They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. For SK Stokes Kennedy, every room has a feeling, and a story to tell.
Homes, rooms and tiny details flourish into rich stories in her capable hands, most recently as the winner of HGTV’s new show “A Very Haunted Renovation.”
The series’ inaugural season tasked Kennedy and five other designers with renovating and redesigning a notorious Victorian-era home. Working with a rich history, pushing herself to new capabilities and pouring her passion into every project, the Signal Hill-based luxury designer walked away with a $50,000 prize, a newfound confidence and a reaffirmed purpose.
Though Kennedy has run her independent business, Stokes Kennedy Design, out of Signal Hill since 2015 (and has designed much longer than that), she said the casting call for “A Very Haunted Renovation” came at the perfect time in her life. Recently burned by a contractor she worked with, Kennedy was questioning her career path when kismet stepped in with a call.
“It was kind of a crossroads where I had to say, ‘Am I going to close this or am I gonna do everything I can to keep my business going and thrive and push through,’” she said. “I happened to get that casting call at the same time … I think the timing, plus the concept being so fresh and new and interesting, I was really interested to see where it led.”
Kennedy packed her things to be away from her wife for six weeks and set out for Fremont, Ohio, to live in and redesign the mysterious Bihl Manor. Built in the 1890s, the mansion has no shortage of haunted tales to tell across its three stories.
Having more reverence for spirits than fear, Kennedy joked that she was more nervous about the show coming off as “corny,” but was pleasantly surprised at the respect and care HGTV gave to the subject matter. Kennedy and the five other designers (Patrick Peel, John Ryan, Bershan Shaw, Logan Wright and Diana Vogel) went room by room across the six episodes of the show, diving into various projects and working together to rehaul the mansion.
“It can be hard to work with other established creatives,” she said. “You’re competing, you want your stuff to stand out. … The weather alone is enough to stress you out and just being in a dire state to perform and be creative and push myself.”
Since winning “A Very Haunted Renovation,” Kennedy said she’s been elated with the number of Black women who have reached out and said they are loving the show and watching with their daughters. Kennedy reminisced about shoving couches, beds and desks around her bedroom and living room to rearrange the space when she was younger.
As the child of immigrants, she had no idea that design could be a career path. Now, she said she’s happy to create that example for young Black girls, to show them that the design industry is ready for them.
“It’s the age-old idea that you need to see it to believe it,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know any designers that look like me. I very, very rarely meet a lot of Black designers, and then on top of that, someone who is so outwardly queer and different, I have never met. That doesn’t mean we don’t exist.”
For Kennedy, the show proved to be exactly what she needed to remind herself what she is capable of. “A Very Haunted Renovation” also reminded her of the passion she had ever since she was little: storytelling through design.
From a game table and a new floor to a swoon-worthy kitchen, Kennedy conjured up stories about the types of people who would be living in the centuries-old space.
The kitchen, which was Kennedy’s tour de force and the project that stamped her win on the competition, was an apothecary/chemist/cooking station featuring hidden spice racks, an eye-popping arch, custom food shelves, hanging herbs and an upcycled secretary desk-turned-coffee station.
“Literally the night before, I sat down and I made up a person,” Kennedy said. “I made up a name, I said how old she was, what she did. She ran a bed and breakfast, but she kind of has this apothecary vibe, she makes tinctures, but she also serves guests.”
With rich colors, functional set pieces and subtle details that were born from her art of storytelling, Kennedy said it’s the project she’s most proud of in the home.
She not only pushed herself creatively, but physically as well. While Kennedy usually outsources the more “DIY” projects during a redesign with her business, she was forced to handle every step of a project herself, such as painting, upholstering and building items.
“I definitely went into it nervous, but I do think it’s what I needed. It’s encouraged me to re-evaluate a lot,” Kennedy said. “It really put me back in my builder bag. I’m eager now to be doing work in the studio and I’m continuing to build things out myself instead of calling a guy and I realized that really came from the show, really being inspired to use my hands again and build and perform the way I used to when I was first starting out.”
With a renewed sense of inspiration, Kennedy said she wants to focus on building up her Signal Hill clientele and telling stories through the homes she works on. She’s also diving into the industry-side of her career, talking on panels and helping inspire other women interested in design.
To learn more about Stokes Kennedy Design or inquire about her services, visit stokeskennedy.com.
