With a background creating sculptural pieces and ceramics, it is no surprise that David Kaihoi would look to the interior design world for his next artistic pursuit. After moving to New York City more than 10 years ago and installing fine art pieces for interior designers, such as Miles Redd, Kaihoi’s passion for the creative expanded into a full-fledged love affair with decorating.
Here, Luxe gets the scoop on the artistic inspiration behind his latest collaboration with luxury floor coverings manufacturer Patterson Flynn Martin.
“I’ve worked with metal before, but never in combination with a soft, woven textile,” says artist and interior designer David Kaihoi of his latest collaboration with Patterson Flynn Martin. Matriarch, shown here, is one of Kaihoi’s favorite pieces in the collection.
It’s not every day that you see metal used as a rug material. Tell us about this collection and how your art inspired it.
Similar to my artwork, where I have a penchant for mixing materials, I set out on this journey not knowing where it would end up. Instead of working with pattern, I added metal plates, which was a departure for Patterson Flynn Martin, and the result is a multifunctional modern tapestry of sorts. The juxtaposing tactile combination of mediums as a decorative gesture is extremely interesting and highly unexpected.
We love the interplay of neutral tones and textures.
The materials are as raw and simple as they can be. Both the wool yarn–which was so fresh that it smelled like a country barn–and unfinished metal are as elemental as you can get, so there is a certain kind of purity to the pieces that I wanted to maintain. Not a single dye, paint or synthetic adornment was used, and that simplicity makes it approachable.
What influenced the collection’s battle-like names, such as Highly Decorated and Breastplate?
While I wasn’t beholden to designing anything traditional, this creation, for me, was grounded in historical precedent relating to suits of armor. The Arms and Armor section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is fascinating and showcases intricate metalwork on top of woven garments, so I was trying to achieve that exquisite blend of materials with a contemporary sensibility.
Favorite piece?
I appreciate them all, however I love Matriarch (shown above), because there is something appealing and powerful, yet soft about it too. It has a beautiful, strong soul that is so inviting; you’re drawn to touch it and experience its comfortability.
How do the worlds of art and interior design relate to one another?
The best part of being an artist is experimentation and the pursuit of the unknown. And alternatively, as a designer, it’s about creating with a real purpose in mind. Together, they offer the opportunity to make something new that’s inspirational with a personal, original perspective.
