Designers Kit Kemp and Annie Selke are formidable in their own rights, but together, the fast friends—a result of their recent collaboration—have much in common: an eye for style, passion for design, and a love of color.
Kemp, who describes herself as “addicted to color, textiles, and craftwork from around the world,” opened London’s Dorset Square Hotel in 1985. This was the first of her collection of Firmdale Hotels in New York and London she opened with her husband, Tim Kemp. She further explores her much-admired meticulous and vibrant design aesthetic through her namesake lifestyle and product company Kit Kemp Design Studio. “I like a colorful and carefree look,” she says, “but this is all down to the tiniest detail being thoroughly thought through to appear artless.”
The geometric Safety Net rug is inspired by the diamond shapes of fishing nets
Selke, who is based in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, took an interest in fashion from a young age, starting with her doll’s clothes and eventually discovering her niche in textiles and interiors. As a result, she founded two brands, Pine Cone Hill and Dash & Albert, in 1994 and 2004, respectively. Selke sums up her aesthetic as a belief in “beauty, quality, style, and practicality, not pretension.”
Together, the two recently created the Kit Kemp Collection for Annie Selke, their first collaboration and a dream come true for Selke, a longtime fan of Kemp and Firmdale Hotels. Inspired by Kemp’s favorite places—New York, London, and Barbados—the collection spans 66 pieces across bedding, flooring, and benches with punchy patterns that start out subtle (New York), get brighter (London), and become a cacophony of color (Barbados). “I believe this would have always been successful but the timing of this charming collection launching as we emerge from the pandemic is particularly poignant,” says Selke.
With their similar passions and styles, it is no surprise that Kemp and Selke were able to work together so well, which in turn gave way to a close friendship. “I made a lifelong friend of Annie,” says Kemp. Adds Selke: “This partnership has been a highlight in my career.”
This article originally appeared in HD’s 2022 Product Marketplace issue.
