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ASHLEY WHITTAKER X SCHUMACHER LOGGIA ENVY By Lisa Collins Shaddock. Photography Jonathan Zizzo. T he light-filled interiors of Schumacher's two- story Design District showroom were the perfect setting for a talk from New York designer Ashley Whittaker, whose neo-traditionalist interiors are as fresh and charming as they are sophisticated and tailored. After all, Whittaker — a member of the Elle Décor A-List who's been featured in Veranda, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful — cut her teeth studying under legendary designer Markham Roberts and earned a degree from what she calls the "School of Ralph," working in public relations and special events for Ralph Lauren during a major growth period for the brand. "It was the '90s, and it was the heyday of Ralph Lauren," Whittaker said. "I feel blessed to have been a part of that and to have been immersed in Ralph's world. That's what taught me to see and to really look. As we all know, Ralph is very detail oriented. That's where I learned the details." Indeed, details abound in The Well- Loved House: Creating Homes with Color, Comfort, and Drama (Rizzoli), Whittaker's highly anticipated book, released the very day of her Texas Design Week talk, takes readers through gracious Connecticut estates, Florida beachfront homes, and Whittaker's own country home in Millbrook, New York. "The catalyst to building a house was that I wanted a loggia," she says. "I had the worst loggia envy!" Who: Trish Sheats, Emily Hodnett, Chesie Breen, Lindley Arthur, Allison Whitfield, Monica B i c k e r s , E m p r e s s G i l b e r t , Sheridan Reeder, Nicole Groth, Melanie Turner, Cleo Epley, Clara Johnson, Tiffany Jones, and Schumacher's Lori Haspel. Cleo Epley, Trish Sheats Kennedy Henderson Chesie Breen Lloyd Princeton Brooke Bremer Shannon Henderson Ashley Whittaker Lori Haspel Allison Whitfield Tiffany Jones Jane Murphy, Annie King Nicole Groth, Lindley Arthur Aiisha Farris Clara Johnson Abbey Kerns