Creative Mind: Kit Kemp
Hotel interiors cultivated by the British designer stand out for their unbridled enthusiasm for color and pattern
In a sea of hotels awash in tranquil neutrals, the interiors cultivated by British designer Kit Kemp stand out for their unbridled enthusiasm for color and pattern. Each joyous environment she conjures, especially in her Firmdale Hotels, including The Whitby in New York and Charlotte Street in London, is a dynamic compilation of expressive textiles, exuberant artworks, and artisan furniture and lighting. Another compelling part of breaking the hospitality mold comes from her dedication to craft, which extends to her work with Dovetail, an organization supporting British makers. Beyond her collection of boutique hotels, she has collaborated on a plethora of products, including tableware with Spode, lighting with Porta Romana, and fabrics with Kravet and GP&J Baker, the latter unveiling a new assortment during Paris Déco Off in January. The whole of her eclectic vision is celebrated in her fifth monograph, Kit Kemp: Design Stories (Rizzoli).
Maker’s mark: “We always say you’ve got to have the five Cs, which are character, comfort, craft, curation, and color. I like to use smaller craftspeople, artists that are coming to the fore, maybe not that well known, and then guiding them in a way.”
Up next: For a new hotel she is developing near the British Museum, Kemp is channeling the neighborhood’s history of female pioneers. “It’s fun to get that historical content and build from it.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Spring Issue in the section “Creative Minds.” Subscribe to the magazine.