Having designed homes for celebrities and socialites such as Zac Efron and Kristen Bell, interior designer Kenneth Brown has set himself apart from the interior design community by creating homes that have modern details with a touch of his Southern hospitality.
Brown, a University alumnus, said his path to becoming an interior designer was not always a clear one. When he first attended the University, he was on the pre-med track, and because of an introduction to interior design course, he saw his true passion was elsewhere.
“It opened my eyes up to the career of interior design. … It’s much more about interior architecture of the home, and I fell in love with it,” Brown said.
He said the University’s interior design program is known as one of the best in the country, and some of the professors urged him forward by helping him to tackle big projects and to reach his goals as a designer. He said the knowledge and experience he received at LSU influenced the success he has today.
Immersed in the interior design industry, Brown has created a style that sets him apart from others. His blending of warm Southern style with clean Southern California lines helps create individualized residences. Brown’s philosophy is that comfort holds the key to an excellent home.
Brown is passionate about the structure of a home. He relies heavily on the use of rich colors, and he takes pride in the small details.
Brown said he feels constantly inspired by interior designers who came before him. He feels most influenced by mid-century interiors reminiscent of those seen in the television show “Mad Men.”
Brown’s work as a designer has paid off in many ways. Because of his distinctive work and popularity, he has made appearances on television shows on Fine Living Network, TLC and HGTV.
O, The Oprah Magazine featured Brown in the “Live Your Best Life” tour. Brown’s success continued to grow when House Beautiful and Western Interiors named him within their top 100 designers.
“When anyone calls you out and recognizes your work for being worthy of that type of notoriety, it makes you feel really good and makes you feel like you’re doing something right,” Brown said.
To students considering studying interior design, Brown had some words of advice.
“Don’t model your life exactly after someone else because you only will be as good as you allow yourself to be,” Brown said. “Each designer has their own voice, and when you make use of that voice, that is what’s going to bring you success.”