Founded in 2011 by Kendra Nash, Nash Design Group is a full-service California-based Interior Design firm. Specializing in primary and secondary homes, they work closely with architects and builders to create functional, beautiful spaces that their clients love to live in. Nash and her team collaborate closely with architects and builders in the construction phase, and then continue through furnishings and finishing touches. From expansive estates to charming bungalows, Nash has a keen eye when it comes to the unique details of each space and brings a personal sense of style to every home she curates. Introducing this week’s Design Friday, Kendra Nash of Nash Design Group.
The inspiration behind this Pacific Heights pied-a-terre was to evoke a stylish get-away for an art-enthusiast bachelor as a weekend escape from the city. By embellishing the apartment with deep hues and rich textures, Nash created a home away from home oasis.
Andrew Joseph: What was your first job?
Kendra Nash: I have the entrepreneur gene, for sure. When I was 13-years-old, I decided to become a swim instructor, and started offering swim classes for the kids in my neighborhood. I charged a whole $5 a class and had most of the neighborhood kids attending.
Andrew: What’s your design ‘pet peeve’?
Kendra: I really don’t like when spec homes are done cheaply, where the goal is to simply make a buck. No function, thoughtless design, zero creativity, etc. Unfortunately, I see it all over the Bay Area right now.
Andrew: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
Kendra: For sure, more projects/any project in the Lake Tahoe area. I used to live there and any excuse to be there is a plus! We love creating spaces that blend with their natural environment. Also, I find that the small business tradespeople out there take such pride in the work they do.
Nash’s clients come to her for interior design because she often melds art and design into one harmonious space. The stunners of this room are the twin blue Como 1970s vintage chests from Italy made out of reverse lacquered glass. Photo by Vivian Johnson.
Andrew: Style (or design) icon?
Kendra: Oh gosh, it’s definitely a toss-up between Chaka Khan and Stevie Nicks. Both of them connected their music to their wardrobes in such seamless ways. Khan’s funky fur coats and colorful outfits were so chic and sophisticated. And Stevie Nicks’ beaded groovy shawls?!! Both of them wore their style(s) so well!
Andrew: If you weren’t a designer, you’d be a ….?
Kendra: A fashionable famous singer, but I can’t sing. 🙁 I can eat though, so let’s go with a food critic – I love the experience of a restaurant.
Andrew: What are three things you can’t live without?
Kendra: 1. Live music, so this has been a tough year! 2. Ice. I need my drinks ice cold. 3. Hats. Obsessed with my Kin the Label hat, but any flat-brimmed baseball hat will do!
Exquisitely made pieces along with wood accents throughout this home add warmth and texture, while the natural light highlights this modern but functional design.
Andrew: Favorite tea to decompress, and in what mug?
Kendra: Sweet + Spicy tea mixed with homemade steeped ginger and turmeric in a Lolly Lolly Ceramics mug.
Andrew: Embarrassing quarantine habit?
Kendra: I make tons of soup. It’s only embarrassing because it’s the only thing I know how to cook.
Andrew: Are you the type to get fully dressed for a day of remote working, or the type to wear sweats?
Kendra: I design better when I look my best so I definitely get fully dressed, plus you never know when you have to jump to a construction meeting on-site.
About The Designer | Born and raised in Atherton, CA Kendra Nicholas Nash started Nash Design Group in 2011, after cutting her teeth on the Silicon Valley real estate market. With her work spanning the entire Peninsula, Nash Design Group collaborates closely with architects and builders in the construction phase, and then continues through furnishings and finishing touches. From expansive estates to charming bungalows, Kendra has a keen eye when it comes to the unique details of each space and brings a personal sense of style to every home she curates. In addition to traveling, food, and fashion, Kendra is also inspired by her everyday surroundings: her husband’s tattoos, hydrangeas from her garden, a vintage fabric found at the flea market. She calls her design aesthetic “clean, versatile, and organic, but always with some spunky surprises.” Her designs often incorporate repurposed family treasures or a client’s favorite piece, reworked into a new, cohesive design. Kendra is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco and has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
Andrew Joseph is a regular contributing editor for aspire design and home magazine. See more of his work here.
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