Meet Krista Nye Nicholas | Partner & Principal Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Krista Nye Nicholas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Krista, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve always been a risk taker and relatively unafraid of taking risks as long as both my gut AND my brain tell me it is the right thing to do. Some of the most incredible things in my life have come from taking a leap of faith, and at the top of that list is going into business with Tami Ramsay. At the time we met, over 12 years ago, neither of us were looking for a business partner and were both fiercely independent. Serendipitously, however, we met over a comment on Pinterest and became fast friends. Within a matter of a few months we decided to go into business together, despite living over 700 miles apart – she’s in Athens, GA and I’m in Ann Arbor, MI. It was one of the best risks and decisions I’ve ever made. Today our company employs 12 wildly talented women and consists of an interior design studio with projects nationwide, a gallery that showcases the original art of makers who inspire us, and a trade showroom that represents over 20 artisanal textile and wallcovering lines from around the globe. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built and both know, unequivocally, that we could not have done it all without one another.

What should our readers know about your business?
Cloth & Kind is a ‘small, but mighty’ business, as Tami and I always like to say. We employ 12 wildly talented women across our company which consists of an interior design studio with projects nationwide, a gallery that showcases the original art of makers who inspire us, and a trade showroom that represents over 20 artisanal textile and wallcovering lines from around the globe. We are incredibly proud of the company we’ve built, and the fact that at its core is a very clear and intentional set of core values.

Getting to where we are now has not been without many challenges. We tried, and did not succeed, at a public facing retail business about 5 years ago which was a huge blow to our confidence and our bank accounts. Our sense of humor, determination, and sheer will got us through that, and we are now far enough out to look back on the experience as one of tremendous growth which has actually contributed to the success of our current business.

The keys to our longevity can be attributed to a few things. First, there is a natural and very organic alchemy between Tami and myself. She is strong in areas that I am not and vice versa – this yin and yang has allowed us to build something more incredible than either of us could have built on our own. Second, we are differentiated in our industry by an unabashed use of pattern and color in our interiors. Each project takes on a life of its own as we intentionally interpret our client’s distinct personalities and preferences to design a home that looks unlike any other in our body of work or in the greater world of interior design. Third, and perhaps most importantly, we absolutely love what we do and couldn’t imagine spending our days doing anything else.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Ann Arbor, MI which has so many gems in and of itself, but the greater metro Detroit area is literally brimming with hotspots. Not to miss stops include The Dixboro Project, Zingerman’s Deli, and The Rind for good eats, Cranbrook (don’t miss the Saarinen house tour), the DIA, The Henry Ford Museum, and Michigan Central Station for world class art and architecture. Shoppe Modern, Retro Image Antiques & Vintage, and Malofta for beyond incredible vintage finds. Eastern Market has a wonderful farmer’s market on the weekends, and Bon Bon Bon makes delicious little sweet treats. Literati is the best local bookshop, and nothing beats Dear Golden and Today for interesting fashion finds. Wrap the evening up with a cocktail or mocktail at The Last Word, and it will have been a day well spent.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Aside from my business partner, Tami, I’d like to give a massive shoutout to Jessica Everhart, our Chief Operating Officer. She joined our team just over 3 years ago and has contributed to our success in ways large and small alike. Her vast knowledge of the business of interior design paired with her passion for the industry and for our company has made such an incredible difference in the trajectory of Cloth & Kind. Not to mention the fact that she is a kind and thoughtful person who I am grateful to count as a dear friend.

Website: https://www.clothandkind.com

Instagram: @clothandkind

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristanyenicholas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clothandkind

Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/clothandkind

Image Credits
Image 1
Photographer: Martin Vecchio
Stylist: Stephanie Potts

Image 2
Photographer: Brie Williams
Stylist: Frances Bailey

Image 3
Photographer: Marta Xochilt Perez
Stylist: Benjamin Reynaert

Image 4
Photographer: Marta Xochilt Perez
Stylist: Benjamin Reynaert

Image 5
Photographer: Marta Xochilt Perez
Stylist: Benjamin Reynaert

Image 6
Photographer: Martin Vecchio
Stylist: Michelle Adams