As my regular readers know, I'm a big fan of the Firmdale Hotels group, which has recently opened The Whitby Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. I've been meeting friends in the bar and dining room for drinks, lunch or dinner regularly and everyone's been captivated by the exquisite interior design that make you feel like you're in a very stylish home, not a hotel.
Kit Kemp, co-owner and Design Director for Firmdale Hotels brings all of her signature statements to the Whitby Hotel, the newest member of the group. The dining room and bar sing with exuberant pattern, color, and off-beat artworks all bathed in ample natural light from several skylights.
Because of Kit's extravagant applications of layering color, pattern and texture there's a maximalist aspect to her interiors, Also passionate about arts and crafts there are substantial groupings of artwork, baskets, candles and ceramics all calibrated in scale and proportion that add to the maximalist effect.
If a sophisticated English country house is your style sensibility here are some inspiring ideas you can apply in your own home. Read on...
The dining room is wallpapered with oversized trees and plants making a great background for the artwork. So, at first glance it all looks very busy but the elements that pull the room together are all the picture frames are black, the same size with same color combination matting in each. The terra-cotta matting is picked up in the dining chair fabric. The bleached oak floors, dining table and console also bring the space together. The large wrought iron candlesticks are an added dramatic touch in an already dramatic room.
The dining room which is my favorite has different styles of chairs with various patterned fabrics, and the natural driftwood floor is a welcome neutral that's repeated in the white tablecloths and wall. A beautiful selection of platters all in the same style frames on the far wall have colors that are reflected in the dining chair fabrics. The huge chandelier with ivory shades makes a bold statement. The solid walls and floor play a supporting role to the various patterns in the fabrics and china platters.
Who knew woven baskets could be an art installation? A smaller group of baskets could make a similar statement in a kitchen corner, foyer or mud-room.
There are several patterns here, however the color palette is basically green, red, white and yellow - white tablecloths and keeping the art frames simple brings all the disparate patterns together.
The all-marble bathroom is a Kit Kemp signature and they are just decadently luxurious!
A fairly restrained room in terms of color and pattern - the custom-covered rail for the drapes in the same drape fabric is another Kit Kemp signature
This rustic-style room with the corner cabinet, wall mirror, dining table and coffee table all in various wood tones is relatively simple and very cozy. Can't you see yourself throwing your feet up on the coffee table?
