The Timeless Luxury of Hutton Wilkinson & Tony Duquette
For those who appreciate the fusion of art, design, and theatrical splendor, few names resonate as profoundly as Tony Duquette. A legendary Hollywood set designer and jewelry artist, Duquette’s legacy lives on through the brilliant work of his former business partner, Hutton Wilkinson.
Hutton Wilkinson’s home, once belonging to Duquette himself, is an extraordinary testament to maximalist luxury, layered storytelling, and boundless creativity. Every room is a stage set—a masterful interplay of color, texture, and opulence that speaks to a refined collector’s eye. The home is not just a residence; it is a living, breathing piece of art.
A Home Like No Other
“To decorate is not to embellish—decorating is about creating an atmosphere,” Wilkinson has famously said, and his home embodies this philosophy in every detail. Gold-leafed furniture, layered textiles, elaborate chinoiserie, and statement-making objets d’art command attention in every direction. This is not minimalism; this is bold, unapologetic grandeur—designed for those who believe more is truly more.
From striking malachite patterns to jewel-toned upholstery, the home is a masterclass in creating spaces that tell a story. Inspired by old Hollywood glamour, theatrical set design, and world travels, Wilkinson’s interiors showcase a fearless approach to mixing eras, styles, and textures.
“Tony had such a highly personal and individual style, and people are starving for individuality these days.”
A Collector’s Dream
For those who collect fine art, antiques, and one-of-a-kind statement pieces, Wilkinson’s home offers endless inspiration. The key takeaway? Curation is everything. Every piece in his collection feels intentional, contributing to a larger narrative of craftsmanship, heritage, and theatricality.
As Wilkinson himself puts it, “Luxury is not about money. It’s about having taste.” His home is a testament to this ethos, an environment designed to immerse, captivate, and inspire.
Hutton purchased Dawnridge to keep it from meeting the wrecking ball. Tony Duquette handmade the garden pagodas and 28 foot Phoenix sculpture.
"Duquette was well known for his ability to put on a dazzling show with nontraditional materials salvaged from unlikely sources, such as the jade- colored Chinese fretwork screen made out of plastic building materials. He famously mixed high and low, the costly and the found, the rare and the common."
“Tony was a visionary, nothing was too precious to him. He always said, ‘Beauty, not luxury, is what I value.’”
"In the Wilkinson/Duquette universe, there are certain rules for entertaining. Foremost, no white napkins allowed. Using a vast collection of china, flatware and figurines inherited from the Duquettes, Wilkinson adds his own newer pieces to create fantastically colored landscapes for the table. Coral red mixes happily with jade green, cerulean blue and, of course, gold—lots and lots of gold."
“I live on old movies, they teach us how to sit and act at the table, and they do so in those beautifully decorated rooms! People don’t entertain like they used to, but everyone should remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just order wonderful takeout, dress up a little and set a marvelous table, and no one will know the difference.”
Read the full article from Veranda here.
Update: Meeting Hutton Wilkinson in Houston
Hutton Wilkinson’s influence extends far beyond interiors. When he came to Houston to present Tony Duquette’s jewelry at the Galleria, I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet him in person. He was beyond gracious, allowing me to try on pieces of jewelry worth more than I had made in some years, an experience both thrilling and humbling.
But what stood out most was his generosity of spirit. After the show, he took me for coffee and shared invaluable insights into the world of luxury design. He mentored me on my business, offering wisdom gained through decades of experience. It was an unforgettable moment, one that reaffirmed my passion for high-end, artful interiors.
Bringing Theatrical Luxury to Your Home
Wilkinson's work sits at an extreme most residential clients wouldn't want to live inside, but the underlying principles translate further than you'd expect. The commitment to layering, to objects with genuine history, to rooms that reward close looking rather than just photographing well, those ideas show up in how I approach every project, even the ones that are quietly Colorado rather than theatrically Hollywood. I don't source gold-leafed furniture, but I do hunt for antique lighting that carries the same quality of presence. I don't do chinoiserie, but I do think about rooms as collections rather than assemblies. The scale is different. The instinct is the same.
If you're drawn to interiors that feel considered and specific rather than catalog-ordered, I'd love to show you what that looks like in practice.
