“ If you can make a weary busInessman who ’ s not very Interested In InterIor desIgn suddenly become curIous and ask about thIngs , I feel we ’ ve achIeved somethIng .”
The InTervIew : Kit and tim Kemp
the customer needs . It ’ s not always easy .
Our staff is really the most important thing , and you have to train them in a certain way that they can take a negative situation and turn it into a positive one . They have to believe in your whole ethos — in a nice way , not a brainwashed way .
TK : Heart . We have heart . That is terribly important , and it ’ s really as simple as that . The more you give , the more you get back .
H : Kit , how does your design aesthetic reflect Firmdale ’ s ethos that “ hotels should be living things and not stuffy institutions ”? KK : When you are traveling you feel like sort of a mass-produced person , tumbling out of a jumbo jet into the street , and so when you arrive at your hotel , there
“ If you can make a weary busInessman who ’ s not very Interested In InterIor desIgn suddenly become curIous and ask about thIngs , I feel we ’ ve achIeved somethIng .”
– Kit Kemp on her design goals needs to be some sense of arrival and comfort . If you can make a weary businessman who ’ s not very interested in interior design suddenly become curious and ask about things , I feel we ’ ve achieved something .
H : Why do “ odd combinations make you smile ,” as you put it ?
KK : It ’ s probably just more fun . I think lots of these hotel interiors are very serious , with dark brown and gray colors and not a lot of pictures on the wall . The cookie-cutter look is something we ’ re trying to stay away from , and also , any look that looks like a brand I ’ d rather not have . Firmdale has more of a unique look , one that is tailor-made to serve our kind of people .
H : How does a room look strong or hefty , as you described in “ A Living Space ”?
KK : It makes a statement and you can tell there is a hand at work , unlike so many places today . There has to be a thread that runs through the design that is recognizable .
H : How important is location to your design choices ?
KK : The location is absolutely vital in every way , shape and form . You want the hotels to feel like they are a part of the city and environment and not planted there from outer space .
H : Do Firmdale ’ s guestroom interiors present unique challenges for housekeeping ?
TK : If someone spills a bottle of wine , I don ’ t bother to clean it . We just replace the carpet . I learned that from Ralph Lauren . I used to go to their fantastic store on Bond Street in London , and it had a grand staircase . I always wanted to be able to find a make of seagrass that would stand the test of having all these feet going up and down it . I asked the man who did all their stores for their supplier , and I was told , “ There ’ s no secret . We replace the carpet every six weeks on Sunday night .” H : What ’ s next for boutique hotels ? KK : The customer has almost seen everything these days , and I think they really do recognize quality . People want things that are tailor-made and not feel like they are off mass production .
TK : What ’ s next is all wrapped around IT with the new services and content that is out there , but that is pretty well underpinned by the basics , which is the look , the property , good service , a quality that is commensurate with the price paid , exceeding expectations of the guest — hopefully — and making improvements so that you stay up to date all the time . H : What do you enjoy most about the hotel business ?
KK : I actually kind of enjoy seeing the different types of people that come along and the way that they look and their
46 HOTELS January / February 2014 www . hotelsmag . com