Kimberly Timmons Interiors (KTI) is a Denver-based interior design collective housing three design studios: Hospitality, Interior Merchandising, and Luxury Residential. Though the studios work independently, ideas and expertise are funnelled through the business in a way that allows KTI to continually push the boundaries of design.
Nikki Holt acts as design director for the Luxury Residential Design Studio. Her work focuses on new construction and full home renovations for high-end homeowners. Nikki spoke to us on behalf of the KTI team to share more about their process.
Go with the flow
"At KTI, our style is laid back and approachable, so we welcome all kinds of communication." Projects usually kick off with a lot of face-to-face meetings. But as projects get in a groove, there is a lot of texting for quick questions and pictures of progress or inspiration.
Say it with a moodboard
Collaboration and communication are important values throughout the KTI design process. At the start of the process, designers create multiple moodboards for clients that are tailored to their first impressions of the client's desires. They will then talk through each moodboard in detail with the client and explain the subtle differences between each. They know they've nailed the client's style when the client themselves have the a-ha moment and say, "That's the one!"
Marrying of ideas
Nikki explains a common struggle, "Couples and partners rarely have the same idea of what they want in terms of style, budget and timeline." The job of Nikki, and other designers at KTI, is to marry the two sets of ideas into something that pleases both parties and still results in a cohesive design.
Client deep dive
Nikki and her team work to make their clients’ "visions come to life, resulting in a space they are deeply connected to." So how do they ensure they fulfil that vision with every project? Summer is in full swing, so we challenged Nikki to decipher the functional goals of a client redesigning their outdoor dining space to create a "space for gathering."
- Whose outdoor space are you most inspired by?
A picture is worth a thousand words. This question can help spark initial design ideas and give us a vision of the client's ultimate dream space. - What can we include to make you use this space more often?
This question allows us to understand specific elements and features they are wanting in order to use the space to its full potential, e.g., heaters, fireplace, number of guests. - Where do you want to be transported to when you’re in this space?
This question makes the client think about the ambience they are looking for. Their answer could give us direction stylistically based on the region or area that they say, from the materials used to the décor. - When you dine outdoors at a restaurant, what inspires you about the atmosphere?
This question can spark uncommon ideas that they realise they like about restaurants and want to include in their outdoor dining space. Plus, it makes them think of their home as an experience and what they want out of it. - Why would you consider splurging on a specific item or design feature?
This question helps us define what is truly important to the client and where we should focus our money for the most impact.
See more work from Kimberly Timmons Interiors on their website, or check out their Instagram.
