Kimberlie Rice, owner of R. Designs, says she falls in love with every interior design project she completes as she works on them at all stages from color consultation to space planning, customization and staging.
“I approach design from a soul level,” Kimberlie says. “I take in the space, the architecture, the clients, the family, the dog, their preferences, how they want to live, how they use their space, what they are drawn to, and I let it all marinate.”
She says while she does have a personal design esthetic, the design esthetic of her clients is what truly matters. For example, she recently completed a project on a new build where she worked collaboratively with the clients to establish a design based on a painting they had purchased. The end result was a “Modern Colorado” esthetic that was reflected throughout the home.
“I love it when rooms come alive with a personality,” Kimberlie says. “I like things to be real, honest and reflect the people who live there.”
She said interior design is an underestimated artistic medium, and with the right design any space can be a reflection of someone’s values and beliefs.
Kimberlie sees part of her role as being a professional decision maker, someone who provides enough information and inspiration to help the client move forward with decisions and changes.
“Change can be scary, and I ask our clients to make changes every single day,” Kimberlie says.
Kimberlie first became interested in interior design in 2002 when she and her husband began building their dream home. Because there were overwhelming amounts of decisions to be made, she worked with an interior designer to help them move forward. In the end, she discovered her passion for interior design, and R. Designs was born as a business.
She says her clients love the end result of her work because it’s based on their preferences and how they function in their home or office space. She provides selections based on questions relating to form and function that lead to guidelines of her client’s specific design requirements. She takes time to let inspiration come for her designs and says design requires art and vision that can’t be forced.
Kimberlie says she can’t imagine ever retiring since designing doesn’t feel like work for her. She plans to continue working and finding opportunities in residential and commercial design in Kansas City as well as throughout the United States and Europe.
