A Home So Inspiring Its Owner Became A Decorator

Kim West may never have become a designer if she hadn’t moved to Austin, TX. Although she and her husband, David, had rehabbed several apartments when they lived in New York City, “it’s crazy expensive to start a business there,” says the former fashion executive. So four years ago the couple headed south, where they fell in love with a 1920s Craftsman. The home had pretty period details but lacked pizzazz, making it a perfect testing ground for Kim’s quirky style.

Friends took notice, and soon Kim launched not one but two businesses: a real-estate development company with her husband, for which she handles the interior design of the houses they remodel, and Supply, a showroom that sells to-the-trade home goods. Now her signature “color and pattern explosions” are seen in homes throughout Austin. “Designing our house helped me design the life I wanted,” she says.  

Above: Kim, David and their kids Ollie and Lulu on the porch.