With your best friend by your side, you can do anything! Running an interior design business is no exception. Longtime friends, Aymee Kuhlman and Molly Kidd, are doing just that. In 2016, the pair founded Light & Dwell out of their shared passion for design, interiors and nurturing relationships. Their goal is to help their clients create places of rest, community and memories. Whether they are working with clients locally or creating virtual designs for people around the country, Aymee and Molly help to make home interior dreams come true!
What are some tips you’d share with friends who are interested in starting a business together?
Do it! Having a partner is the best. We couldn’t do it on just one skill set. Together, we’re the dream team. Look for someone who you honestly like and respect, who is easy to communicate with and who you enjoy doing anything with. We would have fun flipping burgers at McDonald’s while sipping on soda water!
What should someone know and understand about their partner before starting a business together?
Know yourself, know your partner. What are your gifts, what do you want your roles to be, how do you settle conflict? We joke that we didn’t do any of these things—we sort of “eloped” and just jumped in. It’s worked out great so far. But, honestly we had spent a lot of time together and had some experience working together before.
You’ve been in business since 2016. What is the most important thing you’ve learned in that time?
Communication! It’s the key. We work together two to three days a week, and even though we have different roles, we talk about everything. Be honest about feelings, dreams and things you wish were different or aren’t working. When we started, Molly had one kid and Aymee’s was just entering the teen years. We needed the business to be flexible and fluid as we navigated adding to our families and being present.
What sparked the idea to offer virtual design services?
There is such a need for good virtual design that it isn’t cookie cutter. Full service is a great fit for the few, but VD can fit so many needs. We make it personal, efficient, and affordable. Our clients love it, and we love helping so many more people all over the country.
Molly, you are the creative director and lead designer. What inspires you when designing for a client?
So many things! But to break it down, it all starts with meeting the client. For full service, I take some time getting to know them, their needs and their lifestyle. From there, I start to think about the bones of their home, their design style and the overall function and feel they desire for their home. From there, I get to work creating a mood board for each space, and gathering samples that are inspiring the project. I present that to the client, and if I’m headed in the right direction, I start designing!
Do you have to think differently when creating a virtual design board versus working directly with a client in
their home?
For virtual design, I have a team of designers who create the designs for our clients. I then review them and make edits before sending them off. Our team is thinking about budget, and selecting items that the client has requested. For full service, I’m the lead designer on the project, and I’m communicating with the client weekly for sometimes up to a year. The design process is from concept to completion. We only take on a few full service clients a year, so those projects and clients take on the bulk of my time.
What design rule do you love to break?
I love mixing antique finds with brand new items. I don’t know if that’s a design rule, but I love doing it!
Scout & Nimble is a retail site and blog that aims to make expert design accessible to all. Follow at blog.scoutandnimble.com.
