Colonial Williamsburg names new Designer in Residence

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has named Heather Chadduck Hillegas as its new Designer in Residence.

In this role, she will decorate the city’s oldest residential building, the Nelson-Galt House, which dates back to 1695. The renovation will reveal her signature style, which is “rooted in tradition and styled for relaxed elegance.” The goal is to reveal how a traditional interior can be updated and made livable for today. The decoration will include Williamsburg licensed products, as well as a mix of custom furniture commissioned by Chadduck Hillegas, and antiques, art and accessories from her personal collection.

Chadduck Hillegas is currently based out of Birmingham, Ala., but grew up in rural Virginia.

“I’m deeply honored by the opportunity to live and work with Colonial Williamsburg as Designer in Residence, surrounded by some of the country’s greatest works of architecture, craft, and design,” said Chadduck Hillegas. “It’s humbling to contribute to the museum’s living history, and exciting to find fresh inspiration in all its buildings and collections. It’s an incredible, once-in-a-career homecoming.”

Designer in Residence is a collaborative initiative established in by Williamsburg, the licensing brand of Colonial Williamsburg, which celebrates the historic and iconic design influence of the largest living-history museum in the United States. The program emphasizes the relevance of historic buildings and décor to today’s interiors and envisions an inspired blend of the past and present. The program began in 2019, when designer Anthony Baratta redesigned the historic Palmer House in Colonial Williamsburg.

“We couldn’t imagine a better partner than Heather Chadduck Hillegas to take on the redecoration of this very important structure,” said Kiri Franco, Colonial Williamsburg’s director of licensing. “Heather’s approach to design offers a fresh take on tradition that nods to classical design, but has a timeless, relaxed feel that is as comfortable as it is elegant. Colonial Williamsburg’s significant resources of scholarship, design archives and artisans will help support Chadduck’s design project. We’re delighted to share what she creates for this incredible historic home.”

The Designer in Residence interior will be revealed later this year, with a range of programs and media coverage to enable the public to experience the designer’s vision, including “insider views” into Colonial Williamsburg’s design archives and historic architecture.