Kimball Starr Interior Design

“Each room belongs in a Design magazine!” - what I hear from everyone who walks in :) I remodeled an entire condo and Kimball guided the design process. Her keen sense of design, professionalism and most important – patience, made it a pleasure to work with her during an otherwise stressful period. Brining a vision of how I wanted my home to look, Kimball educated me on finishes, color combinations, textures and overall design protocol. For the kitchen and bathrooms, she meticulously drafted the plans for the contractors ensuring our unique designs came to life, and consulted on furniture selection and placement. Saying I love how the condo turned out would be an understatement. I highly recommend Kimball Starr!

Kimball is amazing. She was our designer for a full remodel and guided us through decisions ranging from light fixtures to wood floor stain colors to hardware to doing the layout design and elevations for our LR built ins, laundry room, office and tandem desk. I loved how she was opinionated but not pushy, and really advocated for what I laid out as my vision at the beginning of the project. She is very low key and warm without being a pushover. She frequently suggested things that at first I didn't gravitate towards, but I would end up choosing in the end because they were the right choices. She also worked extremely well with our contractor and was always professional and personable with vendors. I highly recommend Kimball for any interior design or more complex design projects

We just finished our basement remodel project, Kimball is our designer, she guided us through the entire process, and the final result is exactly what we wanted, in many places, it exceeded our expectations. It is a substantial project, 150k+, 6mon+, having a good designer is really important. What I liked about working with Kimball: 1. Of course, the final result. It is comfortable, warm, yet clean and modern. Many people commented on how beautiful the place turns out to be. I end up like all the design decisions, my fav is laundry room and bathroom, it is light and airy, with a mix of gold and black fixture to keep the place interesting. 2. Kimball is very structured and detail oriented, she kept us updated, all purchases have clear invoice, all hours are documented, produced professional drawings with exact measurement/layout, which helped answering numerous questions contractors had onsite, helped us visualize/decide. 3. Kimball listens well, she took both my husband and my input and produced something we both like. 4. She is very sensitive to color and pay attention to how everything fits together. She had many great suggestions and guided us away from a few non-desirable ideas I had originally. In retrospective, I am happy I took the advice. 5. Kimball puts a big emphasis on function. It shows in big areas such as layout as well as details such as door swing, cabinet depth/height. 6. Kimball is fun and easy to work with. Overall, I would say I will hire her again and would recommend her to my friends.

My wife and I were planning a kitchen/dining/family room remodel and decided we needed some design help. Kimball was great throughout the entire process. At the initial meeting, she got to know us and find out the style we were looking for. After that meeting, she provided several options for layouts and helped us choose the final design. Then over the course of the planning process, she helped guide our selection of cabinetry, countertops, flooring, tiling, lighting, hardware, furniture, and paint color. And it wasn't just choosing items or colors. She provided guidance on form and function, such as: sizing and placement of the island, distance from island to dining table, placement of overhead lights to prevent shadows, etc. When we were overwhelmed by the number of choices for something, Kimball narrowed down the options so we only had to choose between a few options. It was super helpful having Kimball with all of these decisions because she made sure the entire design worked well together. In the end, we are absolutely thrilled with how everything turned out. We highly recommend Kimball's design services.

We worked with Kimball on a large whole house remodel and addition. Throughout the project there was an excellent collaborative dynamic between the client, architect, designer (Kimball) and ourselves (builders). Kimball is straightforward and approachable. She works closely with the client to determine their style and create a beautiful design that fits their needs (and budget!). We enjoyed working with Kimball so much that we are starting another project with her ... next week!

We had a large renovation project last year and thanks to houzz and pinterest, we had so many ideas to comb through. Thankfully we found Kimball. After our first meeting, she was able to understand the differing ideas between me and my husband, and helped guide us toward a single vision that incorporated both of our ideas. We had a lot of incidences where we over-analyzed (such as picking tile combinations for our bathroom) and Kimball was able to quickly help us reach a solution. We managed the project on our own due to financial constraints, but Kimball worked with our budget and provided her assistance on a consulting basis. She was worth every penny because she gave us a lot of great advice that would've been expensive to change later (such as placement of our bathroom fixtures). Kimball also helped us do some drawings to help us visualize our space and placement, which we ended up giving to the our contractor. We had a great experience and can't wait to hire Kimball again.

