The redesigner

It’s been a few eventful years since native Baton Rougean Kenneth Brown graduated from LSU’s Design School and set off for Los Angeles.

Brown has built a successful design practice, and he hosts his own show, reDesign, on cable’s Home and Garden Network (HGTV Channel 54 on Cox cable in Baton Rouge).

He recently paid a visit to his alma mater to talk with students about charting successful careers in the competitive world of

interior design.

We sat down with Brown (pictured above with LSU design student Michael Talbot) for an inside take on interior design.

Is there any particular site in Baton Rouge that you, as a design student at LSU, found inspirational?

You know what is so interesting? I’m actually so thrilled at what is happening in downtown. As a student, I would always drive around here and see all these run-down old buildings, all these For Sale signs. I would actually call and ask what they were asking for them. I wish I would’ve bought every single one of them. I love the idea of redevelopment, this downtown urban lifestyle.

So what would you say is the Baton Rouge aesthetic?

I tell you something: Baton Rouge has a unique design unlike any other place I’ve traveled. It’s a great mix of traditional materials

used in more of a modern way. The application of things here is so interesting. I think everybody’s very unique in their sense of style.

Can you give an example?

Let’s take, for example, the hotel I’m staying at, the Capitol House. It’s steeped in history, beautiful ornate plasterwork, beautiful

wooden window frames. It’s got all the charm and tradition, but it puts a twist on the interiors—modern lamps, modern floor material, modern lighting.

What would you say your aesthetic as a designer is?

My aesthetic is I’m always changing. I used to use words like modern or traditional. Now I use words like comfortable, friendly, inviting. It’s an emotional style more than an aesthetic style. Right now I’m all about comfort and easy living, not a lot of clutter.

So has living in Los Angeles changed your perception of Baton Rouge?

Living anywhere changes your perception of everything. People are always shocked when I say this, but people in Louisiana and Baton Rouge have better taste than people in Los Angeles. They take more pride in where they live.

What’s going on in the design world right now? What are the trends?

People got into this mid-century kick. Everything looked like something from the ‘60s. It has come in, and it’s probably going to

go out. Everything old is new again. I’m doing wallpaper that makes me think of wallpaper my grandma had.

So what’s the next big up and coming trend?

Everything is environmentally conscious design. It’s slowly catching on. People are going to start becoming more aware of it. You can make a building more healthy when you introduce green projects.

What’s your advice to young designers?

Set yourself apart. Take some chances, design-wise. Read magazines, travel. Go outside your box.

You just paid a visit to the LSU Design School. What’s your favorite LSU memory?

My best memory is pulling those all-nighters in studio class to get a project done. It was miserable at the time, but I miss it now.