We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Longley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kate, appreciate you joining us today. Why do people need an interior designer?
While having an interior designer is somewhat of a luxury, it can make the difference between having a home that people simply like and a home that truly wows them. And what price do you put on loving the space you live in?
At Kate Longley Designs, we have two divisions: our luxury residential division and our bachelor division. The latter was created because I believe no single man should be designing his own home. Over the years, we’ve worked with so many bachelor clients that we’ve developed a niche for ourselves. We know how to create elegant wine cellars, martini bars, game rooms, media rooms, speakeasies and more—perfect for hosting parties and entertaining guests.
Every two weeks, I attend the Paradise Valley Home Tour to visit multimillion-dollar homes and see what other designers are doing. What amazes me is there are people willing to spend that much on a house but choose not to hire an interior designer. That’s like buying a Ferrari and putting snow tires on it—you wouldn’t do that because that’s where the rubber meets the road.
When I go on these tours, I can always tell which homes hired a professional designer and which ones didn’t. It’s night and day. Homeowners have varying levels of talent but it’s uncommon to find a homeowner who can make their home look truly ‘spectacular’ without hiring a designer. We aim for spectacular, every single time.
Interior designers aren’t just for the wealthy. What if you’re just doing a simple kitchen remodel? A friend called me a few weeks ago and asked, “Are grey cabinets in?” I said, “Not at this time, everyone is going for light oak, or even the traditional white cabinets—but painted cabinets are out.” I asked why he wanted to know, and he replied, “Because I just remodeled a kitchen in my investment property with grey cabinets.” I said, “Please call me next time.”
General contractors should not be choosing paint colors, cabinets, tile, flooring, or plumbing fixtures. They shouldn’t be creating lighting plans. Contractors should build; designers should design. We serve two different purposes. That said, I definitely rely on my contractors as well—it’s absolutely a team effort. I couldn’t do it without them.
Can you please tell us more about yourself and your business?
Kate Longley Designs is a full-service luxury residential interior design firm. We also take on some light commercial work. Our clients are professionals, executives, athletes, and the like—mostly busy, successful people who simply don’t have time to coordinate the details of their remodel or furnishing and decor projects. Perhaps they have the know-how but not the time, or many tell me they simply don’t know how to create the home of their dreams. That’s where we come in.
If you ask me how we’re different, I believe my background working for large corporations and my MBA enable me to run a business where we’ve created a smooth, streamlined process for our clients. We strive to exhibit a level of professionalism and efficiency that makes something as stressful as a full home remodel a relaxed process for our clients. We want our clients to be as involved or uninvolved as they want to be. One thing I pride myself on is that our clients don’t ever need to go shopping. There is only one shopping trip we take our clients on: to sit on their new sofa before we buy it. Otherwise, we bring the fabrics, the flooring samples, and the plumbing fixtures to them. Our clients hire us to do the heavy lifting so they don’t have to do the work themselves.
The creative result of the project is a collaboration between homeowner and designer. I am executing their vision in a way they couldn’t have achieved themselves. I love working with clients who give us creative liberties; projects turn out better when clients let us do the job we were hired to do. I am not shy, and when I am passionate about something, I will lightly ‘encourage’ clients to make certain decisions. But overall, I want the design process to be a collaborative experience.
We can design in any style. If you come to me and tell me you want roosters in your kitchen, we might suggest an alternate designer, but most of the time we can make just about anyone happy. I find that many people hire us for Contemporary, California Coastal, Traditional, and Modern designs, but that is certainly not all we do. We love a challenge, so don’t assume that if it’s not on our website, we don’t do it. My personal style is contemporary, mixed with some eclectic pieces.
As for me, I was born with interior design and fashion in my blood. My parents aren’t sure where I got it from, as my mom is more into athletics than fashion, and my dad loves to talk about how he only had three pairs of jeans as a kid. My mom has often told me stories about the year I refused to go to school unless I was wearing pink or purple. As I got older, my passion for curating my wardrobe spilled over into designing the spaces I lived in. I have always wanted everything around me to be beautiful. Whether it’s the dress I bought in Paris or matching pillows and draperies, I’ve always sought out unique colors, styles, patterns, and textures. I’m constantly pushing myself to create more and more unique and exquisite spaces. Initially, I did it for the joy it brought me—now, I do it for the joy I bring others.