I have previously hired Kimball to design my homes in San Francisco and Palo Alto. When I was looking for a kitchen, dining and living area remodel in Lake Tahoe, she was my first choice despite the distance. Her talent with bringing to life what I really want as a client and what the space can support is really special. The project scope included a kitchen, dining and living area remodel. The first most transformative change Kimball made, was converting an existing bar area of a “dead end” kitchen layout into an island that dramatically eased the flow around the kitchen. With lots of house guests and little ones occupying the space, moving through and around the kitchen was important. She worked closely with the contractors working with what was possible structurally and ended up in a place where I am am so in love with my kitchen still 6 months later. Kimball has great attention to detail and can really get super involved where needed. In my case, she hand picked the quartzite slabs in San Francisco and marked them off exactly where to make the cuts for the fabricator here in Reno. I found collaborating with her via Skype/Facetime to work well and she didn’t let the distance become an issue at all. When it got time to pick details like flooring, tiles, cabinets, etc., she made the process feel very opened while at the same time was able to drive the process to closure. She went the extra mile to not only get what could work for me, but something I truly love (and will surely love for years to come). Kimball's sensitivity around color is something special she brings to the table. Tying in living room tones, with an existing area rug, with a spectacular backsplash all working together nicely and without a sense of competition. She even worked through with me the exact color tones of the LED lighting throughout the space. The house feels so open and easy now while allowing the dramatic views over Lake Tahoe contribute strongly to the space. Kimball is such a talent and pleasure to work with. I’m so grateful she was willing to take a project at a distance and move through it with such care and attention.

Kimball just did the design of my bathroom and kitchen renovation at my condo in Civic Center Heights. I really could not be more pleased with the process and the result. Kimball is a good listener. She has a way of understanding what your driving toward even if you cannot fully explain it. She is knowledgeable, personable, a good communicator -- and affordable. In fact, her fee as a percentage of the total cost of the project is quite small. Considering the time it takes to do these projects and the time I'm going to live with them, it was a good value and a good investment. Kimball was also able to act as my project manager when I was out of town. She interfaced easily with my general contractor, keeping the project on schedule and on budget. I would definitely use Kimball again and have no hesitancy to recommend her

Our bathroom is SO tiny. But Kimball helped us make the most of the space. She was very patient with us as we figured out exactly what we liked, and didn't like. She helped us source supplies and get the plans ready for our contractor. Our tiny little bathroom is now the best room in the house. Many thanks to Kimball. Highly recommended.

Kimball Star joined our remodel project early on during the design phase and has proven to be an asset throughout the entire process. Her thoughtful and creative design ideas created a beautiful home for our family that has function as well as artistic design. Kimball went above and beyond to share her knowledge of design to influence and guide our decisions while making the decision making process smooth with her connections, understanding of products, and eye for beauty and function. Kimball worked professionally with each and every member of our team from our architect, painters, and especially our contractor. The positive relationship she fosters allowed for open conversation and overall a better design for our family. We have 2 children and Kimball worked individually to meet their needs and desires to create spaces that are warm and functional. She balanced our needs by providing options to fit our budget and combining an idea between my spouse and I to form the perfect finished product. We cannot be more happy with our decision to work with Kimball and know that our home is truly what we want taking every detail into mind from the space in the kitchen walkways, lighting to create the mood in a room, function of the fixtures, and the beauty of the tile all the way to the furnishings. We would highly recommend working wth Kimball Star on your project no matter how big or small.

Kimball is awesome and great about her taste in interior design. I really like her design style! That's what I expect about my dream home~

As a fabricator of custom soft furnishings, I have worked with Kimball on several window covering projects. Kimball is a very talented and creative designer. She has a great eye for beautiful textiles and color. Her attention to detail is exceptional. I love her professionalism and design expertise. I look forward to working with Kimball on many more projects! Doreen Leong - Leong Interiors

Although I lagged far behind my wife in awareness of interior decor, Kimball helped me formulate my ideas...and did an excellent job of merging both spousal perspectives. She helped us make choices that ranged from subtle to bold. We remain dazed with delight at the finished product – an old San Francisco house that is modern and convenient, while retaining its period charm.

