(SH): So what was the ‘aha moment’ that finally nudged you toward interior design as a career?
(CK): Decorating our first production office. I was given a tiny budget, but instead of going out and just buying used office furniture, I wanted to give it character. I bought all these enamel-topped desks, as well as some old farm tables that I turned into desks by lacquering the legs. That small amount of money I had to decorate the office was more exciting to me than working with an entire film budget in my production job.
(SH): How would you describe your personal decorating style?
(CK): It’s maximalism but in a more floral-like, indoor/outdoor way—not too shiny or too luxe. I was raised in a rather magical house in Palm Beach. It had been an old church that was defined by its whimsy and had an almost pioneer spirit. There was so much soaring soul, character, and beauty with lots of pergolas and porches. That, along with my mother’s love of collecting and buying distinctive furniture pieces, fostered my appreciation for whimsical, eclectic, feminine design. The possessions we surround ourselves with represent memory and beauty. What excites me is that I can fall in love with a lot of different things and try to bring them together in a way that has its own cohesiveness.
