KES Studio
KES Studio is a privately-held luxury interior design firm offering full-service design, art advisory, and white-glove installation for high-net-worth residential estates and luxury hospitality properties, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Montecito.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersWest Hollywood, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What KES Studio does
KES Studio is a privately-held luxury interior design firm founded in 2018 and headquartered in West Hollywood, California. The company operates regional offices in New York City and Montecito and is led by founder and creative director Kara Smith, supported by a 22-person team of design, architecture, procurement, and project management specialists. The firm serves high-net-worth residential clients (private estates, penthouses, and vacation homes in Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, and similar premier locations) and luxury hospitality clients (boutique hotels, resorts, clubs, and spas). It also operates an integrated Art Advisory practice that builds investment-grade collections of blue-chip and emerging artists.
KES Studio offers a vertically integrated service stack spanning interior architecture, LEED and sustainability consulting, concepting, 3D rendering, procurement, bespoke furniture and textiles, artisan collaboration, and white-glove installation. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements priced on a quote basis; consultations are by appointment only and no pricing is publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition is sales-led and referral-driven, anchored by Kara Smith's personal brand and reinforced through recurring features in Variety, Architectural Digest, Vogue Living, Mansion Global, and Homes and Gardens, plus organic Instagram presence.
The firm has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no PE/VC backing mentioned in the source data; ownership and operations remain independent. Geographic reach centers on the United States — primarily Los Angeles, New York, and Montecito — with selective international clients served through its stated "United States and abroad" practice. The studio positions itself as a full-service, end-to-end luxury design partner rather than a transactional design consultancy.
KES Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KES Studio
- Legal name
- KES Studio
- Website
- https://kes-studio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KES Studio is a privately-held luxury interior design firm offering full-service design, art advisory, and white-glove installation for high-net-worth residential estates and luxury hospitality properties, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Montecito.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KES Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interior Design Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Residential Interior Fit-Out (Multi-Family & High-End) (IMAFANAE), Specialty Finishes & Decorative Installations (Plaster, Stone Veneer, Feature Walls) (IMAFANAM)
Keywords
Where KES Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Hollywood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
KES Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Interior Design Services: KES Studio generates revenue through providing interior design services to luxury residential clients, hospitality brands, private estates, and vacation homes. Services include interior design, interior architecture, procurement solutions, bespoke furniture and textiles, art curation, and white glove installation. Revenue is project-based, likely with deposits and milestone billing structures typical of luxury design firms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Consultation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
KES Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KES Studio is a luxury interior design firm that provides end-to-end design services for private estates, penthouses, vacation homes, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, clubs, and spas. The firm also operates an Art Advisory practice that curates investment collections featuring blue chip and emerging artists for residential and hospitality clients. Services span concept development, interior architecture, LEED/sustainability consulting, 3D rendering, procurement, bespoke furniture and textiles, artisan collaboration, and white-glove installation.
Product overview
KES Studio is a luxury interior design firm offering a comprehensive suite of design and lifestyle services. The company operates across three core service areas: Residential Interior Design, Hospitality Interior Design, and Art Advisory. The studio provides integrated services including interior architecture, sustainability consulting, concept development, 3D visualization, procurement, bespoke furniture design, and white glove installation. Led by Kara Smith, the practice serves an elite clientele including private estates, luxury resorts, boutique hotels, and vacation homes across Los Angeles, New York, and international locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Interior Design Full-service luxury interior design for residential properties including private estates, penthouses, and vacation homes in premier locations such as Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, and Holmby Hills.
- Hospitality Interior Design Interior design services for luxury resorts, boutique hotels, clubs, and spas, including penthouse villas and signature guest spaces.
- Art Advisory Art curation and consulting services to build high-level investment collections featuring blue chip and emerging artists for residential and hospitality clients.
Companies that use KES Studio
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KES Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
KES Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KES Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jamie Drake: Luxury residential interior design firm with strong New York presence and HNW client base. Comparable to KES in luxury residential focus, founder-led model, and East Coast market positioning.
- Studio Sofield: Luxury interior design firm serving ultra-prime residential and high-end hospitality clients. Comparable to KES in clientele profile and high-touch, brand-led delivery model.
- Roman and Williams: Architecture and interior design firm with luxury hospitality and residential portfolio. Comparable to KES in mixed residential-hospitality practice and integration of design with bespoke craftsmanship.
- Champalimaud Design: Luxury hospitality-focused interior design firm with extensive boutique and luxury hotel portfolio. Comparable to KES in delivering hospitality projects for independent luxury operators (e.g., MacArthur Place-class properties).
- Ken Fulk: Bicoastal luxury interior design firm known for high-profile residential estates and boutique hospitality (including hotels and restaurants). Directly comparable to KES across luxury residential, hospitality, and brand-driven founder model.
- Yabu Pushelberg: Internationally recognized luxury interior design firm specializing in hospitality, residential, and retail. Comparable to KES in boutique luxury hospitality delivery and multi-city operating model.
- Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design: Globally recognized luxury interior designer serving celebrity, residential, and hospitality clients. Highly comparable to KES in clientele type (HNW individuals, boutique hotels) and brand-led founder model with strong press positioning.
- Pierce Allen: Boutique luxury interior design firm serving ultra-prime residential and boutique hospitality clients. Comparable to KES in project-based luxury delivery and HNW client profile.
- Peter Marino Architect: Architecture-led luxury interior design firm with deep luxury hospitality and flagship retail portfolio. Comparable to KES in luxury hospitality focus and integrated architecture-plus-interior delivery for elite clients.
- Kelly Wearstler: Luxury interior design and lifestyle brand offering residential and hospitality projects with strong personal-brand identity. Comparable to KES in serving ultra-prime residential and boutique hospitality segments and integrating bespoke product work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KES Studio social profiles
Digital presenceKES Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KES Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
KES Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KES Studio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KES Studio
What does KES Studio do?
KES Studio is a luxury interior design firm that provides end-to-end design services for private estates, penthouses, vacation homes, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, clubs, and spas. The firm also operates an Art Advisory practice that curates investment collections featuring blue chip and emerging artists for residential and hospitality clients. Services span concept development, interior architecture, LEED/sustainability consulting, 3D rendering, procurement, bespoke furniture and textiles, artisan collaboration, and white-glove installation.
Is KES Studio a public or private company?
KES Studio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KES Studio founded?
KES Studio was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KES Studio based?
KES Studio is headquartered in West Hollywood, United States, in the North America region.
How does KES Studio make money?
One revenue line is on record: interior Design Services.
Who are KES Studio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jamie Drake, Studio Sofield, Roman and Williams, Champalimaud Design, Ken Fulk, Yabu Pushelberg, Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design, Pierce Allen, Peter Marino Architect and Kelly Wearstler.
Does KES Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for KES Studio.
What industry is KES Studio in?
KES Studio's product category is Interior Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAG, Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting, with a secondary code of IMAFANAE, Residential Interior Fit-Out (Multi-Family & High-End). Its NAICS code is 54141.