I was in the process of remodeling my kitchen and bathrooms with a contractor, and realized I needed help with design. Kimball was wonderful to work with. We always started with functionality, and then blended in design and color. I ended up remodeling the entire house with her help. She listened really well, and then provided multiple suggestions and options -- but not over-whelming options either, and struck a great balance. The results were -- Just Perfect! I would not change a single thing. -- Steve W.

We feel so lucky to have found Kimball Starr! After working with some wonderful design-savvy but time-limited friends for over a year, we realized we weren't making as much progress furnishing our home as we wanted. Our living and dining rooms were wonderful canvases but we needed a LOT of assistance with wall art, furniture, decorations, storage, etc. On a whim, I researched interior designers on Yelp and found Kimball. Upon meeting her, I loved her energy, vision, and love for color as evidenced by her questions and her portfolio online. I felt an immediate connection and decided to move forward. My husband and I have slightly different styles and she worked very hard to make sure we were both heard in the process. Our goal was that we would turn our wonderful, open, and warm house into a home filled with objects, nature, and color that represented us and she NAILED it. She was great about our feedback. Sometimes her suggestions were good but not exactly what we wanted only we couldn't articulate the reason. She really took the time to draw out our feelings (this was hard for us because neither of us are design people!) and she always came back with something that we loved. Who knew that decorating could be so much fun! We receive several comments each month on how inviting and special our living space is and I couldn't agree more. If I was ever moving or building a new home I would absolutely consult with Kimball again as I've never been so happy in any apartment or house I've ever lived in. Thank you Kimball!

We are so glad we found Kimball!! My husband and I were 1st-time homeowners and we couldn't be more excited to decorate/furnish our place after all the inspirations we saw on Houzz. However, little did we know how different my husband and my styles were; we couldn't stop butting heads. Kimball helped us conquer our differences by magically putting both our styles in one room.; which I honestly did not think would have been impossible in the beginning of the design process. And I couldn't have been more thrilled with the results!! It's impeccable! Another difficult task in which Kimball mastered was providing outstanding design options for our "odd" living room which was a head scratcher for my husband and I for the living room's fireplace is off-centered due to the previous owner's living room extension. And for us newlyweds, budget was tight after just getting married and buying a house. But Kimball was mindful and respectful of our tight budget. We are so grateful she did not have a minimum like other interior designers we inquired about had. Kimball is extremely organized and can be easily reached via phone or email. Whenever we had questions or saw some pieces/accessories we liked, we could simply email her and ask for her expertise. Not only does she offer a flexible schedule to meet up for the initial onsite meeting or design presentation but also she can help those like myself whom can't envision pieces/furnishings in the space... you just have to trust her. She is extremely attentive and listens to what YOU want and nails it to the dot!!! Thanks Kimball for your help! We LOVE LOVE LOVE everything!!!

Kimball was a pleasure to work with. She is creative, stylish, resourceful, and has absolutely fabulous taste. Plus she is easy to work with and is a great listener. She helped steer us away from a couple of bad choices and inspired us to rethink how to approach our kitchen remodel. Her sourcing, color sensibility, and overall great aesthetic helped make our project a huge success. Highly recommended!

Kimball Starr has recently completed working with us to redesign and redecorate our condo, and we are thrilled with the result. We found her to be the best interior designer we could have hoped for, and the reasons are almost too numerous to list. She is a nice person who is very easy to work with. She works alone so you are never going to get stuck with some assistant doing the work for you. Our home turned out to be exactly what we wanted, what we might have envisioned if we had had the ability to envision it before we actually saw it. Her color sense is incredible. People are amazed at how beautiful the colors are in our space. She is flexible. At every step of the way she told us her ideas and asked for feedback. She understands budget constraints. We found that if she suggested an item that was more expensive than we wanted to pay, that she was willing to look for something similar at a price we liked better. We had a number of pieces of art and Central American fabric that we wanted to use. Kimball incorporated these things into the space in a way that enhances the furniture and cabinetry that she helped us select. The contractors she used such as the painter, upholsterer and the glass supplier, were all superior and reliable craftspeople. To sum it all up, we are extremely happy with the end result: our lovely, comfortable and beautiful home. Kimball was for us the best designer we could have chosen.

