Kathy Kuo, the Interior Design Powerhouse Who’s All About the Career Pivot
I always try to get people gifts that they typically wouldn’t buy for themselves, like one-of-a-kind items, unique conversation starters in the serveware or barware category, or just exquisite tabletop decor or flatware. For items that come in sets, I always gift 8 or 10 so they don’t have to replenish the set on their own. Of course, I shop the KKH site! We carry more than 100,000 items, so regardless of who I’m shopping for, I know there’s always an amazing option.
What’s your typical email sign-off?
It depends who I’m emailing, but my team and friends call me KK, so that’s usually how I sign off!
If you weren’t doing your current job right now, what do you think you’d be doing?
Traveling and cooking. Is that even a job? [Laughs.] I would love to learn about every culture’s food, whether it’s Asian, Middle Eastern, Scandinavian—food culture tells so much about the rich history of the people. I would love to be an apprentice under a master chef and just learn, ingest, digest, and consume gorgeous food cultures.
How did you first get into interior design? And how did you make the jump to CEO?
I’ve been drawn to interiors for as long as I can remember. When I was a child my family moved around a lot; my father was a diplomat, so we were frequently relocating between Asia and the Americas. I loved creating new homes everywhere we went and integrating new meaningful objects from my travels. This instilled both an appreciation for good design and a love of unique, high-quality products at a young age. This passion led me to the Rhode Island School of Design, where I majored in industrial design, and later into television, with appearances on home renovation shows like Rowhouse Showdown and Knock First. After that, I worked designing and developing furniture and textiles for a luxury importer. I spent a few years in the interiors space working for brands like Assouline Books and Bed, Bath & Beyond. The experiences, insights, and understanding of product design, manufacturing, and global distribution later became the building blocks of Kathy Kuo Home. When the online boutique started to grow larger than I could manage with another job, I took the jump and went all in, launching Kathy Kuo Home in 2012.
You don’t have to name names if you prefer to keep anonymity, but who do you consider your first big client or “get”? The one that felt like, “I’ve really made it”?
I’ve had the privilege of working with so many amazing clients over the years, it’s hard to name just one! Looking back—from the official launch of the company in 2012 to the opening of our flagship retail location this past summer, and all of the moments in between, those are what have made me feel like this brand has really made it.
One thing that has been truly special has been the development of our first-ever proprietary collection. At the start of my career, I focused on product design and development. It was an experience that really reinforced my love for interiors and good craftsmanship, so this project has brought me back to my roots. It’s also brought us to places we haven’t been before, having to take on risks operationally and logistically that you just don’t experience as a drop-ship retailer.
What specific pieces or design styles do you find yourself gravitating toward for yourself and your clients right now?
I am loving beautifully crafted murals at the moment. It’s incredible how they can truly transport you to another place or feeling, even in your own home. I just added a Susan Harter mural to my entryway foyer this spring, and I’m transported into another world!
Anna Moeslein is the deputy editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @annamoeslein.
