Designer Spotlight: Audra Kiewiet de Jonge
Audra Kiewiet de Jonge has the eye of a painter and the brain of a historian. Before founding her renowned studio, Art/artefact, she was already immersed in the art world. Led by her deep passion and background in the fine arts, and fed by constant collaboration and interaction with artists, curators, and collectors, every space she creates is a careful consideration light, texture, color, and form.
✤ Art/artefact ✤
For Audra, it’s all about balancing beautiful pieces—vintage finds, contemporary works, cultural artifacts—with furniture, architecture, and a sense of comfort. Art should be lived with, not just admired, and her vision is an approach Casa Branca finds endlessly inspiring. Art/artefact and Audra's work have been featured inGalerie,Veranda, andFredericmagazines, and in the Phaidon bookDefining Style.
In honor of the spring season and the upcoming Easter holidays, Audra created a stunning tablescape featuring our Cestino Pewter tablecloth, Cestino Porcelain Plates, Ceramic Tulipiere, Rigato Napkins, and Otto Tumblers. Drawing inspiration from the 1930s children's book The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Hayward, she designed a nostalgic brunch table in a vintage-wash palette.
"I incorporated Casa Branca pieces with my own vintage collections of Portuguese yellow cabbageware, French blue opaline glassware from Portieux Vallerysthal, and silverplate baskets filled with jelly beans. My Rosenthal china teacups added an extra touch of antique floral charm to balance out the more graphic and modern elements. I recruited my daughter to help paint natural woven wicker chargers in the book's palette, which really pop on the gray of the Cestino fabric."
The panoramic eggs on Audra’s table were created by an artist based on illustrations from the book. Several are available to purchase on Art/artefact in support of Little Hands Virginia.
✤ Shop the Table ✤
"I absolutely love the Jean Roger tulipiere with the peach-colored quince blossoms—a perfect Oster tree; the old German Easter tradition of decorating a tree with eggs and flowers. The carrots with greens are a fun, unexpected way to fill the spouts of the vase. Tip—these wilt quickly, so I recommend buying them the day of. Spritz with water and store in the fridge overnight in a plastic bag if using them again."
"The book is the story of a determined mother bunny who is brave, wise, and kind while facing impossible odds, and is tasked with delivering a special panoramic sugar egg to an ill, but brave, child. The piles of eggs in the Easter Palace particularly captivated me—I wanted to recreate that magic. My daughters and I built a structure of bags filled with paper and scrunched up tonal tissue paper in the fireplace and covered it with nearly 1000 Easter eggs. I love the way it turned out!"
Get to know Audra
✤ Q & A ✤
Your go-to Hostess Gift?
I love to give fresh flowers, but I try to always include a vase so that it is no fuss. Lately, my favorite way to present them is with a tall cylindrical vase set in a wine gift bag.
What is your signature cocktail or meal for entertaining?
My happiest entertaining is outside during the summer golden hour. I love to serve a gin & tonic with fresh cucumber and lime—it's so refreshing and simple to make. I also love a crudité salad of watermelon and feta cubes arranged in a checkerboard pattern with fresh mint. It pairs so nicely with a grilled chicken smothered in a pesto sauce, and a salad of blistered grape tomatoes, fried onion, avocado, and greens. Maybe some orzo or fresh bread on the side!
Favorite scent for the home?
I love lavender and eucalyptus upstairs and in the guest room, it makes the room feel relaxed and fresh. Downstairs, I prefer something more moody and enigmatic. My go-to is a scent I recently developed—a complex blend of woods, spice, and citrus florals that will be our first scented candle.
What made you choose casa Branca for your table?
It honestly was such an easy choice. Casa Branca has such elegant, effortless pieces with a healthy dose of delight. It embodies how I aspire to entertain.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I find that almost all of my inspiration comes from two sources: art history and nature. I love to interweave the two references with high and low, old and new. My work strikes that balance and invites the unexpected connections that make a room sing.
Tips for designing with color and pattern?
Go for it! Please! Life is short. Who wants beige memories? Color has such power to influence our mood. Green is my neutral—I invite each client to think of one for themselves.
The secret to mixing patterns is balancing different scales and using a harmonious color palette with a few pops of complementary colors. Small geometric patterns can work as solids, and the key to mixing florals or bold geometrics is knowing when to introduce a pop of something different. Carrying that accent color into the next room ensures continuity and a cohesive feel throughout the home.
I feel pretty strongly that not everything should match and that most things of interest are artist-made, vintage or antiques. My interiors reflect that natural, collected-over-time approach. It is a point of pride that no two projects are ever the same for us, because no two clients are the same!
Favorite Casa Branca fabric, wallpaper, or item :)
I adore the Cestino pattern—it's the perfect example of how a geometric design can act as a solid or neutral. I chose the Pewter tablecloth to let the other elements of the tablescape stand out, while making the Easter colors feel magical, reminiscent of the moment when spring first arrives and the first blooms burst against a gray winter backdrop. Balancing texture, color, and pattern to delight the eye without overwhelming it is key. I also adore the trompe l'oeil effect of the Pietra paper and am scheming up where to incorporate it into an upcoming project.
