Kim Lapin

Kim Lapin Interiors is a full-service interior design firm founded by Kim Lapin in 2020. Kim majored in history at UCLA. After modeling and acting for more than a decade, she transitioned to the design industry seven years ago.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?

I was modeling and acting for 11 years before I pursued my career in interior design. I learned a lot about beauty, aesthetics and fashion and how to incorporate those into your environment. I was on beautiful sets and saw gorgeous homes and locations that used interior architecture masterfully. It made me fall more in love with interior design. My dad and brother are also general contractors, so I’ve been around renovations and home-building since I was little.

When we bought our first home 10 years ago, we updated one of the bathrooms and sold it within a year. We did that seven times with seven different homes as passion projects, and the renovations got bigger and bigger until we were doing full-gut renovations. I gained a lot of experience and know-how about the renovation process and design, but I didn’t realize I could make a career of it since my formal education was not in that field. 

What inspired me to pursue this career was having my daughter. Having a child showed me how tough I was and that I could do anything I put my mind to.

In what ways do you stand out in the interior design market? 

Having worked in fashion, I have a distinct sense of style. Fashion translates so much to interior design. You can tell a lot about someone’s design sense in interiors when you see how they like to dress. My experience in fashion gives me an edge on the quality of design I put out. 

Describe your dream client. 

A client who trusts the process and is excited and open to creating a layered home that has quality materials throughout. It’s also essential that clients want what I offer. If they don’t love my completed projects, chances are they won’t be on board with the design elements I pitch them because our aesthetics might not line up. I only work with clients who love what I do because that creates the most successful and inspired projects. Otherwise it’s hard for both parties, and design should be fun!

Do you work remotely? 

Yes. Design can be done from anywhere, and Zoom meetings have made it easy to connect and go over the design plans while in different cities or states. I love working with clients from afar and turning their house into their dream home. It’s easier than it seems. People book me for consultations through TALD.co. It’s a breeze!

What struggles have you faced in your profession? 

There is a lot of competition in this industry, just like in my previous industries of modeling and acting. People are always sizing themselves up against each other. I think my superpower is being able to put blinders on and focus on my business. I truly don’t care what others are doing. I believe in what I have built and am building. I was an athlete in college, so competition doesn’t bother me. It fuels me. 

What is your current passion project?

We are about to start construction on a special project in Rolling Hills that will be truly one of a kind. With full ocean views and a truly stunning landscape, this home will be so special. I can’t wait to share it! We’re breaking ground in November, and the project will take about 18 months. Think European craftsmanship meets the ease of West Coast living.

In what ways does authenticity play into your business model?

I pride myself on being authentic and genuine. It’s the only way I know how to be. In this industry, people can get a little big for their britches and treat their staff and even vendors and clients poorly. I don’t understand that. It’s so vital to be kind, compassionate, easygoing and dare I say fun to be around as a designer! I treat every project as a blessing, and that impacts my business model because I put clients first and make sure they feel important, heard and special … because they are.

Speak about the importance of the community to your business.

The impact the community has had on my business is immense, mostly because the clients I take on typically tend to be word of mouth or a referral from someone I know. I typically only take on four or five projects at a time, so it’s very important for both the client and me that we are on the same page from the start and have the same goals in mind. Our community is a huge part of that because if I do a great job for someone locally, they are going to naturally want to tell others about me. I take a lot of pride in the way I run projects and treat people, and I know that everything comes back around. The community is essential in running a successful business.

Photographed by Fabien & Laura Castro