In January, I wrote a post called 5 Dallas Interior Designers to Watch in 2015 and Kevin Twitty of Frisco’s IBB Design Fine Furnishings made that list.
Twitty creates original, inspired interiors and shows tremendous ambition and attention to detail in his work. He seems to have an intuitive nature that helps translate a client’s wants and needs into beautiful, functional spaces that serve as the stage to create their memories.
Since I published that post, I’ve wanted to talk to Twitty and find out more about his background, influences, design process, and upcoming projects. As I suspected, he’s a genuinely likable guy with a great story, incredible passion, and a general joy of living that he brings to his work.
Twitty got his professional start following his first semester at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he was an accounting majoring. On winter break, he took a job at a small showroom at the Dallas Trade Mart helping with visual displays.
“Day one on the job was a 12-hour marathon of learning, creating, and refining new designs and it left me yearning for more,” he recalled. “When I returned home that evening and shared my day with my mother, tears started to run down her face as she told me, ‘You’ve found what you are meant to do. I’ve never seen you this happy.’”
Upon return to college, he changed his major to interior design and never looked back. That showroom job lasted for seven years.
“My time there was invaluable to my growth as a designer and I was able to hone my skills and better understand scale, space, and balance,” he said. “I’ve now spent the better part of a decade making spaces of all kinds beautiful and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Twitty’s interiors pull inspiration from a broad range of places. Topping the list is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German-American architect in the vanguard of modern design.
“Mies was a true pioneer of modern design,” Twitty said. “I take inspiration from how his modern designs didn’t overtake their environment, but complimented and accentuated the natural elements already present.”
That influence can be seen in Twitty’s talent for mixing traditional elements with modern pieces, for example, which was one of the things that drew me to his work (and also happens to be a big trend for 2015).
Another notable influence for Twitty is international super-chic designer Kelly Wearstler.
“I love how she is not afraid to take risks with her vintage/retro style, topped off with a sexy glamour,” Twitty said. “You will notice in a lot of my designs, I am never afraid to take risks. I find when you challenge a client to step outside their comfort zone, they surprise themselves and the outcome is fantastic.”
You can spot global influences in Twitty’s designs, which comes from more than textbook memorization. He is a committed globetrotter and explorer.
“I love to travel and experience cultures from around the world,” he said. “From Rome to Beijing, it is amazing how these now-modern societies are still grounded in their rich history. Seeing buildings older than many nations, but adorned with design touches still present in modern style, is truly inspirational.”
When starting work with new clients and gleaning information about their personal aesthetic, Twitty relies on perception and intuition in addition to what they tell him.
“Reading people and picking up on vibes is something that comes naturally for me,” he said. “There is so much someone’s home can tell me without that person even saying a word—where a person is from, pictures on a wall, places of travel, and even their favorite pieces of clothing.”
But what about the more challenging client? The one whose design sense is muddled or desires unclear?
“In cases like this, I show them what I feel the best direction is for them and their home—you always have to start the journey somewhere and steer toward the light from there,” he said. “If they start to push back or I pickup on a bad vibe, it’s very important to be able to adapt on-the-spot. The most important thing I try to remember is this is not my home—at the end of the day, I am creating an environment for my client to enjoy.”
That attention toward customer service earned Twitty “Best of Houzz” awards in client satisfaction in 2015 and 2014.
When I asked Twitty if he has any “go-to” pieces for his interior designs, he explained that because everyone’s home is different and style so personal, it’s almost impossible to have something specific that fits that description.
“That being said, some of my personal tastes in a space are a rug with color, a piece of art that makes a statement, and an element that connects with nature,” he said. “In a space, it can be easy to play it safe, however, I always prefer adding a pop of color or something dramatic to highlight personalities and make a design unique.”
One job that stands out as an example of work that stretched his talent and helped him grow was a “dust-to-done” project that started with a client, a plot of land, and that person’s ideas for a dream home.
“This was the first time I had started with a totally blank canvas in all aspects,” Twitty said. “It was a great learning experience and was a critical step in further advancing my confidence and skills. I took great pride in my contributions to the finished home and the interiors within, from the family room sofa to the shower tile and the exterior paint color to the fireplace surround.”
Twitty keep quite busy and is always working on projects both big and small. Currently, he’s designing the interior of a ranch house in Oklahoma.
“The client has a more traditional aesthetic, but the design I am working with them to develop is using materials and patterns in unique ways to bring an updated flair into the mix,” he said. “Keeping within their comfort zone while introducing elements more prevalent in my own comfort zone in resulting in an influenced design that is both unique and traditional.”
Staying energized is no problem for Twitty, and he said he find his work and clients great motivators.
“As I journey through life, I get inspired by much of what is around me,” he said. “Every space I work with I treat with the same level of love and devotion as if it were my own.”
To see more photos of Twitty work, check out his website or his portfolio on Houzz.
