We here at Dogwood Hill are thrilled to begin introducing you to our absolutely fabulous 2021 Holiday Tastemakers! First up we have acclaimed interior designer Bria Hammel. Bria is the Creative Director and CEO of Bria Hammel Interiors, the CEO of Brooke & Lou, and the Co-Creator of Hammel House & Co. She leads a fresh, talented team of women who are dedicated to designing beautiful, inviting homes for clients. For Bria, every project is about creating a home filled with surprising, thoughtful spaces that lead to unexpected moments.
Bria’s work has been featured in national publications such as Traditional Home, HGTV Magazine, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, as well as many other local shelter magazines. She received the “Fresh Faces of Design” award in 2015 and 2018 from HGTV, was a finalist for an International Design Award, was selected as a 2018 Style Spotter for High Point Market Authority and received 2nd Place in Sub-Zero Wolf’s Kitchen Design Contest in the Traditional category in 2019.
Bria was intrigued by design at a young age and grew up visiting wallpaper stores and furniture showrooms, as her mother was a design enthusiast. Bria has been fortunate enough to travel the world, which has given her a unique perspective on how people live, as well as a deep understanding of how different spaces can come together in incredible ways.
Bria worked with Dogwood Hill artist Sally King McBride to create the artwork that is featured in Bria’s gorgeous Holiday Tastemaker Collection, Flora. Sally had this to say about their collaborative experience:
Bria and I met on Zoom back in February, where she shared her mood board for her own Holiday 2021 Collection: stepping away from traditional motifs and instead focusing on colors and subject matter that can be enjoyed more year-round. I immediately ran with this idea—painting everything from garlands to bows to bouquets to magnolias, and embracing this playful take on “holiday.” After showing Bria a sprawling artboard of these initial watercolors, she narrowed it down to the motifs that resonated most with her vision, including a garland that became the departure point for much of the suite. The Dogwood Hill team adapted these designs in Bria’s lovely—and wonderfully unexpected—palette of dusty blues, golds, and greens. The results encapsulate Holiday 2021: everyday yet elevated, approachable yet celebratory. I adored working with Bria and admire her professionalism and point-of-view.
Keep scrolling for a taste of what our design team created with all of Sally’s amazing artwork for Bria’s collection and to read our Q&A with the Tastemaker herself! To see Bria’s full collection, click here.
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We have a family tradition of decorating cookies with all the kids in our family – nieces, nephews, the whole crew! It’s so fun to see how excited the little ones get about decorating and I shamelessly love snacking on all of their creations all season long.
What is a holiday tradition that you wish you could do all year long?
Our homes feel so cozy and layered around the holidays and I wish we could embrace that level of décor more every day. I always feel a bit sad after taking all of it down in January and the home feels so bare – I long for that level of decoration and attention to detail year-round! Can you tell I’m an Interior Designer?
Which cards from your Tastemaker Collection will you be sending out to family and friends this holiday?
I will be sending out cards from the gold magnolia section of the collection! It’s such a unique color palette for holiday and it pairs so nicely with Minnesota autumn (which is when we take our family photos). I love that it’s neutral but still visually interesting and unique.
What kind of holiday shopper are you – Black Friday, Christmas Eve, or year-long stasher?
I’m actually a Small Business Saturday person! It’s so nice to have a day dedicated to focusing on your gift purchasing so you can get it all done in one swoop and then enjoy the rest of the holiday season stress-free. Plus, you can support your local businesses while you’re at it – it’s a win, win!
Are you team real tree or faux tree?
Faux tree all the way! I can put up my tree early in the season (I’m that person who puts their tree up before Thanksgiving!) plus it’s typically a bit sturdier and can hold larger ornaments nicely.
Are you team white lights or colored lights?
Team white lights for sure. I love to bring color through the ornaments and stems and believe that the lights are there to illuminate what you put on the tree, instead of being the decoration itself.
Is there one holiday entertaining hack or secret you can share?
A beautiful, charcuterie board is always a winner. It looks elevated, sophisticated, and like you put a lot of time and effort into it when it’s really pretty simple to arrange. Plus, who doesn’t love a good meat and cheese spread?
What are you most thankful for this year? And what are you most looking forward to in the New Year?
I am hopeful we get to travel more in the New Year! I am having a milestone birthday and I am excited to take a trip with my family and friends and soak up all those fun, inspiring travel moments we missed so much in 2020/2021.