When I was a little girl, I imagined myself wearing business suits and making a great living. I didn’t really know doing what, but I decided to get a degree in business because that seemed to be the best path to get there. However, when I was 17 and choosing my major, I didn’t consider the fact that I wanted the suits to be Balmain, not Banana Republic. During my 20-year stint in corporate America as a medical device sales representative, I could never wear anything I felt was truly fashionable. I wore scrubs to work, and at meetings, my business suits were conservative so I’d blend in with the predominantly male workforce. The most I could get away with was a pretty silk blouse under my suit. Now I get to create homes that are fashion forward and stand out.
Eight years ago, I went to work for a designer who taught me enough to get started, and I’m still learning every day. I’ll share more about how I turned my side hustle into my full-time business in a bit.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them? Give us some context so we can understand why this was so great and what the customer must have felt like?
At one point, when I was working for a medical device company, I was putting in insane hours and desperately needed a vacation. I remember sitting on yet another conference call, working 12-hour days, and thinking that I needed a break. So, in the middle of the call, I started scrolling through Southwest Airlines destinations on my phone. Hawaii. Perfect. I booked the flight for two weeks out. Done. Because this was my first solo vacation, I decided to treat myself and stay at the Ritz.
When I got to my room, there was a bottle of wine and a handwritten note waiting for me. I thought, How nice of them, but wait, it gets better. I don’t drink alcohol, so I took the bottle down to the receptionist, thanked her, and kindly explained that they could give it to someone else since I don’t drink. No reason to waste it on me.
The next day, I came back to my room, and there was another bottle. I thought, Oh, they must have forgotten. But when I looked at it, I realized it was zero-proof—sparkling rosé with no alcohol—and another lovely note. That meant something to me. They listened, anticipated my needs, and really impressed me. If anyone ever tells me they’re going to Honolulu, I tell them to stay at the Ritz.
I’m big on appreciation gifts. Every new client receives a Voluspa candle when they sign on. If someone refers a client to me, I always send a gift. Every client also gets a gift for their home when the project is complete. I make sure the gift is the missing piece to that room and that it’s something the homeowners will cherish. I’ve also been known to give out luxury sheet sets. One client asked me what sheets I recommended at the beginning of a project. After the first night he slept on them, he called me and said, “Well, if these sheets are any indication of how nice the house is going to be, I am absolutely thrilled.”
I’ve always loved giving gifts to friends and family, so it naturally extends to our clients. And we think they love it.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Because I didn’t go to school for interior design, I eased my way into it. I started out with the very first condo I bought after college that was 40 years old and I completely flipped it. Then I’d throw parties, and people would come over and say I should be a designer.
In 2016, I convinced a designer to hire me, and I took a temporary leave from my Medical Device Sales career so I could work with her full-time. She was exceptional. She had won HGTV Design Star and, at the time, was an up-and-coming talent. Now, she’s one of the premier designers in Scottsdale. I learned a tremendous amount from her. She sent me to market, taught me different design softwares, and introduced me to key industry contacts. I am forever grateful to her because she helped me realize that my dream could become a reality.
After working for her I went back to work, started my Instagram, and began hosting interior design ‘in-home’ meetings for the Junior League at my house. I’d host meetings for about 10 people and ask each attendee to send a photo of a room in their home that they wanted help with. At the meeting, I’d go over my suggestions for each room. Those meetings led to clients. Facebook led to clients. And clients led to more clients.
Then, in February 2023, when my company restructured and I was laid off from my corporate job, I got the push I needed to pursue my dreams full-time. I’ve been hustling with passion ever since.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katelongley.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelongleydesigns/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kate-Longley-Designs/61557987802979/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kate-longley-designs?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name
Image Credits
Headshot Michael Franco
Portfolio Nick Sorenson