Above: With plenty of deadpan humor and bold graphic style, Antonia Hutt created a dog's bedroom—a durable, stylish and entertaining boudoir/rumpus room for discerning canine clients. The tough-wearing AstroTurf carpet was placed over the room's existing terrazzo floor.

ANTONIA HUTT
Dog's Bedroom
Art by Galligan's Pet Portraits

ILondon-born designer Antonia Hutt has an encyclopedic knowledge of the decorative arts, a daredevil attitude toward color and an ingenuous sense of fun. A former antiques dealer, Hutt received a degree in interior architecture from UCLA and established her design firm in 1992. Known for her exacting attention to detail and innovative design spirit, Hutt was a first-time pet owner, having acquired Amber Louise (above), a French bulldog with an award-winning resume, when she decided it was the perfect moment to imagine a couture bedroom pour le pooch. "I was horrified to discover how many things you need for a dog," says Hutt. "It was a whole design world that hasn't been explored with much refinement."

Hutt's high concept combines practicality and whimsy. Washable gray blankets are stacked neatly on high shelves, tennis balls are stored in tough plastic buckets, and two custom-made dog beds—sleek as modernist sofas—are handsomely upholstered in gray fabric with sturdy black leather trim. Portraits of Amber Louise and her best friend, Bullitt, were commissioned from Galligan's Pet Portraits. A series of paintings features a few of a dog's favorite things: steak, lamb chops and bacon.

Hutt painted the walls black and red to give the room a strong graphic presence and a sense of order. Leashes hang from silver and red hooks. "Amber Louise likes black," the designer says, "She's comfortable with dark walls and thinks they show off her black coat."