Kristyn Harvey Interiors was born from a love of family togetherness and a desire to reduce the friction in daily life. Kristyn’s philosophy is to compose efficient home spaces that also feel like a breath of fresh air; spaces that reduce the number of steps it takes to get things done, allowing you to devote time to your passions. As a full-service residential design firm specializing in home renovations and furnishings, she acts as the eyes, ears and hands during the entire renovation process; aiding with challenges ranging from creation of design plans, curation of reliable design-build teams and space planning, all the way to custom furniture design. Kristyn is known for her light-filled rooms, natural textures and love for vintage furniture. Taking great pride in incorporating your family heirlooms and children’s art in a modern way; her hopes are that your house acts as an extension of your family, a warm hug that greets you when you come home. Learn more about Kristyn and her designs in today’s Designer Friday.
This sun-filled playroom mixes rattan kids’ chairs, a curved craft table and cozy built-in window seats layered with pillows, creating a relaxed and inviting space that’s perfect for both playtime and quiet moments.
Andrew Joseph: How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your designs?
Kristyn Harvey: I think functionality always comes first when it comes to the floor plan of the space. We always start by making sure the flow through the house makes sense and that pathways are wide enough. We plot out major furniture pieces or appliance locations first, keeping in mind our clients’ preferred workflow through a space. Once we are certain the flow makes sense, we focus on aesthetics.
AJ: What is your favorite design element to incorporate into your projects?
KH: Hands down, custom cabinetry. We love taking an idea out of our minds, putting it on paper and collaborating with different trades in order to get them made. Our custom cabinetry designs are the base on which the rest of the room is built.
Rich textures and tones define this kitchen, where warm leather stools, a dramatic dark island and brass fixtures are grounded by a stone backsplash and arched hood, bringing a timeless yet elevated feel to the space.
AJ: What is your favorite type of space to design?
KH: Definitely kitchens! Kitchens are the heart of the home and where everyone congregates at the end of the day. I love that every kitchen has the same major appliances but that the layout, functionality and aesthetics can vary so much. You can also infuse so much creativity into the cabinetry design and organizational layout, it’s so much fun!
AJ: What’s the weirdest thing a client has ever asked you?
KH: To make sure everything in the design accommodated their robot vacuum cleaner! To be honest, this was actually a very practical suggestion because they both had very busy lives, kids and pets, so they wanted to make sure they had a low-maintenance house. We had to make sure furniture was either fully touching the ground so no dust would get trapped under it or make sure there was at least 4” clearance underneath beds and sofas so the Roomba could fully clean underneath it.
Kristyn cleverly transformed an unused corner into a curated moment, layering earthy textures, sculptural pottery and eclectic wall art to create a space that feels intentional and artfully composed.
AJ: What’s your design pet peeve?
KH: Backlit vanity mirrors — I’m sorry, but they look very builder grade and just do not provide the most flattering lighting. The lighting also tends to be very bright white and is not functional for putting on makeup.
AJ: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
KH: A large historical cottage or Tudor-style home with owners who wanted to keep all the historical charm while breathing new life into the entire home. I love old homes with character and love to modernize the functionality of the home for the new family living in it.
Photography by James Furman Photography.
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