How Peter Dunham Built a Design Empire Rooted in Place

A sense of place is what gives a house its vibe—I devoted an entire chapter to it. It’s central to how I design. I grew up in Paris and went to boarding school in England, and spent summers in my family’s rustic house in Cadaques, Spain. I lived in New York City right out of university. That early blend of distinct influences shaped my approach. They all contributed different elements. France gave me a love of symmetry and restraint, England taught me comfort and layered eclecticism, and Spain inspired my sense of color and warmth. Fifteen years in New York taught me scale and modernism. California brings those elements together; its architecture is so varied. 

My palette and material decisions come from an understanding of place. In California, strong colors are harder to use with such strong light. In the UK and France, there’s so much cloud and rain that you need color to bring energy into rooms. 

Half the book is about the tools and methods we use to achieve what I’m really striving towards: creating vibe, togetherness, refuges, charm, and ways to enjoy the outdoors. Color, rhythm, and nature aren’t just aesthetic choices—they’re foundational to making a space feel balanced and personal.

I love working with creative people, whether they’re filmmakers, writers, directors, real estate investors, venture capitalists, or fashion designers. They all share a sense of vision and creating something. These are people who come to the table with a dream, and I thrive on that kind of collaboration. For me, it’s always a conversation. I tune into the nuances of what they’re feeling and offer a stream of visual ideas that bring their vision to life. Some clients are very clear and hands-off—they hand you the keys and trust your sensibility. But to earn that trust, you need to bring a strong point of view and an intuitive sense of what the space needs.

One project that really pushed me out of my comfort zone—and turned into an incredible opportunity for growth—was with Pamela and Jeff Levy. Pamela, who co-founded Juicy Couture, had just purchased this marvelous estate in Beverly Hills. She kept saying she wanted it to feel “old lady,” but her version of that was anything but conventional. She described it as somewhere between Iron Maiden and the Duchess of Windsor—Rock and Roll goes to Versailles. It was wild. Her sense of scale was outrageous in the best way. She didn’t believe in things like “let’s memo this first”—she’d hang a chandelier with only two feet of clearance above the table, and somehow it worked. I’d have played it much safer, but working with her opened up a new way of thinking for me. It was bold, dramatic, and totally outside the box.

I’ve been collecting textiles since my teens—trolling the auction houses at Drouot and shops on the Portobello Road, picking up fragments for very little money. At first, I was just hoarding them without a clear purpose. Years later, I started using them on cushions and furniture, and eventually, I began designing my own when I couldn’t find what I was looking for.

I was deeply influenced by David Hicks. He was a lifelong textile designer and a pioneer in combining fabric, furniture, and interior design. Over time, I found myself doing those things organically. That said, I don’t always use my own textiles. Some projects call for something more formal or dressy and my own patterns don’t quite suit. 

My New York showroom is different from L.A. In New York, we only sell our own product, whereas in L.A, we carry seven other lines. The New York space is more focused: more accessories and jewel-like pieces. At its core, it still carries the sophisticated casual vibe we’re known for—something that works just as well for a beach house as it does for a country estate.

Post-pandemic, our approach to retail has shifted. We’re making sure we have enough stock and backup inventory, and we’ve diversified our vendors. If there’s a delay with weavers in Spain, we’ve got ones in Peru to lean on. Vintage is still a big part of our offering, and in New York, art, carpets, and lighting have been selling well. The energy is amazing—people are constantly stopping in and giving great feedback. It’s a new chapter, and a really exciting one.