At our Design Studio, we have always believed that the best interiors are those that bring people together. A room should never simply be something to look at. It should invite you in, encourage you to stay awhile and, most importantly, make you feel at home. With Focus/26 at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour just around the corner, we have been thinking about the art of gathering and the role thoughtful design can play in bringing people together. Next week, Willow Kemp, Design Director at Kit Kemp Design Studio, will join India Hicks and Robert Angell for a conversation hosted by Carole Annett, Interiors Editor at Country & Town House, exploring how well-designed spaces can encourage us to switch off from the digital world and reconnect with one another.

The Heart of the Home

For us, gathering often begins in the kitchen. Gone are the days when kitchens were tucked away behind closed doors. They have become wonderfully sociable spaces: places to cook, chat, pour a glass of wine and, inevitably, congregate around an island while someone attempts to make dinner.

We love kitchens that feel layered and lived-in rather than overly clinical. Open shelving filled with colourful ceramics, artwork where you might least expect it, a patterned blind or an upholstered chair can all soften the practical elements of the room and make it somewhere you genuinely want to spend time.

Pull Up a Chair

There is something rather special about sitting around a dining table. Whether it is an elaborate dinner party or a quick midweek supper, the dining room gives us a reason to stop and sit together. Comfort is key. We love mixing dining chairs, playing with different fabrics and introducing colour and pattern around the table. Lighting is equally important. A pendant hanging low over a table can immediately create a more intimate atmosphere, drawing everyone into the same pool of light.

Banquette seating is another favourite of ours. Tucked into a corner of a kitchen or running along the wall of a dining space, a generous upholstered banquette instantly feels inviting. Pile it high with cushions in contrasting prints and suddenly that overlooked corner becomes the seat everyone wants to claim.

Rooms Made for Living

The same thinking applies to our living rooms. Rather than arranging furniture around a television, we like to think about how people will actually use the space. Sofas facing one another, a pair of armchairs pulled close to the fire and occasional tables dotted within easy reach all help to encourage conversation.

We often create several smaller seating areas within one larger room. This makes a space feel less formal and allows it to change throughout the day: coffee with a friend in one corner, drinks around the fireplace in another, or everyone squeezing onto the sofa at the end of the evening.

Ultimately, the art of gathering is about creating spaces that make people want to be together. Colour, pattern and beautiful objects may give a room its personality, but it is the people who gather within it that truly bring it to life. Willow will be exploring this idea further at Focus/26 on Monday 14th September, 11.30am–12.30pm. We hope to see you there! Find out more and book tickets here.