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F5: Kevin Dumais Shares His Fashion Staples, Sunday Pastime + More

04.21.23 | By
F5: Kevin Dumais Shares His Fashion Staples, Sunday Pastime + More

It wasn’t long after interior designer Kevin Dumais started working on his own that he knew the profession was his true calling. “It was the end of a project installation, the construction was over, and our clients walked in and saw their new apartment completely furnished for the first time. There were tears of joy and gratitude for finally making their New York apartment feel like home. That’s why I do what I do,” the 16-year veteran of the industry shared.

Based out of both New York and Connecticut, Kevin’s style is a casually sophisticated aesthetic that brings together metropolitan elegance and a relaxed vibe. His inspiration comes in the forms of mid-century style and a love for antiques, rich textures, and cool hues.

black and white image of a man sitting in a chair wearing jeans, a button down shirt, blazer, and loafers

Kevin Dumais \\\ Photo: Drew Innis

Alongside his husband Charlie, Kevin is also co-founder of Dumais Made. The brand features a complete line of unique handmade ceramics, including lamps, candlesticks, vases, and more. All of the work is created by the duo out of their Bantam, Connecticut studio.

With two businesses, ideas come at Kevin from all directions – so he can always be found carrying trace paper and a flair tip felt pen. “I always have a roll of trace paper between my office and home,” he shared. “Thoughts come and go so frequently, and sometimes a quick sketch can help me capture on paper what might be fumbling around in my head and helps me and my team brainstorm during a project’s charette.”

After studying interior design at the New England School of Art and Design, he led projects for a number of top Manhattan designers, including Russell Groves, before opening his own firm in 2009. Kevin’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Elle Decor, NY Mag, Luxe, and more.

Today, Kevin Dumais is joining us for this week’s Friday Five!

black loafer on white background

Photo courtesy of Church’s

1. Church’s Pembrey Studded Loafers

These loafers were a spontaneous purchase during my first visit to London, so they already hold some nostalgia and have managed to be the one shoe I keep in rotation year-round. They are classic black leather penny loafers with a modern edge of studded details.

kitchen counter with product, cooking utensils, and a cookbook on a wooden stand

Photo: Kevin Dumais

2. Sunday Mornings With Cookbooks

My favorite part of the week is Sunday morning, with two cups of coffee and a handful of cookbooks to peruse for that night’s dinner. A new book that found its way into my collection is the cookbook from Barbuto restaurant in New York City. The restaurant is one of my favorite go-to places in the city. I generally order their roast JW chicken and pasta carbonara.

colorful Dansk cookware on a counter with a dog sitting in the background

Photo: Kevin Dumais (Do you spy Kevin’s dog, Friday?)

3. Dansk Kobenstyle Cookware

I inherited two, a green Dutch oven and a yellow casserole pot; both were wedding gifts my parents received in 1963. My mom never used them when we were kids except for hiding my Halloween candy, which was a clever play by her as she could hear the clank of the enameled lid when I was sneaking it. They are frequently used at our house in Litchfield, and I have since added pieces to the collection.

black turntable on a white background

Photo courtesy Audio Technica

4. My Turntable

My turntable was a Christmas gift from my husband, Charlie, which he bought for me after finding records I purchased but never got around to buying the device to play them on. Some of our favorite nights at home end up with us rifling through our record collection, dancing to our favorite albums at the highest volume. Aretha: Lady Soul, Live & More Donna Summer, Madonna’s Madonna Album, and Fleetwood Mac Rumours.

a stack of colored cashmere sweaters with a golden dog peeking into frame

Photo: Kevin Dumais

5. Cashmere Sweaters

My uniform consists of navy blue cashmere crewneck sweaters. My favorite sweater is from Margarette Howell, but I also stockpile these from J.Crew in all the classic colors.

 

 

Work by Kevin Dumais:

styled bedroom with modern canopy bed and large lantern ceiling light

Upper West Side, Primary Bedroom. The challenge was a modest, linear room with very high ceilings designated as the apartment’s primary bedroom. To bring things back to scale, the ceiling was painted one-third of the way down (the walls) in a deep shade of tan and a modern four-poster bed was installed. Tactile textures such as the ink colored wool rug and gauze linen drapery complete the look. \\\ Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

styled interior living space with lots of seating, a coffee table. and a wall of windows

Grand Army Plaza, Living room. A neutral palette emphasizes soaring views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines, while dark stained accents provide an anchoring sense of balance. We utilized pieces from the client’s Japanese and Scandinavian furniture collection and reupholstered to synch comfortably with the light, bright living space. \\\ Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

styled interior living space with rich colors

Franklin Street, Great Room. The goal of this project was to reorganize space, as well as lighten and soften the loft’s roughhewn architectural features. We designed on a partition of blacken steel and reeded glass doors to divide the primary bedroom suite from the open loft plan. An eclectic mix of mid-century furniture suit the couple’s laid-back nature. \\\ Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.