Whilst staying at the Kimber Modern in Austin, Texas, recently, I came across these awesome hammocks made from car selt belts designed by Ting London, which they had hanging in the communual space at the hotel. I checked in with Kimber, the owner of the Kimber Modern, and asked her how important the small design touches are at the hotel and how she keeps abreast of what’s out there that might work well? ‘The small design touches are crucial. It’s what sets us apart from so many other small hotels. Every item, no matter how minor is thoroughly researched to make sure it works for the hotel. I feel that it’s the every day items, like cork screws, salt shakers, pot holders etc. should be little works of art. So much thought goes into those small details or design touches. I search on line for unique exceptional items. I also get a bunch of catalogues and design/architecture magazines’. [Photo by Alison Zavos]

What was it about the belt hammocks that first caught your eye at ICFF?
‘The fact that they were made out of recycled seat belts and the amazing design and quality of the hardware. They were designed by an architect which I thought was super cool’.

Anything special you’re looking to add to the Kimber Modern decor in coming months?
‘We’ve added the water feature and triangular shaped sail cloths over the main deck area. they create so much shade and decrease the temperature by 20 degrees.They are about 25 feet up so you don’t really notice them. Other than the water feature and sail cloths, we keep trying to improve upon the small detail items and breakfast foods and of course we want to add more art to the rooms’.

SPONSOR

Whilst in Austin the other weekend, I spent a couple of nights at a beautifully designed hotel called the Kimber Modern, which is located in the happening SOCO area, just a short hop, skip and sideways roll to the bustling hive of restaurants and cafes along South Congress. The Kimber Modern is a hotel with a twist. First up, the architecture is stunning, this elegant and contemporary building with subtle splashes of color to break up the overall white-walled minimalism. And then there are the clever design touches, such as communal hammocks made from car belts, and a giant tank churning liters of water in a calming, almost Zen-like manner. [photos by Alison Zavos]

The other quirky but practical touch at the Kimber Modern is that there are no door keys. Woah! That’s right, no clunky door keys. Instead, guests choose a four digit password when making their booking and this gives them access to both the main building and the door to their room. As long as your memory is half-decent and hasn’t been clouded by the Sangria on tap at the local Tex Mex, this is a surprisingly efficient system. In the rooms themselves, cheerful colors mesh with the classic minimalism, while fun and vibrant artwork sits above the beds, acting as a gentle reminder that you really are deep amongst this cultural fermentation that is Austin, Texas.

Kimber Modern Bed and Breakfast
110 The Circle
Austin, TX 78704
Ph: (512) 912-1046