CULTIVATE: Before branching out on your own to start foley&cox, you both worked at Polo/Ralph Lauren for many years, together forming Ralph Lauren Interiors. What from this experience do you use in your residential designs today?

MICHAEL COX: Ralph Lauren is the master of lifestyle development—so we incorporated the brand’s philosophy into our own design philosophy, which we describe in one word: appropriateness. It has three important parts, which we use to approach each and every project. First is acknowledgement and respect of the location, whether it’s a city, beach, or farm. Secondly, a respect for the exiting architecture; we use only components that complement it. And finally, a very careful attention to how the client lives and wants to entertain in the space.