Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Nelson.
Hi Kristi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m a classically trained, Paris-educated artist and have been a successful interior designer for more than 20 years. Studio art and art history occupy much of my story, and art and design are truly in my DNA. I grew up in Indiana in a very close-knit family. My grandfather was a Master Mechanical Artist and draftsman. So I grew up inspired by him to draw and draw and draw – everything I saw or imagined and to really see the world for all its amazing detail. He taught me, among many things: to trust God in all things, that I could do and be anything I put my mind to, and ”persistence and determination are omnipotent.” From college, I moved to LA and my career trajectory was not a straight line by any means. My first job was in garment manufacturing, then post-grad school, I dabbled in art consulting and working in a major artist’s studio before joining a bespoke LA advertising/PR agency, which led to global marketing in a major movie studio. And all of those jobs, along with my artistic training, became the foundation for my business and where I am now.
I knew I wasn’t interested in pursuing life as a professional artist, mainly because my ego was far too fragile, lol. So through a clash of happy accidents, a stroke of insight, and the dovetailing of all my creative and corporate experience, I found my way into interior design and founded KMNelson Design. What’s beautiful and refreshing about Interior Design – my vocation for more than two decades – is that it’s art without the artist’s ego.
Being able to create on so many levels as a designer using my talents and skill set to make people’s lives better through their environments is incredibly fulfilling. I have clients all over the US for whom we do both luxury residential and commercial projects with bespoke designed finishes and furnishings. I have a licensed furnishings collection with Chelsea House, with my third collection on its way, and I’m in development on my own line of to-the-trade furnishings. I’ve also now expanded my company to include an East Coast studio.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was lucky to have had excellent word-of-mouth. From the beginning, people appreciated that I really listened to their wants and needs, gave attention to those things that had personal meaning for them, then took their vision to far beyond what they could imagine yet still told their story. These clients told others about me, and as a result, I’ve had an amazing career with great projects and clients who have become dear friends.
My most recent challenge, which won’t come as a surprise, was the pandemic. I was coming to a burnout point, having gone years without a real vacation. So, I decided to use the Pandemic as a call to take a time out, which was the exact opposite of what every sane designer did. That “time out” turned into an unexpected opportunity because it gave me the mental space to just draw, and those drawings led to my licensing deal Chelsea House. It’s been a very successful partnership, as well as one of the most fun and engaging experiences I’ve had because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and has really enhanced my creativity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about KMNelson Design, LLC?
As an interior designer, my motto, “unfold your vision,” brings my clients’ personal style and story to their interiors. I would say what sets me apart is my approach. I come at the process as an artist vs a designer, I think about a project the way I consider a painting I’m creating; I’m building a composition that ultimately is a visual journey through space – and time in a way. The point is to incorporate the past (the personal elements of a client’s history) into the present with pieces that are fresh/new in a way that isn’t too done so there is room for the client to expand, change, rearrange their space to flex with their lives. This approach is very much inspired by my experiences living in Europe, where you’re surrounded by centuries of history yet at the same time living in the very current world.
Bringing that cosmopolitan vibe to California design – which is all about celebrating the outdoors and nature – just makes so much sense, too. Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis with a diverse population that blends backgrounds, tastes, and lifestyles from all over the world. It’s the place where almost every international style of design is interpreted through the “Cali lens.”
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
It’s important to get yourself out into the design community because it’s the best way to reach the vendors, editors, and colleagues who can support your career. It’s also the best way to learn about new products and trends. I regularly attend furniture shows and textile fairs all over the world, including Deco Off and Maison Objet in Paris and High Point in North Carolina. I’ve also participated in LEGENDS of La Cienega Design Quarter in support of Cache showroom and the West Hollywood design community. This month is the LA Design Festival. Seeing what’s going on locally in the art and design world such as gallery openings or going to WestEdge Design Fair, taking classes, getting involved in the design community, not being afraid to start up a conversation with someone and asking questions are all ways to network within our community. The best news is that LA has one of the most inclusive, welcoming, open and communicative design collectives I’ve ever experienced, and designers from elsewhere comment on this often, so there will always be someone out there ready, willing and waiting to mentor.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kmnelsondesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmnelsondesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KMNelsonLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-nelson-96624a7/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMNelsonDesign
Image Credits
KN Portrait with furniture collection: Catherine Nguyen NK Portrait on balcony: Peter Christensen Valli, PCV Photography Project photography: Karyn Millet, Peter Christensen Valli and Sarah Ross Wauters – contact [email protected] with questions.
