Meet Steve & Amanda
Steve Kemp, Principal Architect
at J. Steven Kemp Architect
About Steve
“This is the year I get to pull back the curtain on what I do. It’s an exciting time for us.”
With twenty-five years of experience at the drawing board behind him, Steve is experiencing the most enthralling years of his architectural career, working exclusively on projects that fit his passion for finely honed details and well-told stories. At the same, time, he can no longer keep to himself the secret that he uncovered on the journey that brought him here:
…the source of beauty that endures….the shadow that eluded him for decades….the heart of design that makes it special, meaningful, and significantStory.
Story is a wellspring of beauty that is unique and enduring. In a field that values the pure pursuit of beauty, the discovery of story made his work stand out as transcendent, meaningful, and deeply significant. It shifted his work, and his career. It changed how he designed homes, and changed how he lived life.
His heart is for infusing the world of architecture and design with a permanent change – forever anchored in the substance of story. He hopes to take you down the road he has traveled already, share with you the new lessons that continue to unfold, and walk along side as you discover the power of story. And for the expression of that part of his passion, he has a side-kick…
Amanda Chaffin, Poetess
at J. Steven Kemp Architect
at J. Steven Kemp Architect
About Amanda
“Thank you for calling J. Steven Kemp’s studio. How may I help you?” These are the ordinary first words I get to exchange with each of Steve’s clients. But for me, it isn’t ordinary at all – it is like having a secret window into the the heart of all the moments that brought them to this one.
On the other end of the line, there is a story, and I am the story collector. “Tell me more about your project,” I say. Without exception, I hear something far more compelling than a list of specifications for bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage. I hear little pieces of stories, values, passions, and aspirations.
As a first step before design begins, Steve walks his clients through an exercise that helps them to share the most meaningful parts of their stories, and the ways they want their home to reflect who they really are. Together, Steve and I review their words, and I get to compose a written piece – always poetry at its core – that captures the essence of their life song. It becomes the story that guides the design.
It is a tremendous privilege.
And now, it is an honor to extend my heart for soul-filled words to share Steve’s heart for story-centered design, here, at Inhabit Your Story.
About Steve & Amanda
We’re siblings. We grew up on a sacred slice of farmland on the northeast coast. Though we live on separate halves of the continent now, we meet back in that part of the country once each year, where we catch up as if no time has been lost. It is a treasured week, in which we set aside time for deep connection to to our family, to our roots, to the ocean, and ultimately to ourselves. Somehow, it both fuels and aligns the rest of the year.
I retain an untarnished sense of admiration for my big-brother, and Steve expresses his affection for me in the standard sibling language of prodding and teasing. Different as we are, we share a love for obscure movie quotes, things made with cream cheese, DIY projects, our farmstead upbringing, good stories, and connected relationships.
We are excited to get to know you better!
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