Skip to Main Content
Advertisement
Advertisement

Some of our favourites from the collection redefining contemporary arts and crafts

Kit Kemp, co-owner and creative director of Firmdale Hotels and principal of her namesake design studio, has a knack for pattern-punching styles.

With inspiration from New Fort, a national park in England where she spends her summers, Kemp’s latest collection with Annie Selke draws on historic references and personal memories as inspiration. It consists of earthy hues, nature-inspired motifs and handcrafted details, including hand appliqué, embroidery and cutwork.

Here are a few of our favourite pieces.

kit kemp collection
kit kemp collection

Knight Wood Cutwork Coverlet

This coverlet is designed with lightweight quilting and kantha stitching. The cutwork is reminiscent of a modern take on lace, equipping any room with a costal vibe. 100% cotton and handmade in India. Available in three colourways and in a variety of sizes. From $638, at Annie Selke.

kit kemp collection
kit kemp collection

Spring Bush Embroidered Decorative Pillow

Hand-embroidered with a kilim-inspired design with traditional Anatolian motifs, these decorative pillows bring a warm and eclectic feeling to any space. Made of soft-boiled wool, these decorative pillows are available in two colours. $324, at Annie Selke.

new forest
new forest

Drift Appliqué Delft Decorative Pillow

Inspired by the wild horses that roam free in England’s New Forest, the elegant subject matter, clean design and pops of colour of this decorative pillow will liven up any space. Made of 100% linen with 100% cotton appliqués. $224, at Annie Selke.

new fort
new fort

Button Rug

Made of naturally stain-resistant wool, this hand micro-hooked rug’s design puts a bubbly twist on the classic striped rug. Fun yet sophisticated, the rug comes in four colourways and a variety of sizes. From $194, at Annie Selke.

new fort
new fort

Natural Freida Rug Bench

The quintessentially Kit Kemp Freida Rug Bench is constructed on a mango wood leg base and features two new patterns – Rufus Stone Natural and Jelly Roll Sky, made of a flatweave kilim rug. These benches combine farmhouse-style motifs with chic diamond and pyramid textures and patterns. Available in two sizes. From $698, at Annie Selke.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Okay, but it clearly is

For the first 16 years of my life, the bat cave at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)—a reconstruction of an actual cave in Jamaica—was among my favourite places in the city. The cave was decorated with cast stalactites and wax bat models, which hung from the ceiling and threw jagged shadows on the walls. A few other features imbued it with spooky verisimilitude: the drip-drip-drip sound effects, the mirrors arranged to create the illusion of infinite depth, the strobe lights strategically placed to make the shadows flutter. When I visited as a five-year-old, the bat cave scared me. When I visited as a stoned fifteen-year-old, it scared me even more. Then came the renovation.

Advertisement

Newsletter

Your Weekly Dose of Modern Design

Sign up for the Designlines weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest design news, trends and inspiring projects from across Toronto. Join our community and never miss a beat!

Please fill out your email address.

The Magazine

Get the Latest Issue

From a sprawling family home in Oakville to a coastal-inspired retreat north of the city, we present spaces created by architects and interior designers that redefine the contemporary.

Designlines 2024 Issue