Meet My Interior Designer
Introducing Kirsten Lile
“Designing spaces to bring style and soul to your home.”
Meet Kirsten!
Owner and Founder of Kirsten Lile Interiors, Kirsten has a passion for designing spaces in your home that reflect your heart and soul. She deeply believes that surrounding yourself with beautiful things is a way to find joy and peace in your home and your soul. Function and style can co-exist and she loves helping clients bring that into their homes. Kirsten’s hope with each client is to design and implement a space that reflects their personality and their values within their budget.
Q: How does someone find an interior designer in their area, especially not in a big city?
A: Instagram is the best place to find one as you can see their work, style, and personality. For someone living outside of a big city, I would still look on Instagram and find designers who offer virtual services.
Q: What is the goal and the typical cost for client consultations? Then, once hired, what kind of budget should a client set?
A: The most important goal to me during a consultation is to determine if we are a good fit together in style and personality. Consultation costs vary by the designer because each designer works on their own pricing structure. The most important part of pricing is to find someone that fits your budget and that you feel comfortable with. Once hired, I personally charge a retainer with minimum hours set and provide all furniture and décor at a discount.
Q: What is something everyone should do when they first move into a new home?
A: Live in it. I truly believe that until you have lived in your home for a month or two you won’t know how you will function in each space. If you go out and buy all new items all at once you may regret some of your purchases.
Q: Where does someone begin with design if they can’t afford all new furniture and décor?
A: Always work within your budget - I would set a plan in place and purchase items when you can afford them. A design plan is essential so that you purchase pieces that will be cohesive. More inexpensive items that are easy to change out like pillows, décor on a coffee table, or shelves and plants can make a big impact on a small budget.
Q: Do you consider aestheticism or functionality to be more important? Why? Do you ever have to compromise one for the other?
A: I love this question because I love beautiful things and spaces but if it isn’t a functional space you won’t use it. So I am a big believer that what you have in your home can be functional and aesthetically pleasing if you are patient and wait to find the perfect item to meet your needs.
Q: How does someone choose the right color palette for their home?
A: Color palettes should be determined by the personality of the family, their favorite colors, and also based on what you already have in the home. Sometimes we have to work around furniture already purchased, countertops, etc. Ultimately the colors in your home should be ones you love, not what is on-trend.
Ría here! Jumping in to share my FAVORITE project on Kirsten’s portfolio that led me to want to pick her brain for my home transformation. Her color palette and overall vibe is similar to mine, and her kitchen is to DIE for!
Q: What questions do you typically ask your clients before getting to work, and how do the answers factor into your design decisions?
A: How they want to feel in the space and what their ideal use of the space is for them. For example, in a living room if you use the space to solely watch tv and want it cozy or if you want it more as a gathering space for conversation that will determine if we decide on a sectional or a sofa with chairs and the types of materials we use on the furniture.
Q: What’s your approach to deciding whether you’re going to wallpaper or paint a room?
A: I suggest wallpaper in spaces that are small or where you want to differentiate the feel of a space from the rest of your home. I love wallpaper in a powder bath, office, and dining room.
Q: What is your favorite project to date and why?
A: My favorite project to date was a Lake House that was rebuilt after a fire burned the whole home down. The family was devastated, but we were able to design a new family vacation home perfect for new memories to be made. Literally, every single component of the home was carefully decided upon, and I love being involved at that level of detail. It didn’t hurt that I absolutely adore my clients, so we had lots of fun together building the new dream Lake House!
Q: What are three last tips you could give about designing a space on a budget?
A: 1. Your space should reflect you and your family. I love a trendy moment in a space; however, designing based on trends is my biggest pet peeve in design. I have so many clients who tell me they did a farmhouse style and spent thousands of dollars to be trendy and 3 years later want to change it all.
2. Paint and lighting are the absolute best way to update a space on a budget!
3. Search online for items you love and then go to Home Goods, Target, etc. for dupes. I love mixing deals with more high-end pieces in spaces!