We visited architect and H&G 2024 Rising Star award recipient Kitty Lee’s home in Sydney’s Inner West to talk creative inspiration, her dream sofa and what she can’t live without.
I love to cook my mum’s Cantonese and Vietnamese dishes, from the notes I’ve scribbled down while watching her cook over the years. My mum cooks by instinct, so I’ve had to tweak the recipes through plenty of trial and error to try and replicate her cooking. It’s an ongoing lesson in trusting my senses.
On my bedside table is Notes to My Daughter and Notes to My Son by Catie Gett. They’re beautiful books filled with wisdom that I appreciate from the perspective of being a mother, but also as simple self-reminders.
I’m inspired by visiting Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals in Switzerland. It was a memorable, immersive experience that showed me how powerful architecture can be when it engages all the senses, creating atmosphere through the play of light and considered use of materials.
In Australia, I’m inspired by Mid-century modern architects (such as Robin Boyd, who designed with simplicity, rationality and responsiveness to the site). These architects have shaped how I approach design, with clarity and restraint and a focus on crafting spaces that feel connected with their context.
My favourite artists: Contemporary artist Hannah Yanetsko who creates muted, layered paintings with depth and texture, and Claude Monet, the master of portraying light and movement in his paintings.
