FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES

Andrea Knowles, founder of Equine Residences, has two rather insatiable, prodigious passions: horses and design. In fact, the propensity for design and décor has always been in her life from early childhood as she was never shy about offering her opinions on textiles and furnishings when it came to making decisions regarding her family’s homes. Naturally, a vocation would develop after a friend asked her for her help in remodeling their home—the home sold fully furnished for over the asking price.

Horses have also continuously been a part of Knowles’ life. “I’ve been riding hunters and jumpers since I was very little,” says Knowles. “There’s no other feeling on Earth that compares to the connection you have with a horse when you’re riding—it’s truly soul to soul; and from the moment I received my first pony when I was 7, I felt like I was home when I was riding him—the smell, touch, and affinity was a bond and love that was enormous and it has never changed.”

Observing what was happening architecturally and design-wise in the horse world. “I was surprised to find out that so many equestrian facilities felt unfinished and not very well thought out as far as the human element blending with the equine usages within the stable itself,” says Knowles.

As many horse folks believe and feel in their bones, the determination to be in the barn with a horse sometimes takes priority over everything else—it’s where horse lovers want to be. Of course, the space—the home—should match the desire and be a welcoming environment for not only the rider, but also the horses. Knowles and her team even realized that canine comfort should also be taken into consideration when thinking about redesigning a stable. It’s a holistic approach that considers everything.

Thus, Equine Residences, a full-service equine facilities design firm was born to fit a need and it has lasted for over two decades, with no end in sight. What’s the secret sauce for longevity? “Keeping it fresh—always staying up-to-date with what’s attracting peoples’ attention and finding high-end and affordable solutions for every project,” says Knowles. “Research is constant and neverending. We do all the architectural drawings and renderings in house, and that differentiates us because we are the only design firm in the horse business offering that service and we are also seeking to bring the costs of every project significantly down by eliminating the fees of an architecture firm.”

Of course, you can’t lead a successful business for over two decades without learning an important lesson or two. Knowles has dialed in on the importance of genuinely listening to a client’s needs and delivering elevated results for their home’s interiors, exteriors, and horse stables that they would never have thought of by themselves.

The rewards for running Equine Residences are many, from learning something new to being able to implement the knowledge in design projects. “Realizing that we can take on any project in the equestrian space from architecture to project management to construction knowledge has created a one-stop shop within Equine Residences that is difficult to find anywhere else in the design and architecture world,” says Knowles.

In addition, the business operates as sustainably as possible. Knowles is constantly looking for new products that address sustainability for the long term. “I recently found reclaimed bricks in the Netherlands that are made from recycled building materials and can be made into nearly any color and finish—plus, they’re affordable,” says Knowles.

Currently, Knowles is designing a project for clients in the Netherlands and she’s working with a German stable supply company for a large-scale project that requires bringing many experts together. “All the parties are really excited to be working in congress and we are now planning to extend that into a secondary design, build, and supply business,” says Knowles.

Barrington, long an equestrian-focused community with proximity to Chicago, is a natural market for Equine Residences. “We love bringing our knowledge of interior and equestrian design to equestrian communities,” says Knowles. “Being near such a marvelous big city makes sourcing for projects easily accessible, and we love working toward designing and building equine residences.”

As many horse lovers can attest, riding is something that grabs hold of you and demands your full responsiveness and presence. And, in a world that is constantly demanding our attention, beckoning us to refresh our social feeds and check our emails on the regular, spending quality time with horses can help us stay in our own thoughts, where not even a knock on the door could break our reverie. Creating a meaningful and useful space with the help of Equine Residences, where you can spend time with your horses to your heart’s content, will surely be a reward that offers a return in spades.

“My favorite place to ride is anywhere with great footing and happy horses,” says Knowles.

For more information, visit equineresidences.com.