How to Decorate

Ep. 165: Peter Pennoyer & Alice Engel

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Our special guests this week are renowned architect Peter Pennoyerand the Director of Interior Design of Peter Pennoyer Architects (PPA), Alice Engel. Their work has been featured in Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, Veranda, Town & Country, and many more. We discuss their love of details and high craftsmanship; especially when they serve a function. We also hear about common mistakes they see from clients, favorite projects and what it’s like to have nearly 10,000 books!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

  • How to balance designing for the particular needs of a family while also designing a space that will last for decades or more. Craftsmanship is the key to longevity.
  • Ornaments personalize a house and Peter believes it joins art with architecture.
  • Alice and Peter both find delight in small design details that improve functionality.
  • PPA’s approach is to work early in the process with a designer and always include the design in the architectural plans.
  • When meeting with an architect, always have a wish list of how many rooms, and be candid about your lifestyle.
  • Peter and Alice get real on the biggest mistakes they see from their clients.
  • Peter opens up about realizing his dream when he designed his house in the Hudson Valley as a square villa.
  • It’s easy to overdo your design scheme; Peter and Alice remind us that simplistic consistency is often the best approach.
  • Different ways to bring in and enhance natural light in a house; including “borrowing light”.
  • The impressive lengths Peter and Alice traveled in order to combine traditional and modern on a house in Ohio that was featured in Architectural Digest.
  • Why PPA likes to connect to each artisan involved in the process and make it a collaborative process.
  • How trends and perspectives on design and architecture have been influenced by the pandemic.
  • PPA has an impressive library of nearly 1o,oo0 books that are central to the office both in design and as a resource.
  • Why bright red is a color seen throughout PPA’s projects.


    • Mentioned In This Episode:

    • Peter Pennoyer Architects
    • PPA on Instagram
    • Ohio Home designed by PPA
    • New York project with copper dome


      • Find all of the show notes at ballarddesigns.com/podcast

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