As the elite of the interior design and architectural worlds gather for this year’s Nantucket by Design, July 15-18, one not-to-be-missed event is keynote speaker Ken Fulk. On July 16 at the White Elephant Ballroom, the self-described “magic maker” will discuss and sign his newest publication, Ken Fulk: The Movie in My Mind. Ahead of the conversation, N Magazine chats with Fulk about his career, favorite projects, Nantucket architecture, and more.

You’ll be discussing the evolution of your career during the keynote. Can you highlight some of the most pivotal parts of this and how they helped to make you the designer you are today?

I had an unlikely career trajectory and became a designer almost by chance. A friend knew that I loved design and that I had a knack for it. They hired me to decorate their new apartment without any constraints. I sanded the floors, I painted the walls, I sewed the drapes, and delivered a turnkey apartment. After delivering that apartment, it was like a faucet turned on. I had all sorts of jobs all over the place. I had one in France and [in] Martha’s Vineyard. From the beginning, we did almost everything for our clients. I would put together a dinner party, pick out a tie to wear to an interview, and help plan a vacation. That indefinable role of mine eventually became what is now an incredibly creative team of almost 100. We call our team “the magic makers”—or sometimes “the Fulkers”—because “designers” doesn’t quite describe all that we do.

Tell me more about your latest book, Ken Fulk: The Movie in My Mind.

This is my second book and the first with Assouline. While the first book was more like a traditional monograph, here we decided to take readers behind the scenes of some of our more cinematic endeavors. I’ve always used the metaphor of a film because every new project starts with a story. These “movies in my mind,” as I call them, are a swirling amalgamation of ideas inspired by my travels, film, fashion, art, history, novels, or something as elemental as the scent of a dwindling fire. The book is divided into genres: Westerns features a Napa Valley farmhouse that honors the region’s rural hills dotted with cabernet vines; Action Flicks includes a superyacht that calls to mind 007, Bullitt, and Foxy Brown; Summer Blockbusters has a Miami hotel and rooftop pool club.

How does Nantucket design and architecture inspire you?

I’ve always been drawn to historic structures and buildings that hold stories. Nantucket has such a rich legacy of both humble and grand architecture. From the prominent homes in town to the rose-covered cottages of Sconset, it draws you in with its charm and then keeps you here with all of its deep history.

What are you most excited about during this year’s Nantucket by Design?

Any time I get an excuse to return to the island, I’m excited. I have many friends who spend time there, and I love that we’re bringing designers together in this rich locale.

You’ve had the opportunity to design for multiple high-caliber clients. What are some of your favorite projects to date?

Projects for me are like great love affairs, and I tend to focus on the ones at hand. However, there are certainly standouts over the years. The chance to design alongside Pharrell Williams was a dream. We worked on two projects in Miami, including Goodtime Hotel, which has become known for its famous pool parties by David Grutman.

You also worked on The ’Quin House in Boston, which has been coveted for its rich and ornate design. Can you talk more about this project?

The biggest surprise was that we conceived the entire concept for another location, and then there was this serendipitous opportunity to take over the building, which was purpose-built as a club by McKim, Mead & White in 1887. Not only was I thrilled with this historic building, but I knew it well, having lived right across Comm Ave (Commonwealth Avenue) when I was freshly out of college. And then the second surprise was that this extraordinary building, for all its illustrious past, was really quite ordinary in some places. That gave us the chance and the challenge to knit together new with old—we restored some areas, reimagined others, and then built from scratch entirely new amenities that needed to fit within the context of the building.

What are some design elements that you hope to see more of this year and beyond?

I am very excited about the shift and fearlessness in taste that has come with all of our new technology. People of all backgrounds have instant access to so much imagery and inspiration that it’s created a new sophistication and a more egalitarian approach to what was once a very rarified world of culture, travel, style, and collecting. So many people have become enthralled by design and beauty, and that has pushed us toward a new level of individualism.

What are you over?

There’s not too much I’m bothered by in the world of style and design, and I think that comes with this global embrace and celebration of individuality.