If you’ve ever heard
Apple’s born-in-a-garage
origin story, you know that in -
spiration often strikes
in unlikely places. Angela
Harris, principal and CEO of
locally owned interior design
and visual-merchandising firm
Trio, certainly does. “I founded
Trio out of my basement more
than 20 years ago,” she says.
Harris had been toiling for an
engineering firm before taking
the plunge and enrolling in dec-
orating classes—and spending
her last $500 on Trio business
cards and other startup costs.
Her courage paid off: Trio
now has more than 55 employ-
ees overseeing more than 100
projects across the country, and
Harris recently designed a line
of furniture for Phillips Collec-
tion, a to-the-trade furniture
manufacturer that has created
custom pieces for Trio clients
for years. Her intent for each
piece—designed at the Trio
studio in LoHi and made by
artisans in Indonesia—was toput a modern spin on iconic
minimalist furniture. Think
comfy seats carved into blocks
of suar wood, and ladder-
backed armchairs finished in
gleaming brass. “The use of
unified, linear pieces celebrates
simplicity, authenticity, and
negative space, while square
styling, channel-tufting, and
beautiful metal inlays make
each piece feel special and time-
less,” Harris says. “We’ve taken
cues from the market to create
something fresh and unex-
pected by balancing authentic-
ity, artistic expression, and the
beauty of natural forms. People
want pieces that make them feel
something.” triodesign.com38 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 (^) continued
FROM BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF TRIO AND VALERIE HAWK; COURTESY OF TRIO & PHILLIPS COLLECTION (4)
Angela
Harris
THE FEARLESS FOUNDER
1
Clockwise from top: A living room
furnished with Angela Harris' sculptural
Ladder line for Phillips Collection; Bordo
club chair; Ladder bar table; Ladder club
chair, all sold to the trade
THE GUIDE TO
LOCAL
FURNITURE
DESIGNERS
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If you’veeverheard
Apple’sborn-in-a-garage
originstory,youknowthatin -
spirationoftenstrikes
inunlikelyplaces.Angela
Harris,principalandCEOof
locallyownedinteriordesign
andvisual-merchandisingfirm
Trio,certainlydoes.“Ifounded
Triooutofmybasementmore
than 20 yearsago,”shesays.
Harrishadbeentoilingforan
engineeringfirmbeforetaking
theplungeandenrollingindec-
oratingclasses—andspending
herlast$500onTriobusiness
cardsandotherstartupcosts.
Hercouragepaidoff:Trio
nowhasmorethan 55 employ-
eesoverseeingmorethan 100
projectsacrossthecountry,and
Harrisrecentlydesigneda line
offurnitureforPhillipsCollec-
tion,a to-the-tradefurniture
manufacturerthathascreated
custompiecesforTrioclients
foryears.Herintentforeach
piece—designedattheTrio
studio in LoHi and made by
artisans in Indonesia—was to
puta modernspinoniconic
minimalistfurniture.Think
comfyseatscarvedintoblocks
ofsuarwood,andladder-
backedarmchairsfinishedin
gleamingbrass.“Theuseof
unified,linearpiecescelebrates
simplicity,authenticity,and
negativespace,whilesquare
styling,channel-tufting,and
beautifulmetalinlaysmake
eachpiecefeelspecialandtime-
less,”Harrissays.“We’vetaken
cuesfromthemarkettocreate
somethingfreshandunex-
pectedbybalancingauthentic-
ity,artisticexpression,andthe
beautyofnaturalforms.People
wantpiecesthatmakethemfeel
something.”triodesign.com
38 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 (^) continued
FROM BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF TRIO AND VALERIE HAWK; COURTESY OF TRIO & PHILLIPS COLLECTION (4)
Angela
Harris
THE FEARLESSFOUNDER
1
Clockwise from top: A living room
furnished with Angela Harris' sculptural
Ladder line for Phillips Collection; Bordo
club chair; Ladder bar table; Ladder club
chair, all sold to the trade
THE GUIDE TO
LOCAL
FURNITURE
DESIGNERS