In our latest From the Tap podcast, we talked with Keith Bynum, long-time HGTV host and co-founder of NINE Design and Homes. Keith, with his partner Evan Thomas, has been called a “renovation savant,” as they have transformed numerous buildings that would widely be considered tear-downs into welcoming homes. The conversation focuses on the planning and design elements that go into a timeless – rather than trendy – kitchen and bath.
Discussing his roots in the design field, Bynum details the influential roles played by his parents, from his mother’s artistry with a scroll saw to the glittery paint used by his father in his side-hustle of automotive work. Both teachers, during summers they would tackle home improvement projects. Bynum said, “That was their happy place, which translated into my happy place.”
Next, Keith Bynum talks about the satisfaction of a dramatic before-and-after as being part of the attraction of the extreme fixer-upper part of the sector that he and Thomas have focused on, and how that initial gratification was soon supplanted by a deeper passion – the reward of, as he put it, “seeing something so close to the verge of death being brought back to life.”
Keith Bynum’s Design Process
The conversation turns to the specifics of how the designer assesses a property’s potential, with a focus on baths and kitchens. Bynum explains how he strives to strike a proper balance between functionality and aesthetics. He’s had to temper his instincts “to dive headfirst into the rip-out” and credits Thomas with injecting a more methodical approach to their work.
Next topic: imbuing a space with a sense of timelessness. From bath taps to panel-ready kitchen appliances to tiles, Bynum details what elements he relies upon to create a stylish yet grounded design.
The podcast wraps up with Keith Bynum reflecting on how his work has in ways transcended building – or re-building – structures and has become identified with building community.
You can listen to this and every episode of From the Tap on such apps as Apple, Spotify and Pandora podcasts.
