Designer insights with Kelly LaPlante

Kelly LaPlante is a self confessed dare-devil interior designer, sharing her body of work, products and design inspiration on kellylaplante.com. After studying fine art in Los Angeles she quickly realised that she was more passionate about interior design, so transferred to San Francisco State and never looked back. By 2000 she had a reputation as a sustainable design expert and further developed her eco-designs by opening a design retail store. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Kelly LaPlante.

Designer Insights - Kelly LaPlante

- Transcript -

1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?

My style is a little bit Daredevil. I like to take risks with design, push the envelop and get people thinking differently about the spaces they spend time in.

2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?

Every project is different and therefore the creative process is different every time as well. But as often as possible, I like to leave some room in the process for raw inspiration that is free of judgement or per-conceptions.

3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?

Once upon a time I worked pretty closely with the actor and director Michael Rapaport on his home in Los Angeles. At the time, Michael was known for being a typical rough-around-the-edges actor from New York. But he proved to be a very deep person in some really unexpected ways. He asked me to use the film "Barton Fink" as the inspiration for the project and made reference to certain cinematic moments that evoked feelings he wanted us to recreate. I had a lot of respect for his creative process and for the way that he collaborated as a client. It was an opportunity for me to grow a lot as a designer.

4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?

There's not a specific ritual I follow for inspiration but I do require some space, some quiet and some time for reflection. This can take place in my office over an espresso, in the car on a long solo drive or spending time in an extraordinary place with my family... I'm pretty flexible, inspiration-wise.

5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?

5) I like to be in pursuit of something at all times. It creates a fire inside of me and drives me to my achievements. Because I'm always in pursuit of something, I'm often doing and learning something new—and that is my advice for other designers and entrepreneurs. Always be learning. Never stop just because you think you've reached the top... there is always someone eager to surpass you.