Interview with Kristen Fiore: Trends, Tips, and Timeless Design

Get to know the force behind Kristen Elizabeth Design

This month on the blog we’re sitting down with the talented and inspiring Kristen Fiore. Kristen's journey from growing up immersed in New York City’s vibrant art scene to taking night classes before founding her successful interior design firm in Sacramento is a testament to her passion and dedication to the craft. In this Q&A session, she talks about her path to success, sources of inspiration, the latest trends she's excited about, and those she’s ready to leave behind.

Whether you’re planning an interior design project or just curious about the process behind creating beautiful spaces, you don’t want to miss Kristen’s valuable insights and advice. Let's dive in!

Share your journey, how did you get to where you are today?

I have always had a flair for the creative. Growing up in New York, I would visit all the great museums on the weekends and I excelled in art at school but, never found a discipline that got me super excited. Until the day I discovered the Design and Decorative Building (D&D building) on the Upper East Side and fell in love. It took a long time before I knew this was my path. I went the traditional business route and was never quite fulfilled.

After moving to San Francisco, I found the Berkeley Extension Program for Interior Architecture and Design and enrolled in night classes. I loved it. But it took a little bit longer. After starting a family, I finally received a full degree with Honors for Interior Design and began Kristen Elizabeth Design in 2015.

It has been a journey of growth, learning, many highs, and a few lows. Every minute has been worth it. I and we as a company continue to evolve. I feel incredibly blessed to create such personal spaces for our clients, whom we get to know deeply, to work together and create rooms that bring them joy and happiness—spaces they love coming home to.

Kristen Elizabeth Design would not exist without our incredible team. I am very lucky to have two amazing women by my side. Nastassja Bowman, our very talented Interior Designer, and Jenifer McCool who keeps everything running smoothly! I learn something from them every day and am most grateful that they are by my side. We work hard, share a lot of laughs, and support each other daily and I can't forget to mention Courtney Fiki with Studio Cadette who oversaw the redesign of our brand and manages our socials. So smart and talented, she saves me from a side of the business that’s not my forte.

How do you find inspiration when starting a new design project?

I stay up on trending design and find out what's on the horizon by looking through good old-fashioned European magazines. They highlight so many different design styles and the evolution of those styles. You can't go wrong scouring the pages of AD Italia, House & Garden (the UK version of Home & Garden), or Elle Decoration (the UK version of Elle Decor).

I have also started a nice collection of designer books, from designers I emulate and aspire to. They offer great inspiration and are an education in themselves. They are the most invaluable resources I have. I’m endlessly inspired by Richard Mishaan, Victoria Hagan, and Axel Vervoordt. I can't wait to scroll through Bridget Romanek's new drop: “Liveable Lux”.

What design trend excites you most right now?

I'm excited for COLOR! I am loving the New Classic movement as well. The New Classic entails combining modern elements that are the perfect blend between elegance and artistry. When designing a New Classic style home, we get to mash up avant-garde materials and colors. We love the textures and patterns in fine textiles and the mix of calming colors and papers on the wall. It is totally my vibe and we do it really well! Our recent projects: Artful & Glamorous and Well Suited are great examples of this style executed in vastly different ways.

What design trend are you sick of?

I am tired of the oatmeal linen and white oak everything look. I am also ready for boucle fever to be over! Stop already. It's boucle all day and it needs some rest.

Before starting a home design project, what’s the most important thing clients should know?

I think there are a couple of things clients should be aware of before starting a project. The first is to create a budget. Our costs have risen so dramatically since COVID-19 that it helps to be realistic about affordability and to modify, if necessary, the overall scope of the project.

Next, understand that although we are here to make the process as seamless as possible and reduce stress; design and construction are always a process and a long process. It is a very human process. Things change, items go out of stock, something unexpected delays the timeline, or someone makes a mistake. These things happen, it’s just the nature of the beast. We are here to find solutions and move forward. We do this professionally and transparently. It is sometimes frustrating, but we work through it together, calmly and with educated decisions.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Create a process for everything. Write it down, make adjustments, always strive to be better, and more efficient, and communicate clearly.

Hire people who are better than you at something.

Quadruple check everything and then, check it one last time.

What’s the most common misconception you find in your industry?

Time. Most clients think that designing a room or a home can be done in a timeline like on HGTV. Design takes time is my motto, and great design takes a little more time. Most don’t understand the level of detail that every decision requires. Research takes time, finding the right vendor, the price point, the style, the fabrics, and the scale of a piece of furniture is step one. Next is specifying. Consider what fabric is required, how many yards need to be ordered, shipping the fabric to the workroom, deciding on the finish, the zippers, the type of fill in the seat, and if you upgrade the foam or wrap around the foam. Then, ordering. Creating proposals for the clients, purchase orders for the vendors, and coordinating shipping. It all takes time.

How often do you refresh your home design?

I’ve designed my home in a style that’s timeless, so I rarely replace or redesign anything unless there is a necessity. I make it a point to only purchase items I love, that are made well, classic, and not trendy. I add items to my home more from my heart and things I won't get sick of. I'm a minimalist and get overwhelmed with clutter, so I don't add much and if anything, find myself eliminating the things I no longer love more than making new acquisitions.

What are 5 things you can’t live without right now?

I live pretty simply and don't buy many big-ticket items, but I just treated myself to an orange leather computer case from a lovely store in Milan and I love it. It makes me so very happy!!

Spf 50. All day every day and a good sun hat.

The sit-stand computer desk! I spend so much time on my computer, that I could easily spend an entire day sitting. I hate that and love the option of standing. I might even explore a treadmill desk.

Seriously, coffee. It's my favorite drink in the world.

It sounds silly, but a water bottle. This is the one true thing I cannot live without. It keeps me hydrated, reduces the use of plastic, and saves a buck too. Win-win!