Kate Lester Interiors

When one of your favorite long-time clients says, “Hey guess what… I think we found our forever home. You ready to do it all over again?” The answer is always yes. Yes x 100! This is one of our past projects with them… and they (and this beach house) are a dream.

TRUTH BOMB ALERT: If i told you i had a crazy idea FIVE years ago because i felt like they don’t teach you sh*t about the real design business in design school, would you believe me? It took a ton of time to refine it, name it, and figure out the WHO and WHY… but we did.
And tomorrow we’re going to start the conversation. Follow along and set your alarm, ⏰ because DESIGN SKOOL by kate lester is almost in session. 📷

O.O.O for a few days somewhere I have never been and I’m excited! Peep my stories to see what I am up to. 🫣 Hint: for once it has NOTHING to do with work. cc 👰
📷

GUYS! It’s my little sister’s bachelorette party this weekend in MIAMI! This means a few things…
1. I am absolutely unprepared and under-hydrated for this adventure.
2. I am going to need all of your moral support, tips and tricks because this bach-venture is 3 nights and 4 days long. This is obviously going to be a marathon and not a sprint.
3. Please also pray for strength for all of the seams on the delicate Shein dresses I purchased, as I lean in to this whole “Miami in the summer with young people vibe”.
4. My little sis deserves ALL the happiness in the world, and celebrating her is what this long weekend is all about! 🙌🏻 (Even if it means me on a yacht in a neon bikni dancing to Pitbull -badly. Sorry in advance Molly).
Also, here is a hallway that feels like summer. Ok I have to go pack now, bye. 👋🏼 📷

It’s Friday, you made it. Now keep going. 🖼️ by

I have always firmly believed in collaboration over competition and that is exactly why revamping and relaunching the design trade program was a priority for me this year. Better discounts, more support, trade-only events, sourcing support, custom order options, access to one-on-one mentoring sessions with yours truly… the list goes on and on! When we thrive as a design community it only makes our industry stronger as a whole!! Also, our new trade card is super tech savvy and chic. Become a trade partner today and see what the buzz is all about! Link in stories + highlights. 🔗

Attn candle lovers!! Are you running low on your favorite No.1 or No. 5? Well, ALL sizes and scents have now been restocked so get down to the Manhattan Beach shop and get them while they last! 📸

I literally asked one of the exterior stone guys on the scaffolding if he could pause what he was doing and “kindly duck down” so I could capture this little moment for the grid. 😝 So swipe right to enjoy a plethora of archways from project and trust me when i tell you that while the curves in this one may be mindful, classic + chic… these finished spaces will be anything but demure.

The making of a gallery wall 👉🏻 swipe to see how it all comes together.
Not pictured:
-Me laying it all out on the ground first.
-Moving everything around 4,217 times after that.
-Saying “When did i order that? I hate that” to at least one thing.
-Roger shaking his head and laughing at me while he moves something 1/8” to the left.
-Me saying “I swear that is not straight! I am a human level!”
-Me saying “I think it needs to be more weird. What else do we have?”
Gallery walls are an adventure. Good times. 👍🏻

Thanks to everyone who came out and shopped the sidewalk sale this past weekend! I was in-store for a little bit Friday and it was so nice to see some of you and say hello! We have some really amazing new things happening in the next few weeks so be sure to stay tuned! 🤗

Today is the first day of the sidewalk sale in but i mean… how in the world could put ALL of this gorgeouness out on the sidewalk?! 😱 So, we decided to being the SALE INSIDE instead! Shop 20% all weekend in-store (+ online)! AND… there is even a deep deep clearance area with SO MANY treasures at the very front of the MB Store just waiting for you! Shop all weekend long! xx - k

What kind of mother would i be if i wasn’t spending the last weekend of summer headed to the great state of Texas with for a softball camp hosted by her two faves .hansen and ? 🥎🙌🏻 Oh, and since it was just my birthday… I insisted if we were making the trek to Texas, we may as well hit the stockyards rodeo as well. 💁🏼‍♀️This is a weekend where I feel like watching my stories should be mandatory. 🤠

is looking fresh AF right now. 💁🏼‍♀️ so many gorgeous original art pieces and accessories to slay your bookcase game! stop in and say hello to the girls this week!

