7.26.2019 | DIGS.NET 53
T
he sense of freshness and stylistic consistency
that infuses Kayne's boutiques and her blog Rip
& Tan (named for her kids, Ripley and Tanner)
gives vision to her new book Pacific Natural (Rizzoli),
an inspiration-rife guide featuring seasonal settings in
the designer's sumptuously designed West Coast homes,
along with cataloging all manner of advice. ese lush,
minimal vignettes have the feel of the Jenni Kayne
Home collection, a line expressed by cozy textiles,
calming neutrals and tone-setting décor. Together these
elements evoke an easy Southern California elegance
that hinges on Kayne's primary influence across all
her platforms—nature. With respect to the local landscape, Kayne says: "You hear a lot
of stereotypes and preconceived notions about Los Angeles. . .but what a lot of people
don't realize is that it's not a vast land of strip malls and mansions, but rather a dynamic
metropolis that's cultured and diverse, both in its population and its vegetation." Kayne
calls on this texture for her designs. She is not the only designer to do this, certainly, but
does seem more mindfully attuned about doing so. Her preoccupations are her practice
and vice versa. Pacific Natural argues—in the aesthetic of a gauzy, holistic dream state—a
strong case that perhaps we should entwine our lives similarly.
Few are as responsible as Kayne for the quintessential California
cool look, all flow and organic beauty with an obvious provenance. But
should one need a firmer definition of this idea, then "Pacific Natural"
hits it the head quite nicely. Consider accenting: Kayne mixes a fairy
dusting's worth of exterior elements into a kind of effortless, made-
in-the-moment milieu that one loses herself to on Instagram then
frantically tries to recreate in a space of her own making. "Whether it's
a foraged arrangement of florals and clippings, or place settings with
sprigs of rosemary or thyme, or takeaways that tie back to the meal,"
says Kayne, the work is "always rooted to what you can find outside."
e aesthetic result is grounded and soulful: lovely layers curated from
an intentional place. It is quite like Kayne to take a bunch of clippings
from her garden to the florist for an arrangement or keep things easy
and do a little decorating with available fruit and vegetables. Using
what one has, she notes, taking stocking of the scenery at hand, is the
crux of her personal ethos. One perfectly suited to these times, when
the urge to simplify is as overwhelming as it is socially responsible.
Keeping it simple is never truly easy, of course, but in reclaiming
the landscape to make life a little more beautiful, Kayne is a natural.
jennikayne.com
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