Minnie Kemp’s Favorite Things

Fashion

What is your everyday uniform?

• An interior designer’s job can be very physical at times: from moving large pieces of furniture to picture hanging and curtain installing, so usually I bop about in Wales Bonner X Adidas trainers and more comfortable Eckhaus Latta high waist. What’s very important is to have a drop-dead fabulous coat that elevates this relaxed look. I have a gorgeous SAINT LAURENT black floor length wool coat with silk lining that’s oversized and scrumptious with a belted waist to cinch the structured shape. I could be wearing a pair of pajamas underneath that thing and still look like the chicest person in the room.

Favorite clothing designer?

• I love the brand Loewe and their creative director JW Anderson. They are very craft focused, and I’m trying to be more sustainable in the way I shop, by buying more lifelong pieces for my wardrobe collection.
• The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize hosts an exhibition each year in Paris of 30 makers selected by an expert panel, and this year I have been fascinated by one the the finalists- a Nigerian maker, Ozioma Onuzulike, who is using clay and ash glaze with recycled glass to make wall hangings that look like textiles.
• No outfit is complete without: Bossy Nails done by Naomi Yasuda. What is your favorite travel destination?
• South America has my heart and Columbia has my soul. From Cartagena you can take a boat to Panama through the pristine San Blas islands- home to the local Kuna. This matriarchal society is famous for their bright Molas, a colorful textile art form made with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué.

What is in your carry-on bag?

• A tape measure always

Food/Drink

What is your favorite restaurant in NYC?

For breakfast

The Crosby Street hotel, best place for people watching and the best interiors

For lunch

Fish cheeks: I dream about the steamed whole fish

For dinner

The Commerce Inn or Casino

For coffee

The Neue Galerie, not to mention the best Austrian cakes!

For drinks

Double Chicken Please – get the key Lime pie

Interior Design

Do you have a favorite color that you like to see in a home?

• I like mixing clean fresh lines and rough-hewn textures with electric bolts of color. At the moment, I’m mad for organic hessian combined with vibrant hand block printed linens and up-cycled beads made from discarded papers stitched together with chunky, coloured warm alabaster lights that remind me of fresh fudge with block colors, tiger, azure and lime appliquéd against a soft bone marrow finish.
• I’m fascinated by Sonia Delaunay’s work on color theory and how by combining primary and secondary colors together you can create entirely new ones that each viewer will see differently.

What room is the centerpiece of a home?

• The kitchen is the beating heart in my home. That’s where everyone wants to be gathered around the island chopping and cooking.
• Every room must have A FOCAL POINT

Inspiring Women

What female in design most inspires you and why?

• Es Devlin is a British artist and stage designer who I’m absolutely in awe of. There is an exhibition on at the moment at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York “An Atlas of ES Devlin” which exhibits sketches, 3D models, light mapping and teenage paintings from the archive of her 30-year career. Her kinetic sculpture set designs look so simple like her signature CUBE iconography but there is incredible skill and hard work that goes on behind the scenes to create the magic.

What advice would you give women of today starting their careers (in design or not)?

• Break the rules and always push your practice, experiment and explore, make mistakes, be patient, have a routine and work really really hard, give yourself treats, do meticulous research and trust your instincts.

Entertaining

Do you prefer to be the host or the guest?

• I love hosting and cooking and setting the table whilst playing funk and soul, singing, and I usually have an audience of two dogs transfixed in case any scraps make their way onto the floor. Fragonard does wonderful hand painted placemats that are much easier than table cloths to just pop out on the table. I am working on a residential property near the outlet store in Eze so always stop in and always come out with bundles of booty! Flowers are a must, and you can find them at better prices at the New York flower market- parrot Tulips, peony’s, pussy willow and hyacinth are perfect for spring.

You’re throwing a dinner party, what are you serving?

• I love Italian food and sharing plates, so I usually have a starter with cold cuts, antipasto and delicious crusty bread with fresh green olive oil and big rocks of salt. For the main I would whip up Osso Buco with saffron-scented risotto alla Milanese. I just think it’s so decadent and delicious, scooping out bone marrow with cute little spoons I lay out! Dessert is homemade tiramisù with fresh raspberry for the hint of tart, then for drinking I’m quite obsessed with Lambrusco for some bubbles to start, then moving onto white wine Etna Bianco Sicilian style, fresh and delicious!

Entertaining etiquette everyone should know and follow?

• Always bring a bottle and never arrive early.

200 Lex

What 200 Lex showrooms are your favorite and why?

• On the 4^th floor I love British company Tom Faulkner. His designs are so contemporary and unusual. I love the bright colorful butterfly powder coated metal finishes he creates. The Hudson Company showcases some gorgeous organic wooden pieces which will immediately add grounding and strength to any interior. Julian Chichester is always a joy to visit and I love his dining tables and colorful Jesso side tables.

Your first stop when you visit 200 Lex?

• The 10^th floor antiques and vintage are so fabulous! I could spend hours here. It’s such a treasure trove, each piece is well labeled and has a QR code to scan if you need more information.

The best part of 200 Lex is?

• All my favorite resources are in one place – I can go to the Kravet showroom and find all the best fabrics- we are excited to have just launched our Kit Kemp x GP&J Baker collection with Kravet. Then just pop upstairs and source antiques, furniture and fittings. The design center also hosts inspiring events such as Women in Design, which highlights showrooms that are women led. The day was great including a map and booklet the afternoon was finished off with exciting panels curated by Luxe, Galerie Magazine, the Black Interior Designer Network, Business of Home and the Wall Street Journal.

Favorite item at Amy’s Bread?

• Hands down the pistachio croissant twist with an iced coffee.