It’s Friday! That means it’s time to pull up a chair, kick off your shoes, and order that pizza… bacuse on the weekend the calories don’t count. 📷

Here’s a little BEFORE + AFTER 👉🏻 from our Manhattan Beach project that is sure to speak for itself because i’m too tired from my Vegas Market trip. Ok thanks bye. 👋🏼 📷

I feel like we’ve lost some bots and gained some new real human followers around here so let me re-introduce myself. I run this social account, so when you are DM-ing or commenting it’s actually ME who is responding. (Yasss kweens!) So since we’ve got new faces around here I thought i should share some fun facts about me you may not know…
1. I started + with $500 in my guest room. I have never taken angel investors or partners and probably never will. I just make smart decisions and constantly re-invest in the business- and I have a background and degree in business from USC.
2. I have a 9-year old daughter who’s name is Mackenzie… BUT we call her LINDA because she’s a very old, precocious, soul who has the unapologetic attitude, confidence, and wit of a 65 year old woman most days. (Think Sophia in the Golden Girls.) She is also a softball badass and you can follow along on her journey to the pros here 🙌🏻
3. I am terrified of flying… But it doesn’t stop me from traveling. Thank God for xanex.
4. I haven’t eaten dairy in 10 years.
5. I am a firm believer in the high/low concept in all areas of my life including my design aesthetic. Just don’t forget the high… because if you don’t then it will be all low.
6. I would much rather bold design spaces that people are talking about (good or bad) than spaces that are so bland that they are completely forgettable.
7. Original art (and artists who create it) are everything. I support them as much as I can.
8. The home we designed for + was featured in and it was one of the coolest moments of my career. BUT it also made me realize that if you were not happy before a feature or accomplishment, you won’t be happy after. So if you are chasing boxes to check- check yourself first. Life is short and happiness comes from within, not from Architectural Digest.
8. I firmly believe in community over competition, especially in the interior design industry. There will be no gatekeeping here. I speak ALL the truths.
9. I hate long instagram posts- so this is absolutely pushing it. xx -k.
📷

In honor of the , (guys, i’m obsessed!) here’s a kitchen where i’m pretty sure one of my all-time favorite gold medalists hangs out when he’s not on the court. 🏐🥇Even the pros need a little R+R in a beautifully designed space- dontcha think???!! 💁🏼‍♀️.
Go team USA! 🇺🇸

Today i went to the flea market and you know what i bought? ART! Always art. 🖼️ Although i will say the vintage clothes game is also really strong there, so now that may be my second go-to! Lastly, let me say that my fellow flea market peeps are the absolute best. Not only are many of them quirky, morning beer-drinking wheeling and dealing enthusiasts, they are animal lovers : ➡️ the man i saw talking to/catching a flying beetle in his hand. 🙈 and they are music lovers: ➡️ the guy playing guitar and singing while perusing the aisles. 🤪 Gotta love a flea market Sunday. 📷

Did you know that our best-selling candle scents are also available in soap + lotion sets? YES! 🙌🏻 And now that the newly refreshed site is up you can get them in-store AND online! Tap to shop or come visit us this weekend in Manhattan Beach! 📷

Ok guys! The new, refreshed is officially LIVE on the interwebs… and i could NOT be more excited!! The site has a fresh new look, and over the next few weeks we’ll be adding some really AH-MAZING new content and programs that we have been developing for a REALLY, REALLY, long time.
So, “what’s new” you ask? Well, you will be able to shop smaller curated collections online (because we really do still want to see you in-store). The retail brand has always been about a designer selection of curated one-of-a-kind finds, so most of that will remain exclusively in-store at our Manhattan Beach shop. But we WILL be offering limited edition curated collections available online that are shoppable and shippable for those of you who don’t live in SoCal! We have also introduced a brand new trade program (yay!), and something very near and dear to my heart will be launching for the design community in August! So stay tuned and thank you being patient! xx- k

