Kevin Klein Discusses Korean Art and More

Kevin Klein, a California native, has been working in hospitality development for over a decade, collaborating with industry icons like Kelly Wearstler and Philippe Starck. He had a realization that led him to found Kevin Klein Design in 2020, where he creates spaces that inspire, with an approach that’s holistic, emphasizing construction, operations, and long-term functionality.

Early Beginnings

Klein’s first client was a childhood friend who wanted his home designed from top to bottom, a project that still influences his approach today. With an architecture degree from the University of Southern California, he gives each project a distinct identity, whether working in hospitality, residential, or multifamily design.

Klein says his favorite part of the process is when a job is complete and he sees the before-and-after photos, a moment that’s particularly gratifying for him and his team.

They find joy in seeing the transformation.

Inspiration and Projects

One of the items that inspires Klein is the Gladding, McBean Ceramics Company, which he first worked with during the restoration of the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. He’s also drawn to the Ferrari 575M Maranello, which sits at an intersection of tradition and modernity.

Klein also shares his experience traveling to Lake Maracaibo in 2012, which has stayed in his head for over a decade. He’s drawn to hotels that feel inseparable from their setting, like the Park Hotel Vitznau in Switzerland, which combines contemporary technology and amenities with a sense of honest nostalgia.

Design Approach

Klein’s approach to design is anything but style-centric, and he believes that great residential design doesn’t always need to be precious or overly composed, and that sometimes the rooms people remember most are simply the ones that give them permission to have fun.

Klein’s work demonstrates that thoughtful design doesn’t have to announce itself, and that sometimes its greatest success is simply making an everyday ritual feel a little more special.

As a designer, Klein is constantly building a subconscious library of places, colors, light, textures, and experiences, and his work reflects this.

It is a unique approach.