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Fusion Focus
By Emily M. White
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| Interior designer Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors.
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Somewhere in between Palm Beach and New York interior designer Celerie Kemble finds her inspiration
Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors in New York does not follow what is trendy. Instead of materializing the “à la mode” when designing a space, the Palm Beach native believes if you stay true to the personality of the client, there are no “ins” or “outs” when it comes to décor.
What are the key ingredients to creating a successful design?
“A client’s personality should be the lens that informs every design choice. It’s about figuring out if the recipe is for a pot roast or a delicate fish dish. You need to figure out the homeowner, then add spices and flavoring like textures, color and finishes, and dashes of one-of-a-kind pieces.”
Are more influences from New York or Palm Beach in your work?
“I find that Palm Beach is like a suburb of New York because in many cases, they involve the same people. I have a Palm Beach perspective where spaces are pretty, livable and friendly, but I get my new ideas from living and working in New York. The dazzling array of media input and fashion inspire my color schemes and materials. But the ethic of what a home should be is Palm Beach—the gracious, open-doored and family oriented feeling.”
Favorite Things
Piece of furniture: A Parisian apothecary cabinet from about 1910 with six arched doors that I made into a closet.
Piece in your wardrobe: Right now I am nine and a half months pregnant, so I’d have to say it’s this blueberry “oompa loopma” dress from H&M because it’s my only option.
Meal: The Pappardelle Alla Fiesolana at the Bar Pitti in the West Village has cream and bacon, and this sweet, tangy tomato sauce.
Scent: Jo Malone Orange Blossom or my
mother’s perfume that was discontinued,
but we stocked up on a lifetime supply.
Alternative occupation: A frustrated art teacher with Attention Deficit Disorder. |
What’s your favorite project ?
“My newest delight is the large-scale commercial space that I just finished. I designed the lobby, amenity space, lounge and gym for a condo building on the upper west side of Manhattan. It is the first time I have designed something for everyone to use rather than for personal use. I like to keep things warm, cozy and homey, and because it was for a community space, it was easier to take textural and material risks.”
What’s next for you?
“I have a few projects in line: bedding with Beacon Looms, fabric with Schumacher, a self-named book and a line of contract fabrics with Valley Forge made from recycled and recyclable material called FRESH—Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards for Hospitality.”
Describe the moment you realized that you wanted to be an interior designer.
“After college, when I was a film producer for about two years, I spent nights and weekends shopping markets and antique stores to decorate my friends’ apartments. I realized that I was spending all my free time still working—and no one could keep me from decorating their apartments.”
Resources
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