Honouring Forgotten Beauty – Colin King

Able to find beauty in the everyday, Colin King inspires those around him to do the same through his creative work. Whether it be designing collections or carefully arranging spaces, Colin has played a profound role in defining the style of contemporary interior design.

“Growing up, I was always fascinated with objects I would find outdoors or around my home,” says Colin King, a US-based stylist and artistic director. Today he is the founder of his own studio, boldly solidifying his position in the interiors world. He has also taken on the role of artistic director of Beni Rugs and has produced collections for Zara Home, Roman and Williams Guild, West Elm, Anthropologie, Audo, The Future Perfect and his latest, Australian linen specialist Cultiver. As well as this, he has published a book of anecdotes and visual essays, Arranging Things, sharing his deeply personal process of elevating spaces.

“I naturally found a way to weave my love of objects into my career, mixed with a sort of visual storytelling that I attribute greatly to my background in dance,” he says.

Despite his success, Colin’s creative path has been far from linear. Raised in Ohio, he trained as a dancer and worked as a personal trainer before eventually finding his way to interior styling, where he combined his long-held fascination for objects with storytelling, something inspired by his dancing past. “I naturally found a way to weave my love of objects into my career, mixed with a sort of visual storytelling that I attribute greatly to my background in dance,” he says.

Taking a distinctly pared-back approach to styling, Colin aims to make spaces feel “un-styled”. “I want the space to feel lived in and loose rather than perfect,” he explains. “I will often look for new ways to see or use existing objects instead of bringing in new items.” His work tendencies are therefore always evolving. “I tend to go in phases of loving how certain objects pair together – like the formula of a bowl, a branch and a book that offers guidelines but can be interpreted in so many ways.” In terms of a typical day in the studio, “no two days are the same and nothing about this job is typical, which is why I love it so much,” says Colin.

Taking a distinctly pared-back approach to styling, Colin aims to make spaces feel “un-styled”.

The in-demand stylist’s first ever product line – in collaboration with Beni Rugs – reveals his constant evolution as a designer and a person. “I was inspired by the challenge of doing something new. I hadn’t even considered product design until Beni came to me and asked, ‘If you were to design a rug, what would that look like?’” In terms of his hopes for the range, Colin affirms he does not create to see results; rather, he aims to make “beautiful, well-intentioned, quality pieces that I can stand behind and then put out into the world, letting go of the result.”

This genuine ethos – leaving his designs in the hands of others – extends to all of his work, including Arranging Things. “My goal for the book was for my followers and readers to discover how to compose objects into simple, sophisticated vignettes that bring new life into their homes,” he says. Being self-taught, Colin was also inspired by a desire to make design more approachable by showing how small changes can make a marked difference. “To publish Arranging Things is my way of sharing with others that they have the power to transform their own living spaces in a way that will constantly evolve.”

The in-demand stylist’s first ever product line – in collaboration with Beni Rugs – reveals his constant evolution as a designer and a person.

More recently, Colin’s collaboration with Cultiver represents his deeper exploration into the finer qualities of object design. “As an admirer of objects, I am drawn not only to how things look, but to their quality and feel, and Cultiver shares this same deep appreciation for craftsmanship,” he says. Built upon this alignment, the collection was realised out of Colin’s desire to create the ultimate linen range. “We looked to hues that transcend seasons and trends, with designs that epitomise Cultiver’s refined luxury and my aesthetic stitched within.”

Each collaboration and endeavour he pursues is grounded in learning, which is also the thing that fulfils Colin most as a creative thinker. “That could mean travelling to somewhere I’ve never been before, discovering the work of a new artist or just picking up a book. As a creative, I think it’s really important to constantly be feeding my eye things it has never seen or experienced before.”

Inspired by a love of working alongside other creatives, Colin is most proud of the cherished community he has built. In combining this love of collaboration with his lust for knowledge and his unique experiences, Colin continues to expand his studio practice while constantly broadening his craft of visual storytelling – forever reminding us of the potential of the beauty in every corner of the home.

Each collaboration and endeavour he pursues is grounded in learning, which is also the thing that fulfils Colin most as a creative thinker.