Kimball helped us select furniture for our living room. I believe her greatest value add is her ability to listen and blend styles of both her clients and direct us to places where we can purchase furniture we would like. Sam, my fiancé, and I each had our own unique style. Kimball blended our decorative styles, adding a sophisticated touch. She is very patient, flexible, and friendly. We went through 3 different living room layouts and looked at several couches before we found the look we loved. She gives excellent and honest feedback. I was really thankful to have her by my side at furniture show rooms because she knew the right questions to ask and is very knowledgeable about her industry practices. Redesigning a room with Sam was very meaningful experience for me. It is symbolic of our new journey together and we thank Kimball for the great kick-off.

We've worked with Kimball on two very different projects, and can't recommend her highly enough. The first project was a gut renovation of a tiny bathroom. The size of the bathroom made design choices especially important because we needed to maximize the use of space. The second project was a whole-house remodel, where she was involved every step of the way, from space planning to physical layout (walls, electrical, etc.), selection of all materials (tiles, flooring, fixtures, paint colors), interior design, and serving as our liaison with the contractor throughout the whole, year-long process. We could not have made it through the process without her. Here are some things that worked really well: - She did a great job of listening to our design preferences while also offering clear recommendations and guidance. She contributed expertise vs just implementing our initial, uninformed opinions. - She is extremely organized and a skilled project manager, tracking every decision that needs to be made, understanding how choices are integrated, timelines, ordering, delivery & installation processes, etc. - She's incredibly detail-oriented and can envision exactly what things will look like once they're finished. This means that she could give us practical advice on things that we didn't even realize were important. She also offloaded an incredible amount of work, which was critical for us. - She made the process efficient by quickly guiding us towards designs & products that met our criteria, saving us time and money by not having to conduct a wide, laborious search. She would take direction from us re: how involved we wanted her to be. If we wanted her to choose specific options and bring them to the house to evaluate, she could do that. If we just wanted general guidelines & do something ourselves, she could set us up for success there, too. - She has deep experience working with contractors. She spoke their language and so could communicate with them much more productively than we could. She could also incorporate construction considerations (what would it take to install? what else would it affect?) into our choices. For example, she worked directly with the tile expert to lay out the tile so that the final tile design incorporated the contractor's expertise and also met our design objectives. She also developed the specific electrical plan and worked with the contractor on specific placement of walls, etc. - Of course, her sense of design is impeccable. And she's skilled at client management, so she always had diplomatic ways of steering us towards good choices. :) You absolutely can't go wrong hiring Kimball. While I hope to never renovate our house again, if we did, I would seek her out.

As a designer of custom cabinetry and space enhancing furniture for residential spaces, I work often with interior design professionals. Recently, I worked with Kimball Starr on a remodel of a San Francisco condominium. Kimball’s design concepts impressed me as fresh, creative and bold. Our mutual client is thrilled with the unique and special environment she helped create. Further, her level of communication, attention to detail, and ability to embrace a collaborative process are second to none. I look forward to working with Kimball on future projects. ~Larry Fox, Valet Custom Cabinets & Closets

I hired Kimball to do a complete remodel of the interior of my new loft that I purchased in SOMA. She really got to know me and understand who I am in order to make the place mine and not some designer showcase that had no relationship to me. The space went from drab (off white walls, no personality) to a vibrant, warm living space that every night I am so glad to come home to. Kimball helped me to understand the importance of flow within the space and how to utilize what was already mine and mix it in with new and vintage pieces throughout the space. It's a great space where I often now host parties with up to 25 guests very easily. I've posted a couple of pictures one of recent party and the other of mover bringing in a large fountain that was made in Morocco for the patio. Lastly I'd like to say that having a good designer like Kimball is a real time and money saver. kimball's expertise and connections meant getting the best prices on so any things from custom art pieces created in Morocco to furniture pieces. In addition she was on site to oversee all of the important work and make sure of every detail. Thanks Agin Kimball!

