Our Founder
Larry Kornegay
Larry Kornegay’s professional life in art began as he graduated from Arizona State University with a Degree in Fine Art with an emphasis in drawing and painting. Early on in his career he worked as a graphic artist and sign painter. He also designed and constructed theme park structures throughout Arizona and California. In 1986 he co-founded Studio Productions, Inc., a company specializing in the design and production of architectural signage and environments. As the company’s Design Director, Larry designed many landmark projects. In 1997, a return to his personal work led to the founding of Kornegay Design, LLC.
On a whiteboard in a back room of the Kornegay Design facility in Phoenix, Arizona reads the succinct mantra, “How does it look?” The deceptively simple phrase, jot down years ago by Larry Kornegay, remains a fixture on the umber walls of the beautifully appointed and immaculately landscaped desert studio.
Artist Biography
While the “How does it look?” mantra may seem a bit straightforward for a design-oriented company, it is truly reflective of the dedication to detail and priority of artistic integrity that define Kornegay Design’s day to day operations. This principle of “beauty above all” extends far beyond the brand’s products to guide everything from the visuals in advertising, the landscape architecture surrounding the property, and even the way the tools are organized in the shop.
Drawing from Larry Kornegay’s experience and a diverse knowledge of materials and building techniques, Kornegay Design has earned a reputation among landscape architects for its elegant design language, acute attention to detail, and inventive sustainable practices in the production of large-scale handcrafted precast concrete site furnishings. The Scottsdale Center for the Arts honored Larry with a solo show of his work including more than twenty sculptures and drawings.
I've always loved concrete. My first exposure was through my grandfather who was working on a concrete bridge near Show Low, Arizona—to this day, I still have some of the old trowels he used in that project. Concrete is so compelling because you think of it as this rigid, hard medium, but it has remarkable intricacies. When you pull the sides off a mold in the morning, its warm because of the cure process, it's slightly damp and smooth. I’ll even stick my head in the mixer just to smell it—it’s a wonderful sensory and tactile experience.” — Larry Kornegay
Designs by Larry Kornegay
Rooted in an affinity for the landscape and a lifetime of dramatic architectural imagery, designer and artist Larry Kornegay finds much of his inspiration within the beauty of nature. Larry’s love of concrete as a sculptural medium, combined with his passion for gardening and fine architecture guided the design of his landscape containers and site furnishings, resulting in a presence all their own in both the natural and built environments.
Agave
Simple in structure and repetitive in form—a contemporary classic well suited for any environment.
Aspect
Fine details like a shadow line at the base of this planter speaks to its modest elegance and refined sensibility.
Cirque
Cirque’s 24 facets correspond with the 24 hours in a day to interact dynamically with changing light.
Dune
The rhythmic imagery created by desert sand dunes is the inspiration behind Dune’s contour and form.
Larkspur
An unsurpassed level of design, sophistication and craftsmanship is the basis for these Larkspur planters.
Masaru
“The quality we call beauty always arises from the reality of life,” is a philosophy shared with Masaru Kawasaki.
Mex Bold
The Mex Bold planters unyielding yet luxurious surface displays the unique tactile properties of concrete.
Mundo
The silhouettes are elemental, universally known and don’t belong to just one era, culture, or region.
Quartz
A result of the interplay between light and shadow, this planter produces a display of crisp and soft edges.
Ribbed
The first series designed, has become a perennial favorite across a wide variety of architectural contexts.