Kenzie Leon Perry: Artist + Interior Architect
Introduction to Kenzie Leon Perry. 1:21 min. Interview: Raymond Elman. Post-Production: Sidney Peralta. Video log: Katherine Miranda. Music: half.cool. Recorded via ZOOM 9/21/2022, Miami.
KENZIE LEON PERRY is an interior architect and the creative Director of Ze Haus Design Studio. He is also a visual artist and product designer, creating wallpaper and fabric collections for his brand.
Ze Haus is a commercial and residential design firm which specializes in wallpaper, custom area rugs and home decor. The design studio focuses on bringing awareness to black-owned, minority businesses and designers of the diasporas.
Perry’s design aesthetic, coined “Tropic Art Nuvo,” is inspired by the tropics with emphasis on artistic elements such as hand painted murals and custom wallpaper designs, blended with eclectic styling featuring bold colors, prints and patterns.
The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.
EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 2:26 min.
Where did you grow up, and what was your first awareness of art of any discipline?
VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 2:17 min.
What motivated you to study interior architecture?
VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 1:35 min.
Did you complete your education at Miami-Dade College and then enroll at Florida International University (FIU)?
CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND: 0:26 sec.
Does your talent for music impact your design work?
STRONG DRIVE FOR ACHIEVEMENT: 2:17 min.
What was the first significant job you had after completing your education at Florida International University?
UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART: 0:55 sec.
Does each Sandals resort have its own unique flavor based on location and culture?
SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES: 1:52 min.
Did you have a pivotal moment when you said to yourself, “I could work for Sandals for the rest of my life, but it’s time for me to try something different.”
STRONG DRIVE FOR ACHIEVEMENT: 1:39 min.
How did you become involved with the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and come to lead the first “Design Your World” program in Miami?
CRITICAL THINKING: 1:35 min.
Tell us more about “Design Your World.”
VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 1:32 min
What was the level of raw talent and dedication in the high school students who participated in “Design Your World”?
UNDERSTANDS THE AUDIENCE’S PERSPECTIVE: 1:50 min
What is your approach to understanding how to best serve your clients?
CRITICAL THINKING: 1:45 min.
As an artist I am happy when my work is hung on a white wall and given space to breath. You are both an artist and an interior architect. How do you deal with the tension between fine art and interior design?
CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND: 0:58 sec.
Some of your wallpaper looks like a mural. What is your process for creating and using wallpaper?
CRITICAL THINKING: 1:15 min
What kind of substrates are used to print Ze Haus wallpaper?
CREATIVE FLEXIBILITY: 1:46 min.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting out as an interior designer?
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 2:09 min.
How have the Black and Caribbean Diasporas influenced your work?
CRITICAL THINKING: 1:24 min
You and I visited the Historic Hampton House in June, 2022. Have you developed any ideas for collaborating with the Hampton House as a “Design Your World” project?
VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 1:32 min.
What is the role of a university in the development of interior architects and architects?
CRITICAL THINKING: 1:44 min.
What makes Miami architecturally unique?
EMPATHY: 0:59 sec.
What’s your favorite movie?