Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kelly. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started working as an assistant designer in NYC in 1999, while I was attending Parson’s School of Design. I actually landed a full time job while I was still in school, with the late Larry Bogdanow, a rising star in the restaurant and hotel design realm. I then moved to Providence, RI, where I took the most desirable (not the highest paid) job with the established firm of DBVW Architects. I was their first interior designer and I learned a lot there about construction and interior details. Once my first son was born, I ventured out on my own, and dove in to the interior design of the Vanderbilt Residence Club in Newport, RI. Since then, I have steadily grown my business, both in residential and commercial design, have obtained a Master of Design Studies in Sustainable Design and am now a firm of 4 people.
In that time, I have been fortunate to have been recognized by New England Home Magazine as a “5 under 40” designer and as a “Woman to Watch in Creative Services” by the Providence Business News. KTID has received multiple design awards and our work has been published widely. We have created a niche market for clean design in an area of the country where traditional and coastal work often is too fussy for cosmopolitan clients. We are also incredibly client-specific. We pride ourselves on client programming–we create their spaces for them–and don’t subscribe to a “look” other than warm and paired down. Lastly, we collaborate very well, with little ego, with our builders, architects, etc. We design full scale renovations in addition to decor which separates us from interior designers that only decorate. Our mission is to provide sustainable, functional and beautiful environments to all of our clients and I think our dedication to that mission is how we are able to select the projects that are best for us and to create spaces that enrich the lives of our clientele.
Has it been a smooth road?
Anyone that owns a business should tell you that the road is not smooth. Custom design work has its challenges, most prevalent in scheduling. I joke that we are always overstaffed or understaffed, as our work relies on the decision making process of our clients–and that can be fast or slow. People often ask if certain parts of the year are busier than others and while August can be slower, there is no magic formula. We have learned the importance of managing client expectations, which is a critical part of the design process. Making sure our clients know what to expect and when to expect it creates an atmosphere of trust and collaboration–and everyone feels good about the projects. I always say–nothing is perfect–not even in design.
Finally, we are selective about our staff–in design and interpersonal skills–and finding the right employees has also been a challenge from time to time. However, with little paid marketing, KTID has grown significantly in the past five years. Our clients, builders and architects are our best advocates and truly partnering with them results in the most successful projects. We are fueled by knowing that our work creates healthier, more functional homes and happier, dedicated and more excited, efficient employees. Good design has the power to transform people’s lives.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kelly Taylor Interior Design – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We specialize in renovating. That means analyzing client needs and the given project and creating construction documents that are clear and specific. Our favorite projects allow us to transform space–not only through furnishings, but through custom woodwork, lighting, interesting architectural details and finishes, etc. We take pride in being spatial experts who can dig deep into how spatial flow and adjacency can drastically alter living and working. We are sustainability enthusiasts. We understand air quality issues, ventilation and energy efficiency and how living in a healthy building can reduce cancer, asthma, allergies and other ailments. We understand the valuable role proper acoustics and lighting plays in interior space: for wellness, liveliness, serenity. People spend 90% of their time indoors, so we take these points very seriously. I have worked for architects up until opening KTID, and I feel our knowledge of architectural interiors, sustainability and client-focused mindset truly sets us apart.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Providence has become another suburb of Boston, but is a city in its own right. It is a design, arts and cultural mecca, full of artists and artisans that we can call on to produce all of our custom needs. Providence offers us limitless opportunities for collaboration not only with these artists, but with other designers, architects and builders. Our location between southern Rhode Island and Boston allows KTID to be centrally placed for projects in Boston, its surrounding areas, down to Newport and to locations all over the Narragansett Bay.
Contact Info:
- Address: Kelly Taylor Interior Design
460 Harris Avenue, Unit 103
Providence, RI 02909 - Website: www.ktid.net
- Phone: 401-437-6363
- Email: ktaylor@ktid.net
- Instagram: kellytaylorinteriordesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellyTaylorInteriorDesign
- Twitter: ktidnet
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/kellytaylor/__public
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