My Story 1: The Girl Who Criticized Her Own Home

My Story — 20 Years of Luxury Interior Design in Tokyo (1/4)

I grew up surrounded by Europe — without ever leaving Japan.

My mother loved European furniture and tableware. At one point, she even started taking lessons in German bread baking. Every month, photographs of artworks arrived from the British Museum, and I carefully sorted them into files. My parents took me to museums and the theater again and again.

But please don’t imagine a glamorous family. My mother was a civil servant, and my father was an office worker. We were a completely ordinary Japanese family.

A ready-built house — and a very difficult daughter

While they were still young, my parents worked hard to buy a ready-built house. And what did I do? I complained about it. Constantly.

Some of my classmates had parents with wonderful taste, and their homes were beautiful. I remember crying in the mornings and criticizing the design of our house. Looking back now, I honestly cringe. It was a terrible thing to do to two people who were working so hard for our family.

The moment everything changed

Then, when I was in high school, my parents took me to Europe. Around the same time, they rebuilt our house. I remember thinking, “My parents are amazing!”

By then, I had already decided: I was going to work in interior design.

I had always longed to go abroad, too. And in my young mind, architecture meant one thing — Italy. So, quite simply, I decided I would go to Italy someday. A rather shallow plan, I admit.

But once I started high school, that feeling was about to change completely…

Next time: my high school and university years — and how New York turned everything upside down.

Kimie Chikuba, Founder of KIMIE DESIGN LAB

Planning a home, holiday house, or office in Japan? Get in touch — consultations are available online in English.