"Every great design begins with an even better story."
Designer Lorinda Mamo
In turn, great designers partner with clients to tell their stories. Designer Kristy Smith has built partnerships over her 20 years in the industry, helping expand her business to better tell her own story.
The Castle Pines home pictured here is a prime example of Kristy’s work. The owner Paula engaged Kristy initially to help her choose some fabrics at the Denver Design Center. From that connection grew their partnership to design the whole house.
Kristy creates an intentional connection with each of her clients, so that their new interiors tell a unique story. In this home, Kristy pulled inspiration from the objets d’art the family collected while living in China. Kristy partnered with Forged in Walnut to build a console which raises, lowers, and rotates a television 360 degrees so the family can watch from the kitchen, dining, or living room.
"The home is modern, we didn’t want it to be too Asian, but instead accents that nod to the culture and tie the antiques with the modern vibe,” Kristy says. “We designed the pocket doors for John’s office using the grid found on traditional Asian screens, refined it, then also used a similar design on the console."
A subtle grid can even be found in the sofa fabric for visual cohesion and balance. Additionally, Kristy called on local company Black Hound to custom make the metal burn out hanging above the fireplace, inspired by a similar piece they’d seen in Budapest.
Kristy views each client as a special partner. This is true of her colleagues as well.
Kristy recently added husband Bret Smith, director of operations, as a crucial partner in expansion. After spending many years in IT and management, Bret made the leap into his wife’s thriving design business to help carry the load, or fabric swatches in some cases.
“Designers wear many hats: purchasing agent, peacemaker, project manager, psychologist. I now wear some of those hats, so Kristy can connect and create," he says.
Sometimes these partnerships start as clients, and transition into friendships.
LaKenya Holladay met and instantly connected with Kristy a few years after she lost her husband. Kristy helped LeKenya physically and emotionally downsize her home to attract the right family to buy.
“It was therapeutic. Kristy transformed my home into a beautiful showpiece, which attracted a loving family, and made me feel good about letting the past go," LaKenya said.
LaKenya along with Lisa Fernstrum and Syanna Swyers are now all close friends with the Smiths, taking girls trips, sharing holidays, hiking, shopping and designing together. At the urging of Kristy, both Syanna and Lisa pursued a design education. Syanna, for whom Kristy has designed three homes, now works with DBK as a consultant, and Lisa designs kitchens and baths.
Designs by Kristy, rebranded as DBK Interior Services, offers a full suite of services, including single room design, onsite or virtual consultations, and new production home finish selection. They plan to source retail goods soon, like favorite finds, one-of-a-kinds, and shopable rooms, with plans to open store.
To learn more about DBK visit them at designsbykristy.com
