When it comes to the art of staging, Colin King reigns supreme. As a stylist, artistic director, and editor-at-large for the Design section of CULTURED, this former American dancer now choreographs interiors. The placement of a candle on a mantelpiece, the number of folds in a curtain, the chromatic composition of a bouquet, or the tilt of a chair—there’s no room for chance in Colin King’s work. Every element finds its rightful place, ultimately shaping a delicate, thoughtful atmosphere. In his book Arranging Things, published by Rizzoli, King invites us to rethink our relationship with objects. He emphasizes that the key isn’t accumulation but rather seeing what we already own in a new light, reinventing it.
« Monday, 3pm. If I’m not on set managing the next take, I’m in my office leafing through books for inspiration, late for a pre-production call for an upcoming shoot because I’m looking through my emails for a Zoom code to reconnect, or interviewing the next subject for my new column, Quick Study (CULTURED) of which I’m editor-in-chief. »
Your mood of the day in one word?
« Curious. »
Your current creative desire?
« I don’t rely on my desires because my own dreams can be very limiting. Often, I get what I want, and it doesn’t fulfill me at all. But sometimes, I receive something I didn’t want or didn’t ask for, and it turns out to be exactly what I needed. »
What do you think has influenced and shaped your taste?
“Dance, my love for art, and my desire to learn. Both my grandmother and my mother were creative and avid collectors—they inspired me deeply. I’ve always loved to observe, to watch, and to constantly feed my eye with something new.”
A favorite artistic movement?
« Spatialism. It helped establish an art form that transcends the traditional concepts of painting and sculpture. »
What keeps you busiest on a daily basis?
« Right now, I’m overwhelmed with styling—preparation, shooting, wrapping up… all happening simultaneously for multiple clients. But I love it because the inspirations are always so varied. In the same day, I might reference Dutch still lifes, Japanese floral arrangements, and Tiffany tablescapes. »
« What matters isn’t what you own, but how you arrange it. »
A project you’re particularly proud of?
« The Object & Thing exhibition I worked on last summer at Jack Lenor Larsen’s The Long House in East Hampton. I staged objects from his personal collection alongside contemporary pieces from artists represented by the nomadic gallery. Exploring his collection and getting to know him not just through the objects, but also through the way he arranged them, taught me a lot. »
A color palette that has always followed you?
« I’ve always loved soft beiges, rich browns, and deep burgundies. »
The gallery you could visit every week and the one you just discovered?
« The Francis Gallery by Rosalia Park (Cereal Magazine) and Trevor Cheney on Melrose Avenue, in Los Angeles. »
The magazine that sits on your coffee table?
« I have an obsession with brochures and small printed books. Right now, on my coffee table, it’s a book I picked up at the Bourdelle Museum in Paris. I loved the cover. »
The artists or personalities you’d love to have dinner with?
« Charlotte Perriand, Louise Bourgeois, Peter Hujar, Irving Penn, Isamu Noguchi, and George Nakashima. »
The last place that blew you away or that you’d love to discover?
« I discovered Roberto Peregalli’s house in Tangier last April, during a wedding. It deeply moved me. The colors seemed almost otherworldly. It was such an expression of creativity, and experiencing it in person felt like a dream come true. »
A film set that left a lasting impression on you?
« I remember seeing *The Danish Girl* for the first time; it felt as though all my favorite paintings by Hammershoi came to life. *Phantom Thread*, *Portrait of a Lady on Fire*, *I Am Love*. More recently, the sets of *The Swans* by Ryan Murphy. »
The music you’re currently listening to on repeat?
« I love Billie Eilish’s new album Hit Me Hard and Soft and Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves. Right now, I’m listening to Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morissette on repeat while I memorize my verse for a video my friends and I are preparing for another friend who’s undergoing a transplant. »
