Talk shop: Kylie Bass // KKB Interiors

About Kylie

Kylie Bass has always had a passion for homes and beautiful spaces. This passion, combined with her artistic aptitude and creative foundation, inspired her to pursue a career in design. Before opening her firm, KKB Interiors, in 2018, Kylie apprenticed for a number of prestigious interior design firms in New York City, where she was exposed to a wide network of vendors and artisans and given a chance to infuse her vision and refine her craft.

Kylie gravitates towards clean lines and organic shapes. She loves layering different textures and materials, and integrating contemporary and vintage pieces. She has a natural ability to connect with and understand her client's goals and in turn design timeless, functional interiors that reflect their lifestyle. She truly believes it is so important to come home every day to a place you love. Since the launch of KKB Interiors, Kylie’s projects have included homes in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and the Hamptons. Kylie lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

We love Kylie’s approach to cozy, modern spaces. Follow along as we learn more about her design philosophy in our latest Talk Shop — enjoy!

Describe your style in three words or less:

Thoughtful, functional, personal

What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:

Traveling, which made me fall in love with warm, Old World details and vintage pieces with a story; the way I was raised, where meaningful things always mattered more than shiny new ones; and becoming a mom, because it deepened my understanding of how important it is to create spaces that feel lived-in, layered, and full of heart more than I had realized before.

How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:

How I started my company is kind of intertwined with how I got into design. Growing up, I was always more of a creative, artistic person, but I assumed that pursuing a “creative” career in your 20s meant something like “creative thinking.” So after college, I went into advertising, most recently working on the sales marketing team for the Today Show, and I truly loved my job. My boss was incredibly motivating, and the women on my team were amazing. A lot of people switch careers because they’re unhappy, but for me, being in such a positive environment actually gave me the clarity to realize that the industry wasn’t right for me long term. It helped me figure out what I wanted next.

At the same time, I had always been obsessed with homes. Part of my morning routine (and still is!) was reading Architectural Digest and scrolling realtor.com just for fun. In hindsight, it’s funny that this career path didn’t click sooner. After many conversations with industry vets, my fiancé at the time (now husband and father of our two kids) encouraged me to take the leap. I worked for a few firms, learned a lot about who I wanted to be as a designer, gained confidence in my process, and eventually decided to start my own business. I haven’t looked back.

What I love most about what I do is the relationships. Design is such a deeply personal process -- you really get to know a family and understand what their goals and needs are. Being able to deliver something that not only meets but exceeds those expectations is the most rewarding feeling. There’s truly nothing better than helping someone feel like their home is theirs.

Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory?

When I first decided to start my own company, my mother-in-law, Stacy Bass (an incredible home and gardens photographer), connected me with designer Jennifer Smokler, who was looking for an assistant on a 10,000+ sq. ft. project she had just taken on. Over the course of the project, Jennifer and I developed a wonderful and rare relationship. She not only led by example and taught me so much about the industry (more than she’ll ever know) but also made space for my ideas and asked for my opinion, all while helping me get my business off the ground in tandem.

I’ll always be grateful for her guidance and support. When I was first starting out, I didn’t always feel a strong sense of camaraderie among designers (though that has changed since!), and Jennifer was the first person who truly made me feel differently. I now try to channel her energy in how I operate both in my business and when asked for career advice.

What does your home say about you?

That my style is always evolving! I just really love design and have an appreciation for so many different styles. Every other day I fall in love with a completely different aesthetic. Honestly, it's why I feel lucky to have clients with such a range of tastes because it lets me channel that ever-changing inspiration into their homes instead of constantly redecorating mine.

Where do you find inspiration?

Where don’t I find inspiration! Vintage shops, design publications, interiors books, getting coffee in the morning, Instagram, traveling… I’m always taking things in.

Who are your style icons:

Honestly, Diane Keaton and my daughter.

What are your key ingredients for entertaining:

Layered tablescapes, beautiful floral arrangements, and having too much food.

Do you collect anything?

Coffee table books. It’s a problem. And I can’t travel without finding at least one small vintage vessel or trinket to take home. If you know me, you know I crave pieces that hold a memory or tell a story.

Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:

@fredericmagazine, @degournay, @archdigest, @galerieprovenance, @amymeierdesign, @jakearnold, @moncxiii, @getthegusto, @patrickahearnarchitect, @roseuniacke, etc. etc...

What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken?

Use performance fabrics on family room sofas -- comfort and practicality should never be an afterthought. But don’t treat your home like a museum. Homes are meant to be lived in and enjoyed, and the best ones reflect the real lives happening inside them.

What are you working on right now:

Multiple forever homes for clients. It’s the best!

Wardrobe staples:

Mock-neck sweaters, high-waisted straight-leg jeans, and pieces that are simple, not too fussy, and easy to throw on but still feel pulled together.

Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
It’s hard to pick favorites, but I love everything from Rose Tarlow, Rose Uniacke, and Chelsea Textiles.

Best interior advice you ever received:

Design for how people actually live, not just how it looks. Every home should tell the story of the people in it (not the designer) and the most meaningful spaces are the ones that reflect real life. Trust your gut, let the space evolve, and don’t get too caught up in doing things the “right” way. There’s no single formula for great design, and that’s the beauty of it.

Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest in pieces that speak to you or that you’ll use often. That answer is different for everyone, but in this industry, you usually get what you pay for. And always buy vintage when you can -- it adds soul and character. I tend to save on accessories.

Your greatest extravagance:

Massages. It’s my ultimate me time.

Favorite places to shop for home:
1stDibs for vintage and made-to-order statement pieces, local vintage shops and flea markets, bookstores, and local artisans for bespoke items that support small businesses and add something truly personal to a space!

Most prized possession and why:
My kids. They’re pure magic, and every day I’m amazed that they’re mine. And my husband because he’s my biggest cheerleader, my sounding board, and the most supportive partner I could ask for. Plus, he helped make those amazing little humans, so he definitely earns a spot on the list.

Your interiors motto:
Be honest, warmhearted, and REAL. It’s the only way I operate and the reason I’ve been able to grow my business. Without trust, there’s no successful outcome, especially in this industry where design is such an intimate and personal process.

Your life motto:

Be kind to everyone.

Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
DON'T. Lean into what you love and don’t feel like you need to label it. There are so many ways to connect different styles in ways you might not expect. That’s one of the things I love most about what I do: helping people reframe how they think about their homes and, in the process, create something truly special and personal.

Take Ten: My Favorite…

Food: Pasta. Any and all pasta.

Drink: Wine. Any and all wine.

Film: The Holiday or Something’s Gotta Give (I see you, Ariel ;) lol)

Hotel: The Ritz Paris

City: New York (AM I CLICHE?!)

Bedding: Right now I’m loving Parachute

Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee! Usually iced with skim or oat milk.

Playlist: 2010s Country Hits. The best!

Weekend Activity: Going out east with our kids. My husband and I met and got married out there, so any opportunity to be there with them is when I’m the happiest.

Design Book: Interiors: Atelier AM and Houses: Atelier AM – Alexandra and Michael Misczynski are my ultimate design idols. I think their approach to design is absolute perfection.