Many of us know Lenny Kravitz as the musician who gave us hits such as Are You Gonna Go My Way and American Woman. While his legacy as a music icon is undeniable, the enigmatic artist has another side to his artistry.
A More Visual Legacy
In 2003, Lenny Kravitz surprised the world and founded Kravitz Design Inc., a bespoke design company focusing on commercial and residential spaces, as well as product design.
For over a decade, Kravitz Design has amassed an impressive portfolio or projects. Its clients include such top-tier names such as Swarovski Crystal (Crystal Palace Project), Kartell, Italian Ceramics Company Lea Ceramiche, Morgans Hotel Group, The Setai Group, SBE (SLS Hotels Las Vegas and Miami Beach), Rocky Mountain Hardware, and Leica Camera AG.
Projects have ranged from lavish reception areas and interiors for the 47-story residential condominium complex Paramount Bay in Miami for iStar Financial and ST Residential; to product design for a line of furniture for CB2; as well as a line of sunglasses and watches for Brazilian retailer Chilli Beans.
The main lobby at Paramount Bay Condominium, Miami Florida
Photo by Boone Speed
Paramount Bay’s Garden Room with a glass-paneled walls and interior plants
Photo by Boone Speed
A Hands-On Approach
Lenny does not linger on the sidelines of his company. He chooses to be at the frontline of the company’s projects, a considerable feat in itself, taking into account that he still maintains his “day job” as a musician, producer, and actor.
It isn’t surprising for him to be found at the site of one of his projects, going over design as well as the various finishes and furniture. Lenny himself acknowledged the fact in an interview with the online magazine, Culture+Commerce, saying “People are often surprised when I’m at the building with the hard hat on. I’m completely involved. There’d be no reason to do it unless I’m 100 percent committed.”
A Life of Creation
His personal involvement shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone acquainted with the man behind Kravitz Design. Even before he started the company, he demonstrated a strong understanding of the craft while honing his skills working on the interiors of his homes in, Miami, New Orleans, and New York.
Over the years, he has developed a signature style—one that shows his love of bold statements and masculine lines. Kravitz insists, though, that in every space, there is always an element of femininity as well.
In an article in The New York Times, he was asked about his typical bachelor pad aesthetic and how he made his spaces more family and woman-friendly. Kravitz replied, “When I say masculine, I don’t think it means only manly. It may be very bold and big, but there’s always the feminine side to it. There’s a lot of sensitivity to the space and to the way you would live in it. The main thing is comfort.”
Interiors by Kravitz Design
(Source: Press Here Now)
Drawing from Different Influences
The genius behind Kravitz’ creations stems from a myriad of sources: he has been drawn to art and design all his life, and has been fortunate to experience many unique places and cultures during his travels.
He draws inspiration from his eclectic global lifestyle, translating it into beautiful, livable spaces that have a defined aesthetic appeal such as the Instrumental Home, which Kravitz Design has created with Marmol Radziner for Revolution Precrafted. The designer prefab home is part of Revolution’s series of limited edition precrafted properties which are transportable and can be delivered anywhere in the world.
The Instrumental Home
It is that same source of inspiration that allows the designs that the company produces to adapt well to a wide range of diverse circumstances without losing anything that makes it definitively a product of Kravitz Design.
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