Kit Kemp Explained

Kit Kemp
Birth Name:Judith Kit Kemp
Birth Place:Southampton, England
Spouse:Tim Kemp
Occupation:Interior designer

Judith Kit Kemp (born 1950), is a British interior designer, and founder of Firmdale Hotels,[1] a chain of ten hotels in London and New York. She is married to Tim Kemp. They were jointly awarded an MBE in 2012,[2] for services to the hotel industry and charity.[3]

Career

Kemp commenced working for an auctioneer, and then for Polish architect Leszek Nowicki. She met her husband Tim Kemp through the architectural practice in the 1980s, and together they started to develop boutique hotels.[4]

Kemp's first establishment was Dorset Square Hotel in 1985. Firmdale has 10 properties, with eight hotels in London including Ham Yard Hotel, the Soho Hotel, Covent Garden Hotel, Charlotte Street Hotel, Haymarket Hotel, Number Sixteen Hotel and Knightsbridge Hotel, and two in New York, The Whitby Hotel and Crosby Street Hotel.

Kit Kemp and her husband Tim Kemp have converted properties such as warehouses[5] and car parks into hotels.[6] In 2007, they were awarded the Crown Estate's Urban Business Award for the regeneration of Haymarket Hotel.[7] They have received press coverage for the Soho Hotel and Ham Yard Hotel[8] in London, as well as Crosby Street Hotel[9] and The Whitby Hotel in New York.[10]

She has won awards for her work including House & Garden's Hotel Designer of the Year, Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year[11] and Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Hotel in the World for Design.

Kemp has collaborated with brands including Wedgwood,[12] Wilton Carpets,[13] Andrew Martin International,[14] Anthropologie,[15] Christopher Farr,[16] Chelsea Textiles,[17] C P Hart,[18] Porta Romana and Fine Cell Work.[19]

Publications

In 2012, Kemp published her first book, A Living Space.[20] This was followed by Every Room Tells A Story[21] which was published in 2015. Her third book, Design Thread, was published in February 2019.[22] [23] Kemp has been a guest editor for Homes & Gardens[24] (UK) and Hospitality Design (US).[25]

She is a trustee of Fine Cell Work[26] and the Heritage of London Trust.[27]

Personal life

Kemp has three daughters, Tiffany, Willow, and Araminta (Minnie).[28] Willow and Minnie both work with Kemp.[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kit Kemp on why designers should stick to their guns. May 6, 2019. businessofhome.com.
  2. News: Queen's Diamond Jubilee Birthday Honours List: Firmdale Hotels co-founders and Patrick Dempsey among hospitality figures recognised . 7 November 2020 . bighospitality.co.uk.
  3. Web site: Ltd . Jacobs Media Group . Tourism bosses honoured in Queen's birthday list . 2023-07-09 . Travel Weekly . en.
  4. News: McCarthy . Fiona . Inside Kit Kemp's colour-filled pop-up at Bergdorf Goodman . 8 November 2020 . Vogue Australia . 23 May 2019 . en.
  5. News: Joyce . Tabitha . The Soho Hotel, London: More Brooklyn warehouse than Soho five star . CN Traveller.
  6. News: Top 100 Tim and Kit Kemp Firmdale Hotels . 7 November 2020 . The Caterer . 19 April 2018 . en.
  7. News: Caterer and Hotelkeeper 100 Tim and Kit Kemp... . 7 November 2020 . The Caterer . 1 July 2011 . en.
  8. News: Wogan . John . Inside London's New Ham Yard Hotel . 7 November 2020 . Condé Nast Traveler . en-us.
  9. News: 24-hour room service: Crosby Street Hotel, New York City . 7 November 2020 . The Independent . 5 March 2011 . en.
  10. News: How The Whitby Hotel is redefining luxury in midtown Manhattan . 7 November 2020 . Evening Standard . 7 October 2018 . en.
  11. Web site: Interior Designer of the Year Award Winner Profile: Kit Kemp MBE . Andrew Martin . 7 November 2020 . en.
  12. News: Brown . Simon . Wedgwood Partners With Hotelier Kit Kemp . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  13. News: Kit Kemp, Wilton Carpets create exciting carpet collection . 8 November 2020 . Hotel Designs . 24 November 2017.
  14. News: Brouwer . Lotte . 10 Autumn Interiors Collections To Get Excited About . 8 November 2020 . livingetc.com . en.
  15. News: Martin . Hannah . Kit Kemp for Anthropologie: Folklore Turned Fabulous . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  16. News: Akkam . Alia . 15 Must-Sees in Paris During Maison & Objet and Deco Off . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  17. Web site: Kit Kemp Fabrics . Chelsea Textiles . 8 November 2020.
  18. Web site: Luxury Bathroom Showrooms . www.cphart.co.uk . 8 November 2020.
  19. News: Owens . Mitchell . How One Design Company Is Empowering the Incarcerated . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  20. News: Pure Inspiration: Kit Kemp's New Interiors Book 'A Living Space' . 8 November 2020 . Harper's BAZAAR . 2 November 2012.
  21. News: Flanagan . Kristen . Designer and Hotelier Kit Kemp Shares Her Secrets for Creating Colorful and Carefree Interiors . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  22. News: Luckel . Madeleine . Kit Kemp's New Book, Design Thread, Showcases Her Eye for Color and Collecting . 8 November 2020 . Architectural Digest . en-us.
  23. News: Kit Kemp's whimsical interiors blend the classic and the contemporary . Brooke Theis . . 28 February 2019 . 25 November 2020.
  24. Web site: Kit Kemp's favourite makers – meet the key artists in her design address book . homesandgardens.com . 6 April 2020 . 8 November 2020 . en.
  25. Web site: Hospitality Design - November 2019 . www.nxtbook.com . 8 November 2020.
  26. News: Interiors: Fine Cell Work is a charity harnessing the sewing talents of prisoners to make exquisite embroidery . 8 November 2020 . CityAM . 7 April 2017.
  27. Web site: Slingsby . Alan . Brixton barrows reborn . Brixton Blog . 8 November 2020 . 16 September 2016.
  28. Web site: Kit Kemp — Annoushka UK . 2023-07-09 . www.annoushka.com.
  29. Web site: Kit Kemp — Annoushka UK . 2023-07-10 . www.annoushka.com.

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