Colin King Always Finds The Light in His Designs

by Natasha Wolff | January 28, 2021 11:00 am

Brooklyn-based designer Colin King[1] got his start designing the Los Angeles office of a tech CEO and then turned to styling interior spaces. He styled Athena Calderone’s homes in Cobble Hill and Amagansett for Architectural Digest and has worked with designers Giancarlo Valle, Andre Mellone and Roman & Williams. A collection with Beni Rugs then followed. “Clients come to me to help them refine the unusual details and unlikely juxtapositions,” says King. “And to help them know when to let things just be. A room should arrive at a point where adding or subtracting anything would ruin the overall design.”

Colin King’s styling work for Beni Rugs at a Studio KO villa in Morocco

Colin King’s styling work for Beni Rugs at a Studio KO villa in Morocco

What are your current influences?

Books are a constant source of inspiration and I make it a priority to find local booksellers in every city I travel. Everyday ritual, pedestrian gestures and unstyled spaces inspire my aesthetic.

What are some of your favorite décor purveyors?

I am somewhat unconventional when it comes to sourcing. Instagram is a great source: it’s where I found my current sofa and nurture relationships with dealers all over the world. Online auction sites like LiveAuctioneers and CataWiki are great.

One of King’s designs for Beni Rugs styled in the Tribeca Penthouse at The Greenwich Hotel in New York City

One of King’s designs for Beni Rugs styled in the Tribeca Penthouse at The Greenwich Hotel in New York City

Is there one design element that you always incorporate into a project?

I have an obsession with lamps: floor, table, task, sconces, pendants and candles—all on dimmers. Layered lighting[2] can make or break a project. Books are another non-negotiable you’ll see in all of my projects. I love seemingly random stacks of books[3] throughout a space; they bring so much personality and charm to a space without too much distraction.

Endnotes:
  1. Colin King: http://colinking.com
  2. lighting: https://dujour.com/design/top-3-design-elements-to-create-harmonious-home-sonus-faber-lumina/
  3. books: https://dujour.com/gallery/shop-the-10-best-coffee-table-books/

Source URL: https://dujour.com/design/colin-king-interior-designer-interview/