For interior designers Joe McGuire and Matthew Tenzin, a home is much more than four walls and a roof. It’s a place that connects you to the land you live on—a significant space at the confluence of your perfect light, sound, air, water and natural influence. Joe and Matthew specialize in high-end residential interiors in Boulder, Denver and Aspen with their firm, Joe McGuire Design. In 2017, they launched Home Within (HomeWithin.com), an extension of their firm that focuses on a holistic design approach: guided visioning and intention setting, energy clearing and balancing and healthy, sustainable practices. Earlier this year, the duo opened a new wellness space adjacent to their Boulder office. Design workshops, meditation and breathwork programs, and guided journeying classes are offered to help their team, clients and the public transform their homes into places where they feel empowered and filled with purpose. Here, discover more about Joe, Matthew and their perspective on wellness in design.
Your unique backgrounds.
Joe: I grew up in Santa Fe, in an environment full of creative people and natural beauty. Pursuing art history led to a stint at Christie’s in New York. Seeing the art and furniture collections in homes around the country opened my mind to the possibility of a career in interior design. My hippie side led me on backpacking trips and travels through Asia. With this combination, I came to view interior design as a healing art that can impact how people feel, how they see themselves and how they feel connected in the world.
Matthew: In 2008, I moved home to Colorado after five years as a Buddhist monk, living in retreat in Big Sur and studying with the Dalai Lama in India. As a kid, I wanted to be an interior designer. When I met Joe, this wish became a reality. Our travels and our backgrounds in creative and healing arts come together in our work.
How Colorado captures your creativity.
J: We love the seasons, the mountains and wide-open spaces. We feel fortunate to live close to nature while enjoying the cultural offerings of Boulder, Denver and Aspen. The Colorado lifestyle is hard to beat.
Sourcing your materials.
M: We’ve developed relationships with artisans in Colorado and around the world. We love sifting through the array of options to find pieces that have what we call “life force”—something anyone can feel if they tune into it. This comes from the intentional way things are made.
Where you travel for inspiration.
J: We love meeting with makers in New York, L.A., Milan and Paris. Milan is a vibrant and creative hub. Whenever we’re there, we notice styles, color palettes and technical innovations that take a few years before becoming widespread in the States.
One place with interiors that blow your mind.
M: The Proper, a hotel chain with locations in L.A. and Santa Monica. The interiors are by American designer Kelly Wearstler, who always pushes the envelope. Her work here is particularly earthy—California coastal with a visionary twist. The mix of vintage and custom furniture and art feels relaxed, fun and stylish.
What you’d never use in a client’s home.
J: Something toxic or really bad for the planet, such as high VOC paints. Or something aesthetically off, like LED lighting with the wrong color temperature.
A client project you wish was your own.
J: A home we’re currently working on for a wonderful couple in Boulder. It’s on Knollwood Drive, nestled against the side of the mountain, overlooking the city. The scale of the space, the quality of light and the project’s warm aesthetic that mixes modern and traditional elements appeal to both of us.
A personal décor item that’s special to you.
M: My collection of crystals, singing bowls, rattles and drums. I love having them around to remind me of harmony and connection with all things.
J: Finnish 1940s lounge chairs in beautiful elm wood, upholstered in a cozy, off-white shearling. They are petite, but people of all sizes love sitting in them.
What you want your clients to feel in their homes.
M: Grounded and peaceful. We want them to feel energetically supported in sharing their gifts—their unique medicine—with the world.
