streets to big cities, culture and the arts, fashion, restaurants, historical homes to modern architecture, and cutting-edge home technology. Examining the past, living in the present, and looking towards the future inspires us!

What are the trends of this year that you’ve been loving most?

• We’ve been enhancing our living spaces with upholstery in rich colors and patterns to make a statement as we welcome friends into our homes again. The use of color on walls, and millwork such as built-in cabinetry, and moulding also make our rooms feel fresh. We particularly like to keep walls and millwork in the same rich color and just change out the finish, using a matte finish on walls and semi- or high-gloss finish on millwork.
• Ceilings, affectionately known as the fifth wall! Addressing how to finish a ceiling has become more important than ever to complete the overall design. Flat white ceiling paint is no longer the only option. Coffering or exposed beams, textured wall coverings, and metallic paint finishes are some of our favorite ways to treat ceilings and add dimension to a room.

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Jennifer and Tonia. Whether it inspired you to incorporate a cherished family heirloom into your home design or dress up your ceilings with exposed beams or a decorative finish, we are here to help you design the room of your dreams.

We invite you to visit our Country Carpet showroom to explore the many design options that are available. You can schedule an appointment. Or, walk-ins are always welcome. We look forward to seeing you!

Check out more of Fox + Chenko Interiors and give them a follow!