Design stories
Kit Kemp creates textiles that illustrate enchanting stories, such as these Winged White Rhino armchairs.
Be bold with a mix of patterns, using a base color to connect all the elements.
As Kit Kemp says, every room tells a story. She sees “making use of interesting creatures, textiles, art and objects, and using them in a creative way,” as part of her job. Her impressive career as one of the U.K.’s most unique designers for her upscale boutique Firmdale Hotels and fabulous homes in the U.K. and the U.S. demonstrate how Kemp’s daring and inquisitive character never rests. It’s an exciting ride to visit rooms that Kemp has designed. I venture to say that you will have seen nothing like these spaces that combine bold and whimsical fabrics with quirky elements and color and pattern mixes.
In Kit Kemp’s magnificent book “Every Room Tells a Story,” with stunning photography by Simon Brown, published by Hardie Grant, the author shares her secrets and introduces us to many of the talented artisans whose work she reveres. There is always something that draws you in and keeps your eye moving. A series of unique lamps made from old plastic bottles with woven raffia shades hang in a hotel bar. Large marbles decorate a wrought iron balustrade in a foyer. Two benches, one sitting on top of the other, becomes a bookcase. A picture meant to hang on a wall is transformed into a tabletop.
Kemp says that “anything can be a feature if framed properly,” and she illustrates this point repeatedly, as everything from art to fabric to bowling shoes takes center stage. Transparent acrylic box frames are a favorite, but any material from ornately carved antiques to distressed wood frames decorated with seashells, buttons or iron hinges has been employed. Kemp has also used old mobile phone cases, printing press letters, belts and buckles. The list goes on, and Kemp concludes that the stranger the artwork (or object to be framed), the more inventive the frame.
Kemp has modernized the British look for comfort in traditional homes by making them bright and cheerful with an eclectic mix of fabrics. Comfort is a priority for Kemp, and you will see that her sofas and chairs are plump and inviting. Whatever the upholstery fabric, it must be soft and pleasing to the touch. There should never be a “hands off” feeling to anything in a room that is meant to be lived in and enjoyed. A riot of patterns proliferates in the drawing room shown here, but rather than fight each other, they each add a special note to the overall picture. Blue is the base color, while pink makes the colors pop. I counted 12 individual patterns throughout the drawing room and adjoining master bedroom, textiles designed by Kemp, who admonishes us all to be brave and let our spirits soar.
Folk art is a vibrant theme that runs through Kemp’s work. She explains that “folk art covers a multitude of skills, from painted ceramics and decorated travel chests to intricately woven bed linens and pictures. They have all been made with gentle hands and big caring hearts. They have soul.” Kemp has designed a collection of furniture and wallpaper for lifestyle and fashion retailer Anthropologie. Her favorite piece is the Winged White Rhino armchair with flying monkeys dancing around the bright orange base and contrast piping in bright blue. The White Rhino, an endangered species, has wings to save it from its enemies. In the sitting room shown here, these delightful chairs are surrounded by richly textured woven rugs, some used as throws, and above the mantel, a custom frame with a hinge detail.
Kit Kemp’s thoughtful, playful and bold style is highlighted on each page of her book, accompanied by words that explain how she and her talented group formulate design plans and the art of pulling together a room that is unforgettable, yet inviting and comfortable.
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