Kimball Starr designed the remodel of our bathroom, which had been redone once since the home was built in 1919. In turning a two room bathroom into a single large bathroom, she showed excellent knowledge of design and space. She met our requirements of a large shower, good storage, and a private toilet area. She worked closely with the contractor. She oversaw the tile, lighting, paint, and fixture selections. We would definitely recommend Kimball Starr.

After a great deal of research via phone and emails of other designers in the SF Bay Area, finding Kimball was finding a light in the darkness! A fairly small project in terms of space, I really needed help transforming my "hold everything" mess of a room into a functional home office for me and my husband AND a baby space. It was an odd project that required a great deal of patience for the few things we knew we needed and wanted, alongside creativity and ingenuity to work in the things Kimball could see we needed. Kimball afforded us the luxury of asking questions of someone who could hold a master plan in her head, without being judgmental (something other designers I spoke with weren't very good at)l. She listened to both our ideas on taste, talked to us about our favorite stores, and respected our budget. And, with great kindness, she let me sit on the project when I got pregnant in the middle of it and decided to hold off for months on finishing the baby half until I was really ready to do so. Now, just a few weeks from the expected arrival of our little one, the room is functional, sweet, attractive and modern. You will never find a professional more amenable to working with you on your terms than Kimball!

My husband and I worked with Kimball to pick up hardwood floor, carpet and paint colors throughout our house. All the things she recommended are pretty good. Particularly the hardwood floor. It works very well with the stone wall over our fireplace and the exposed wood beam ceiling. We got a lot of compliments from our friends. Kimball is very easy to work with. She listened to us and made an effort to understand what styles we liked. Then she did a good job incorporating our styles to the colors and items she picked for us. So they not only look good but they are also what we like. I would definitely recommend her to others who needs a interior design service.

Both times I worked with Kimball we started with nothing. Once she transitioned my then boyfriend's milk crate and steel filing cabinet existence into a home bursting with color and personality. Years later she helped me as I (begrudgingly) moved "back to the mainland" after a year on Maui. Returning with two suitcases and a few cardboard boxes - we didn't have much to start with! But Kimball's imagination is all I needed. She's a master at the use of space. When we stood in my (nearly empty) two-bedroom bungalow she quickly started sharing her vision with me for the space. I remembered the first time we worked together when she took our large living room and expertly created three "areas" within. Her vision changed the way we lived. But I wouldn't even say that this is her #1 talent. That would be her ability to interpret her clients personality…or their desired outcome. She asks the right questions, digging until she really understands what your looking for and better yet, who you are. And that's the reason I continue to work with Kimball Star, because she helps you to express yourself through design.

I found Kimball from a recommendation for a friend who's apartment she had worked on. I was literally suffering in a small home that I had purchased but was feeling cramped and a rat in a maze constantly. While I had things I love in my home, the flow of it was horrendous and I tried so many different ways to work it out to no avail. Kimball came in and had a formal process where she asked me about objects I had and loved and why. She learned about me and my style. It was striking and refreshing to feel she wasn't trying to impact HER sense of home and design but rather facilitate make my home MINE! And she nailed it. With a mixture of off the shelf pieces, semi-customized pieces to full customized built in seating it was all well coordinated, in budget and most importantly it felt like me. I loved the process and the results. I'd use her on a home again and look forward to that opportunity, hopefully soon!

It was a great pleasure to work with Kimball. She carefully listened to what I wanted my place to look and feel like and listened to my ideas of how to bring that about. She had lots more great ideas, but wasn't pushy and did a great job of bringing together both style and my quirks! I have a few unique items from my past that I didn't think matched with much else, but Kimball integrated them beautifully with my new pieces. She knew lots of places for furniture and other items that I had never even heard of. She also knew lots of contractors ( who proved quite skillful), and kept me abreast of what was going on both schedule-wise and budgetwise. I would not hesitate to work with her again