Back in the ’90s, when Lenny Kravitz asked, “Are you gonna go my way?” the collective answer was generally “yes.” Flash forward to 2012, however, and an affirmative answer to the same question requires a considerable amount of energy; keeping up with the 47-year-old rocker these days includes as much time spent in studios built for designers as those built for recording artists.
In addition to his role as “Cinna” in The Hunger Games and widespread promotion of his 2011 album Black & White America, Kravitz has steadily and stealthily taken on an even more visual challenge: that of an interior designer.
His repertoire is quickly expanding; he recently collaborated with French tastemaker Philippe Starck on an updated brand icon, the Mademoiselle chair, adding a dash of what he calls “bordello modern” by integrating faux animal skins and scales for a decidedly rock ‘n’ roll effect. The chairs, manufactured by Kartell, debuted at the annual Salone design show in Milan last month.
“Ever since I was a kid I was really concerned with how my room was, even the lighting, how things were laid out,” Kravitz explained to Cool Hunting in a recent interview, “because it made me feel a certain way, made me hear music a certain way or create music a certain way, just by that feeling. It’s all about making your environment so comfortable and inspiring and sexy that you want to be creative.”
Not to be overlooked is the the ever-increasing body of work Kravitz has quietly contributed to Miami’s pulsing hotel scene over the past decade; his firm, Kravitz Design, has overseen spaces for The Delano, The Setai and others of their ilk since it was founded in 2003.
The rocker’s latest project, however, is the Goccia Three Dimensional Tile Collection via LEA Ceramiche. Said to be inspired by “moving water” and branded with the Italian word for “drop,” the 3D tiles come in black, white, matte and glossy finishes.
Although the latest album title is most likely a nod to a broader, more cultural sentiment, we have to admit, it’s a spot-on moniker for his wall coverings as well. Overall, Kravitz’s cross-disciplinary success is less than surprising, given the fact that the man’s sense of style has never been something to question.
The entirety of Kravitz’s latest design interview is available at Cool Hunting.
Photo credits: Cool Hunting and FresHome
