In the pages of Much, Discover how to transform your interior with bold character and flair, guided by Evie’s vibrant stories and savvy tips.
With the same wit and honesty that have made Evie Kemp a beloved figure in the New Zealand design world, she takes us on a colourful journey through her life and home.
Much: A maximalist’s guide to a creative home isn’t just a coffee-table book — it’s a call to action. Evie challenges you to embrace your unique tastes, showcase the ‘weird and wonderful’ aspects of yourself, shake up your spaces — and helpfully provides practical guidance on how to achieve it.
It’s brimming with hands-on advice, covering everything from pattern mixing and painting techniques to strategic furniture arrangement, and she doesn’t miss a beat in any area of her home. Her advice on lighting — “The most important things to consider are the lightbulbs!”— and her gems for buying secondhand furniture online — “I’ve found some incredible bargains because of a blurry garage shot”— are invaluable takeaways.
What sets Much apart from a book of DIY guidance and maximalist interior design is its blend of autobiography and Evie’s personal anecdotes. Born in the late-’80s, Evie, the eldest of five, was raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, before her family moved to Cambridgeshire so her dad, Geoff, could study History at King’s College, Cambridge, as a mature student.
Financial constraints meant regular trips looking for treasures at second-hand shops and car boot sales with her mother and sisters. Evie felt her family was “always different” — she was teased for wearing secondhand clothes at school, although as Evie explains, it’s not to elicit sympathy but to show how it kindled her creative spark.
She still hits the secondhand shops with her sisters and mum, Angie, with whom she credits her creativity due to her distinctive style and lack of conformity.
It instilled in Evie a fearless approach to self-expression through design.
Speaking openly about her mental health challenges, Evie reveals how bouts of depression and anxiety led her to drop out of studying Law and Art History at university. Instead, she pivoted to design school, where life took a new, clearly meant-for-her path into a world of creativity where she has found so much success.
Beautifully illustrated and brimming with personality, Much is an excellent addition to any design lover’s library. It reminds us that our homes should reflect our true selves — quirks, collections, and all.
Much: A maximalist’s guide to a creative home by Evie Kemp
(Koa Press)
Words Caroline Botting
Photography Evie Kemp
Portrait photography Adrienne Pitts