Instagram Stories: Kate Temple Reynolds of Studio Four

Kate Temple Reynolds, co-founder of Studio Four, and her two sons on the stoop of their Brooklyn home. Portrait by Brittany Ambridge. All other photos courtesy of @studiofournyc.

For Kate Temple Reynolds, a life without pattern isn't a life at all. One half of the creative duo behind Studio Four, a textiles showroom that makes to-the-trade wallpapers, fabrics, and floor coverings available to anyone, Reynolds has a passion for prints in all shapes, scales, and hues—a love she makes known on her Instagram feed, which is equal parts family photo album (her two young sons make frequent appearances) and look book for the atelier's wide-ranging inventory. From watercolor cheetahs to tie-dye tessellations, join us for a peek into her colorful world. 

The FEED

“Most of my photos are things that inspire me from the world of textiles. We sell a huge variety of wallpaper, fabrics, and rugs here at Studio Four, so there is always something new to share. We also work with some of the most talented textile artists in the world, and it is a complete joy to share their work with my followers. Every once in a while, I post a photo from regular day-to-day life with my family. I think those might be the most fun photos to me, because I have two little boys who tend to crack me up. Hopefully it's also fun for my followers to see that side of my world, but for the most part mine is a feed full of textile design eye candy.”

THE BEGINNING

“My career background is typical of a young girl who had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. I studied art history and took a lot of business classes in college. I think eventually the idea was that I would work at a museum or gallery. But when I moved to New York City at the age of 24, I was introduced to textiles, and there has been no turning back. I love the people that I work with daily. There's always something new to see and appreciate. It's never boring.”

THE INSPIRATION

“All sorts of things inspire me: travel, food, family, friends. But kindness is the big thing: good people doing good things—it doesn't get much better than that in life. When my second son, Oscar, was born in 2013, the weavers from one of the Nepalese mills we work with made him a handwoven cashmere blanket. Quite frankly, my dirty little two-year-old doesn't deserve to have such a treasure, but it was the beautifully written note that blew me away. I find it inspirational to have both a working and personal relationship with these artisans from around the world. Being able to sell their products and educate our clients on the craftsmanship of their textiles is one of the best parts of my job.”

THE FUTURE

“We're designing a collection of wallpapers, fabrics, and possibly a few rugs with the Brooklyn based artist, Wayne Pate. I've been a fan of Wayne's work for a while now and have some of his art in my home. His style is so livable and really lends itself well to textile patterns and repeats. The hardest part of putting this collection together has been settling on which patterns to create. And there is a strong chance that it will be followed with a Part II collection because it's just all so good.”