Kesha Franklin
photo by Christopher Stark
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? Belize. Belize City is the birth place of my parents.
What are three words to describe your style? 1. Tailored 2. Modern 3. Sophisticated
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? As a child my bedroom was my first intro to interior design because I would rearrange the room every summer and winter by changing the placement of my hutch. I had a porcelain doll collection and porcelain clown masks from my aunt who lived in New Orleans. They were always neatly displayed in the hutch. Learning how to rearrange items started at that time. I was very intentional about how everything was laid out in my room.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? The first investment pieces I bought for my home were lacquered art deco-inspired living room and dining room sets.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Jaime Drake, my designer crush. His work is innovative, flawless, fun, and luxurious.
No room is complete without decorative accents.
People think of me as very outgoing and extroverted, but I am really reserved and a little shy.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: Carnations
An hors d’oeuvre platter: Pepperoni
A bar cabinet: Cognac…Hennessy in particular smh lol
A song for:
Dinner at home: God Created Woman by Prince
Working at your desk: Anything by Maxwell
Going for a run: Defeated No More by Disclosure
Biggest Vice? Shopping
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? A Valentino Gown
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Absolutely. My clothing preference is tailored with pops of color and well made. My aim is to infuse style and quality in both my wardrobe and interior design.
Who is your star crush? Maxwell.
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Placing an area rug under the dining table. I think about spills and ruining the rug.
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitibility by Keith Granet.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? I want my work to be known for having a deep exploration of my clients’ living experience, while allowing the design to meet that experience and be celebrated.
photo by Rayon Richards
A Few Favorites:
Movie: The Silence of the Lambs
Book: The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkenson
Scent: Bergamot and Grapefruit
The fabric you always come back to: Chenille
Dream project: Design a Boutique Hotel
Meal: Escabeche – a Portuguese dish of fish or meat in a vinegar and Spanish paprika marinade.
Drink: Moscato Wine
Hotel: Al Qasr at Madinat Dubai
Travel Destination: Paris
Artist: Jose Parla
Thing to collect obsessively: Hats and Sunglasses
Era in the history of design: Early Modernism
Museum: The Louvre
Paint Color that always looks great: Paper White by Benjamin Moore
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Steven Furtick
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? No pets
