“I was born long ago/I am the chosen I’m the one/I have come to save the day/And I won’t leave until I’m done/So that’s why you’ve got to try/You got to breath and have some fun/Though I’m not paid I play this game/And I won’t stop until I’m done/But what I really want to know is/Are you gonna go my way?/And I got to got to know” ~ Are You Gonna Walk My Way, Lenny Kravitz
Last night I was perusing the Internet when I came across some surprising information. Lenny Kravitz is an interior designer. *gasp* Really? Fine a** Rock Star Lenny. Lisa Bonet’s ex-husband and Zoe’s Daddy Lenny. Apparently, I am tardy for the party because he’s been in the design game since 2005. Why am I just finding out about this?
Interior design is Lenny’s hobby when he’s not on the road being a rock star. He designed several of his homes which caught the attention of his friends and several notable magazines such as Vogue, Interior Design, and Harpers Bazaar. His passion lead to the creation of Kravitz Design, a New York based firm that specializes in commercial design. In interviews, Lenny does not hide the fact that he’s not a formally trained interior designer. He draws up the plans and sends them to an architect for review and approval.
What fascinates me about this information is whenever my colleagues and I talk about high-profile, successful African-American interior designers, we are always hard-pressed to name more than 10. You commonly hear about Cecil Hayes, Shelia Bridges, and Kim Myles. But Lenny Kravitz’ name never comes up. Honestly, I am not sure how I feel about Lenny as a designer. In fact, I’m not a fan of too many crossover artists. Most are not able to do it successfully. To me Lenny Kravitz, the interior designer, is like Rihanna becoming an actress. (O__0) Ok, that’s harsh. But after seeing pictures of Lenny’s work I am ready to run his way. I’m impressed. His style is bold yet contemporary. Not the rock star image initially imagined. Lenny is not the first African-American celeb to crossover into interior design. Venus Williams is the CEO of V Starr, a residential and commercial firm based in Florida. But Venus is not heavily involved in the actual design work. She “runs” the company and hired a licensed interior designer to do the real work. Hmmm. I want the world to know that I am officially accepting applications from celebrities who want to use their fame and money to open up a design firm and hire me as the lead designer. Nevermind. Here are a few pictures of Lenny’s design work.
”I’d love to design a hotel resort. It would be soulful elegance from top to bottom, not stiff glamour.” ~ Lenny Kravitz
Do you think Lenny has what it takes to become a successful interior designer? What other celebs are crossing over into interior design?
A Design State of Mind 