One Kansas City Mom Collective contributor moved into a new house. She needed help making their new space a home. Enter another Kansas City Mom Collective Contributor.
Pamela: Queens uplift queens. We often used to say that on my old team a few jobs ago. It was there that I met the amazing Kimberly Preston and got to see her style up close.
Kim is one of those moms you wish you had the energy to be. You know the ones. Always dressed impeccably. Kids always have the cutest clothes. Manage to have clean houses and awesome decor.
It’s hard not to be jealous sometimes when you are kind of a hot mess mom with stuff scattered everywhere. But just do what I did. Get one of those Pinterest moms to teach you her ways.
Kimberly: For as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for all things interior design. Not sure if it is because I grew up with a dad in the construction industry and been around it my whole life or if it is because I have an innate desire to want to make something beautiful out of the simplest things. I do know that interior design is definitely is my HAPPY place! The place where I feel most valued and excited about all the possibilities.
As a mom of two littles, two of my favorite areas to decorate are children’s rooms and play areas. I love finding creative ways to store my children’s toys and show off their personalities.
Decorating affords me the opportunity to show on the outside the happiness and joy I feel on the inside not only for myself, but for my awesome family, friends, and now clients! Yes, I said clients!! Recently, I was encouraged by several close friends to hone in on my passion and gifts and share them with the world and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing — taking on home interior design projects and hopefully bringing just a small piece of happiness to those who trust me with their personal spaces.
Pamela: My family moved into a big, beautiful Northland home in May. We had some painting done, but beyond that, I really had no idea where to start with decorating. I mean, I picked out a couch and rug for the living room, but that was basically it. My mom helped me decorate my first house, but she died in 2016.
I’ve hired decorators before, and they were great, but I noticed there was something missing. I didn’t have the words for it at the time, but now I do. I have a Black aesthetic. There are just some things I love, bright, bold colors, brushy lettering, Black images or depictions, that differ from the mainstream.
Black people can be just a little bit… extra — in a good way — so I knew the next time I hired a decorator, I wanted a Black one. I love Kim’s style, so I knew she was the perfect woman for the job. I also wanted to support a Black-owned business. Black History Month and Juneteenth may have come and gone, but uplifting Black businesses is something we can all do all year long.
Turning a New House into a Home
Kimberly: I was beyond honored when Pamela Spencer de la Fuente asked me to help her family make their new house feel more like the home she always wanted. We started by discussing the family’s likes, such as favorite colors, patterns, styles, and ultimately their desires for each space in their new home. We decided to start with the most visible areas of their home: the foyer, great room, and dining area.
I think decorating can appear scary or overwhelming to most; however, the key is figuring out what you love most and making a plan for how to present it in your space. It’s just like Christmas or birthday presents, we wrap them up nicely for the big reveal!
Pamela: In our old house, my kids shared a room and we had a separate playroom downstairs for them. In the new house, I still wanted to have a play area for them, but wasn’t sure how to work it. Kim worked with the furniture I already had, then found me additional (affordable) furniture to complete the look.
She helped me pick paint colors on short notice, settled arguments over where to put the kitchen trash can, and she even helped me make my son’s bed when we first moved in.
She not only decorated, but she also taught me places to look for deals and bargains and easy decorating hacks, like this shelf in my son’s room.
Kimberly: Something most people tend to overlook is repurposing and using what you already have to make your space uniquely yours. Frame a favorite greeting card or quote, stack books by color — sometimes, it’s best to keep it simple, especially in kids’ rooms.
More than Decorating
Pamela: This summer hasn’t been the easiest for me. On top of the move, I work full time and my work has been getting busier, plus my 3-year-old daughter was diagnosed with autism. It’s been a lot. But Kim helping me took some of the stress out of my life, and it has meant the world to me.
Now, I look around my new home, and I have a “Look, Mama, I made it!” feeling. Like I’m finally a grownup with nice, fancy things that match… at nearly 41. I mean, I’m still a hot mess mom, but my decor is on point. I get so many compliments about my entryway — I never could have come up with this on my own. I mean, I’m kinda good with words, but Kim is a creative queen.
The icing on the cake? One of the things Kim picked out for me was a golden apple. My mom used to collect apples. Seeing it makes it feel like a touch of her is here with us in the new place. What more could I ask for? That’s pure Black Girl Magic right there.
Kimberly: One of my favorite things about organizing and or decorating is seeing the reaction of clients in their space when a project is complete. The smile on Pamela’s face after we finished some of the areas in her home was one of the BIGGEST REWARDS EVER!
Queens definitely uplift queens!
