CREATIVE COHESION WITH WIDELL + BOSCHETTI

Barette Widell and Christina Boschetti are the design duo behind both the popular Instagram design account @widellboschetti, and the design studio of the same name. After a chance meeting the two creatives immediately knew a partnership was in their future, and they've been designing luxe dwellings with their trademark pop of color and dynamic mix of materials and texture ever since. We spoke with the pair about blending their styles, building their business, and what they're loving in design now.

Tell us a little about how the two of you came together and your journey to start Widell + Boschetti.

We first crossed paths in a small neighborhood park in Philadelphia seven years ago, and both walked away from that meeting knowing that we were meant to be business partners somehow and somewhere. We started off designing events which soon trickled into solely designing interiors. Neither of us had a background in interior design, so we started with styling shelves and tackling smaller projects utilizing online layout tools. Soon, we joined forces with Homepolish - a platform which allowed us to gain legitimate experience with clients on small budgets. We very quickly started getting the experience we needed to branch off to larger scale projects, which provided the imagery we needed for that insta-worthy portfolio. Through word of mouth and Instagram, the business sky-rocketed and we started getting some of the industry’s most sought after projects like entire home builds, gut renovations, and custom furniture design, and soon with the support of a full time staff.

How have your respective backgrounds influenced Widell + Boschetti as a company?

Barrette is a former soloist ballerina with Pennsylvania Ballet, which gave her the perseverance and drive that is so needed to be an entrepreneur in the interior design industry. She feels like she was simply born with leadership and stamina, as well as the creativity needed to be able to transform spaces with a “vision.”

Christina was a designer in the fashion industry for several years in New York and had started her own clothing company - she is also a born entrepreneur. The fashion industry's demanding standards enabled her to gain design experience at an extremely fast pace, and she never looked back.

Working together, we have the necessary work ethic, logic and creativity that entails being both the creatives and the business women that make Widell + Boschetti the brand it is today.

What was the turning point with Widell + Boschetti when you knew the business had legs?

As soon as we were able to hire the much needed employees, we knew it was time to focus on landing the right clients and projects. Social media provided the platform to showcase not only our work, but also our personalities, and we began to gain the proper followers and quickly!

Tell us a little about your working relationship - creative cohesion is tough to achieve, how do you two find the balance?

Our design aesthetic is pretty much aligned. The reason we work so well together is because neither of us steps on the other's toes. There is a ton of communication every minute of the day, and we respect each others thoughts on each and every decision. It's a huge bonus that we share a love of design, and we are able to speak about it in all transparency. We each truly believe there is always a solution, which is such a positive thing to believe when working.

What would be your dream project - any client, any location, any type of dwelling?

Our dream client would be a musician that trusted our vision 100%. The home would reflect either a Parisian or Spanish feel, and the project would be a ground-up build - from furniture to accessories to bath towels and all the fixings!

What are some current design trends you're both loving?

Typically, we don’t love design TRENDS as we design with timeless fixtures and pieces. However, we are loving unexpected products such as hide wallpaper by Kyle Bunting, mixed media mirrors, and one-of-a-kind sculptures.

We love how you aren't afraid of color! What are some tips for using bold colors in the home?

We love color - we love POP! Even when we design a monochromatic space, we'll throw in a bright neon sign or a fun graffiti print. Pending on the project and mood, bold colors of the same hue can be mixed gorgeously, especially when utilizing jewel tones.

What's next for Widell + Boschetti and the two of you?

W + B is a growing team, so possibly a larger space to house all of our talents! That said, larger projects but fewer projects are on the horizon.