The Heart of the Home
Meet the world-class designer known for her soulful approach to aspirational interiors.
Possibilities seem to emerge from thin air the moment Kathy Kuo enters a space. The designer, CEO, TV personality, and international home and lifestyle guru is renown for her holistic approach to decor tackling the world of interior design with heart, soul and a heaping dose of high-touch experience.
Her unique style? Classically-inspired, with a layering of influences, cultures and textures. Elegant, gracious, timeless, soulful and heart-opening.
Growing up as the daughter of a diplomat who relocated often, Kuo gained an early love for turning each new house into a home—often with personal touches and meaningful objects from travels. Kuo notes that these early years were when her appreciation for good design and high-quality products was first born, before her passions blossomed into a full career.
“The spaces I create and fall in love with most are bright, fresh, and of course, aspirational,” Kuo says. “I enjoy layering in unexpected elements, and look for a heart-opening nuance that can take a bit of European, Moorish or Asian influence, and make it smile inducing.”
The Love Where You Live ethos of Kathy Kuo Home and Kathy Kuo Designs is deeply personal to the designer. Instead of pushing one specific aesthetic on her clients, Kuo understands that each set of design goals are different.
Her process is centered around nurturing the customer relationship, and embracing and elevating the personal style in each individual area.
A quick scroll through the dreamy @kathykuohome Instagram provides only a glimpse of the monumental work that goes into creating a finished space. Even so, it appears as though creativity is never in short supply for Kuo and her team.
So where does the designer derive her ideas? Kuo’s inspiration can best be understood by taking a step outside of everyday life.
“I’ve always found so much inspiration through my travels and the different cultures that I’ve been fortunate enough to experience throughout my life,” Kuo says.
While modeling in Milan, Spain and Germany after college, Kuo found herself entranced by the design cultures surrounding her.
“I was captivated by their history, and how their architecture and interiors were a reflection of their foundation and life values at the time, whether it be their religion or their rulers,” Kuo says. “They told their stories through art and the beauty that they built around them, many of which are still standing today.”
Kuo adds that another longtime influence is the memory of the artisan craftsmanship she encountered during her stint in product development.
“From Morocco to Portugal, to Cebu and Hanoi,” Kuo says. “Each filigree, brass dome or hand-woven rush seat tells a story of material integrity, creating beauty passed down through generations of artisans, tradesmen and cottage industries.”
During lockdown, proximity was a key factor in Kuo’s brainstorm process.
“I found inspiration from things close to me,” Kuo says. “Even something as simple as textiles. I love to comb through fabric websites for captivating patterns, color or textures to see what it inspires.”
But, sometimes, even the world-renowned designer is just like anyone else—turning to her phone, and apps like Pinterest and Instagram, to spark creativity.
“There are so many wonderful designers and artists out there, and now we have the ability to openly share our projects, milestones and support for one another in real time,” Kuo says. “It’s truly proven to be such an uplifting community.”
And milestones she has. Kuo notes that some of her proudest moments include her first sale, the inception of the brand in 2012, and the process of scaling a team and operations through the height of the pandemic without the erosion of culture, values or principles.
“There have been so many highlights throughout this journey,” Kuo says. “Every quarter and year since inception feels like an ever-iterative learning of self-reflection and growth.”
But the momentum isn’t slowing any time soon. The designer like a true visionary understands the important balance between retrospection and forward-thinking. Ideas flow like water for Kuo, who is already
kneedeep in her next creative project.
“I’m proud and excited to be back to my original roots, designing proprietary collections with our brand partners,” Kuo says. “I can’t tell you how intoxicating it is to get back to my original love of product and design after so many years of creatively building a team, but not a truly tangible product. This experience has reinforced my longtime love for material integrity, sustainability and traditional craftsmanship.”