Today is Linda’s first day of Junior Lifeguards. Last night, as we were laying in bed she told me that she was a little nervous… (so, if you know Linda, this means shs is VERY nervous) because she never really gets nervous about anything. Don’t get me wrong, every once and a while it’s adorable to see a glimpse inside that fearless + badass exterior- because it serves as a very poignant reminder that there is still an actual 9 year old child in there somewhere. We talked a bit about why, and then I reminded her that by doing the things that we fear… THAT is where we truly gain the strength, courage, and confidence we will carry with us as leaders for the rest of our lives. Your comfort zone will kill you, and that is the cold. hard. truth. So be like Linda and DIVE IN TO THE F*CKING WATER this week. Even if you are scared. Because everything you want is on the other side of fear. 📷

Ok, it’s self-care Sunday and sometimes that means getting a workout in, and then tearing apart my closet and re-organizing it so I can feel like I have some semblance of control over my crazy life. Who is with me? 🙋🏼‍♀️ 📷
also, this is NOT my closet. it’s one we designed along with the uber-talented at our Manhattan Neach project!

T G I F in a BIG way. ☀️Stay tuned, because next week we are launching something AH-MAZING that we’ve been working on for a long, long time!!
Think:
- new VIP trade program with a tech-savvy twist!
- fabulous revamped website
- events + resources just for the trade
- new limited curated collections
Can’t wait to share all of this newness with you guys! xx - k.

It’s the last day of a long summer weekend - which means if you need me i’ll be hydrating, doing a face mask, and praying that drinking my AG1 will erase every questionable nutritional decison I made over the past 3 days. (I’m looking at you fourth of July hot dog and tater tots). Send retinol. 📷

Saturdays are for lounging on the deck. ☀️ 📷

This morning, Linda got up with me so we could “work out together”. She ran a mile on the treadmill and then we did some free weights. I cannot even tell you how much joy this brought me! We may not be the kind of mother-daughter duo who shops for shoes or gets our nails done together, but the fact that we walked inside talking about our mile-per-hour paces made my entire day. Being healthy and strong is cool, and I am glad she wants do this kind of stuff so young. 💪🏻 Also… here is a home gym I designed that is way nicer than mine. 📷

YOU GUYS! The sweet teen girl who lived in this adorable room we designed for her is now a FULL-ON thriving adult human who now goes to Notre Dame 🙌🏻… AND she started as our summer intern today!!! I am so beyond proud of her and so excited to watch/get to be part of her amazing journey!
📷

Yes, putting shelving in front of windows is a thing- and we’ve been doing it since before it was cool. Also, you should try it… contractors love it. 😜 📷
&T

Look at me! I am lounging in front of a wall of Kate Lester + rugs and I’m serious(ly) excited because they are all 25% OFF in-store starting today!! Shop the Summer Sale and score 25% off in-store and 50% off redlines! - But run don’t walk because some of these markdowns are sure to go FAST! See you in MB!
📷

Yesterday, my Mom and I sat here, where I helped her renew her Drivers License online. This included not only uploading some forms, but also an online exam. If you have ever wanted to test the boundaries of your mother-daughter dynamic, i encourage you all to do this regularly. 😂 We discussed turning pictures into emails, what a text security code means (and why yes, it’s safe) and how touching the screen of my laptop does not work like the ipad at home. To be honest… THIS is the kind of reality TV i would actually watch if it was on. you are an absolute legend, and thank you for always reminding me that you can “evacuate a 747 in 2 minutes flat in case of an emergency, so who cares about emails”. (With everything going on with Boeing these days actually seems like a more applicable skill, but i digress.) The good news is she passed, we’re still speaking, and she even learned her cell phone number. So all in all, i’d say it was a very successful afternoon. Also- this is my breakfast nook. I’ll put the link to my chairs in stories because you’ll NEVER believe where they are from. 📷