Top left: portrait of Brittney Hart and Justin Capuco; top right, bottom right and bottom left: photographs of Husband Wife project "Southport Home" © Chris Mottalini

Brittney Hart and Justin Capuco are the founders of NYC-based interior design studio Husband Wife, known for their sophisticated yet playful and eclectic interiors. Join Artsper as we chat with Brittney and Justin about the background of the firm, their close relationship with the fine arts, and living and working in NYC – all while taking a look around some of their favorite projects!

1. Hello Brittney and Justin! You founded the architecture and interiors firm Husband Wife in 2015 together. Can you tell us a bit about what led up to this point? Had you always planned to start your own design firm?

If we had never met, it's questionable as to whether either of us would have ended up here. We both enjoyed working in studios that were not our own. Having said that, as we came home from our respective offices and discussed our daily joys and stresses, we realized that there was such a sense of balance in our design agendas. We found that, when we combined forces, the end result was something we would likely not have achieved singularly. As this continued, we found ourselves dreaming about what we would do as a team, kind of internally developing our own make-believe projects. In 2012, the temptation became too great to ignore and we started talking firm names, ethos, who we could be as a team.

2. Can you tell us about a project that you have particularly enjoyed working on?

As of late, we very much enjoy working with new families. Perhaps this has something to do with where we are as a family - we have six year old twins and, intentional or not, their freedoms and habits seem to permeate our design agenda. There is something extraordinary about our design approach forming family interactions and dynamic relationships - creating spaces that both focus on function and act as platforms for years of joy together.

Photographs of Husband Wife project "The Brooklyn Tower" © Nicole Franzen

3. For a recent interior project you spoke about working in consideration of the client's fine art collection. How much do the fine arts play into your design practice?

Fine arts play a huge part in our design practice. Sometimes you are gifted with a client that has a great collection, sometimes you are gifted with a client that is just starting one. Either way, we are huge art lovers and surround ourselves with years of collected art and objects. We often start designing with pieces that a client holds dear, making sure there are good homes for them. Art also plays a key role in space making. We use art to contribute to the mood and dial up or hone in on specific feelings.

4. What are some visual artists that you have your eye on at the moment?

We always look to layer art into our spaces as a way to tease out the intangible qualities of atmosphere. We don't ever want to hone in on a specific art “style" or make the art feel too congruent with a space or else we risk over-design. In a home, this usually means intimate works or immersive works. To narrow our current inspiration: Buck Ellison, Camille Henrot, and Kajin Kim.

5. You have also mentioned seeking out vintage design pieces for interior design projects. Is there a specific design movement or style that attracts your attention?

Honestly, not at all. We really love layering pieces from different eras and origins, high end and cost effective, restrained and crazy. All of it. Ultimately, for as much as we love minimal living, it's not realistic for us as a family and also isn't realistic for most. By creating a well considered and holistic platform for years of life, we hope that our spaces feel like they have some staying power and can continue to evolve over time.

Photographs of Husband Wife project "UES Residence" © Nicole Franzen

6. Do you find NYC to be an inspiring place to live and work in terms of art, architecture and design? What are some of your favorite examples of this?

Of course - it feels impossible to not be inspired by New York. Every time we walk out of the house we are inspired by something - an architectural detail we hadn't noticed before, the color scheme of someone's look on the subway. We took a photo of a sketch someone did on a porta potty the other day as inspiration for a future company logo. It is also a city that has some really great public art which is so inspiring and wonderful to experience, especially as a new family. We took our kids to see Jean Dubuffet's “Group of Four Trees" a few weeks ago and it was magical. Our daughter is also super interested in sounds and we are planning to visit the Max Neuhuas “Times Square" installation soon. This was one of our favorite discoveries when we moved to the city.

7. Finally, if you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be and why?

If we are dreaming, we want to dream. We would love to “own" a large-scale work that could be enjoyed by the public. Maybe a Christo and Jeanne-Claude piece like Running Fence! The dream-y, ethereal and fleeting nature of this work feels so important and playful at the same time. So much of what we do is rooted in the end experience of those that visit or live in spaces we have created - the smiles, the laughs, life. Seeing others experience such an incredible work would be amazing.