Specializing in American country and primitive furniture and accessories, Kevin Corn is a talented expert in interior design. After graduating with an Art History degree from Sacramento State University, the Northern California native took a summer job at the Ralph Lauren store in San Francisco to further learn the ins and outs of home design. Working there for nearly twenty years, he worked his way up to their Creative Services Division, where he was responsible for the design and décor of many of the Polo stores and showrooms. After leaving Ralph Lauren, he took a job at a design firm in Los Angeles - only for it to fall through. This inspired him to take a leap and open a business of his own.
“I just fell into it,” Corn shares, explaining he never planned to open his own business. “Out of the blue, the day after the job fell through, I got a phone call from someone who I had met in Aspen, Colorado… he and his wife had bought a house and were wondering if I would be interested in making it look great.”
This job was only the start of what was to become a successful and fulfilling career for Kevin; after starting his own firm in Los Angeles, Kevin Corn Design, he began furthering his presence and work in Aspen in addition to Southern California. Sharing that he enjoys styling homes based on the location and architecture of the space, his personal approach stems from his remarkable ability to marry his client’s practical needs with their desires and memories of how a home should feel and function. When clients walk into their freshly designed home, it is Kevin’s goal that they think of themselves, their family, and their memories rather than think of him. Working in multiple styles from contemporary to luxury to rustic, Kevin’s website highlights the multiple styles of work he has done for clients.
In 2019, Kevin relocated to Music City where he has since expanded his clientele and further familiarized himself with southern design. In October of 2023, he opened an antique and vintage shop in a restored Victorian house in East Nashville that aims to provide clients, and the design trade, interesting one-of-a-kind pieces. While Kevin’s personal style focuses on vintage Americana, his shop features items with traditional, southern style, but shares only a glimpse inside his catalog. Utilizing the space as a spot to create community, he also offers up the shop for events and pop-ups for other designers.
Kevin’s relationship with his clients is something he truly values, and it speaks volumes that his clients continue to want his expertise and advice when it comes to designing additional homes. Helping his clients achieve their vision of their dream home is not only fulfilling to Kevin, but a dream of his own. He recalls a moment earlier in his career when he was on his hands and knees adjusting a rug underneath a couch for a client’s home - in that particular moment, he had an epiphany that this was what he was meant to do. Not only is he grateful for his clients trusting in his work, but also for the lasting friendships he has made with them along the way.
“I’ve watched [clients’] kids grow up - I’ve gone to graduations, birthday parties - it’s great to have that shorthand vocabulary with clients you’ve worked with for a long time over the years,” he shares.
In addition to his patience and knowledge when customizing pieces for a client’s interiors, Corn takes pride in completing projects timely with financial responsibility and transparency. For more information on Kevin Corn Design or to view a portfolio of his work, visit kevincorndesign.com.
Visit Kevin Corn Interior Design shop Monday-Friday, or by appointment, at 820 Meridian Street, Nashville, TN and follow along @kevincorndesign.