By Jim Servin
Jim Servin: Growing up in a family that built a very successful carpet business—did your family tend to change up carpet colors and patterns in your home? Was your childhood the carpet version of being a kid in a candy store?
Ashley Stark Kenner: I wouldn’t say we changed things up so much as we had homes in a few different locations that allowed my family to experiment with design in different settings. The Palm Beach house, for instance, was designed to be traditional modern with the directive to use as many Stark products as possible, but the Hamptons home has a more modern look with neutrals-focused design and lots of art. What really stands out in my childhood at Stark is an ingrained sense of love and respect for design and the products Stark creates.
JS: Are any parts of Stark or Ashley Stark Home eco-conscious?
ASK: Stark and Ashley Stark Home both focus on the use of natural fibers in a lot of our collections. Wool, silk, jute, linen and cotton are often used to create pieces like my Kiandra, a hand-knotted, Nepalese wool rug.
JS: What is the one home item you can’t live without?
ASK: Pictures of my family. I am a mom first and foremost. I cook almost every night, and nothing makes me happier than being surrounded by my family and photos of them.
JS: What are your current inspirations for the fall season and beyond?
ASK: We just wrapped up choosing the newest designs for my faux-floral collection with Diane James, and those designs dig into the soft lavenders of tree magnolias, as well as the comforting whites found in dogwood branches.
JS: What should Purist readers know about choosing a rug or carpet?
ASK: It is very subjective. The things that matter to me—natural fibers and cleanability—may not be what is important to someone else. I recommend identifying the “thing” that is most important to you—color, materials, shape—and going from there. I also recommend that you make sure the rug is large enough for the front feet of your furniture to perch along the edge. ashleystarkhome.com, starkcarpet.com