Holistic health and design is truly about our relationship with the environment: how we interact with nature, how we create sanctuary within our home by incorporating non-toxic, sustainable, luxurious design and purified energy, and how we take care of our inner landscape with not only nutrition, but within our entire being.
It’s one of my most vulnerable interviews where I share my journey of healing; the arduous times and yet the gifts I received by being able to see just how truly everything is connected. It’s a deep dive into how our inner and outer worlds co-exist. Below is the interiew and you can also view it on their website: VoyageLA
Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Kilmer.
Kristin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Kristin Kilmer Life and Style is a merging of the companies, Kristin Kilmer Design and Kristin Kilmer Wellness. Growing up as a daughter of a Hungarian immigrant contractor, I’ve always had a passion for architecture, design and the construction process. I honed my skills at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Spain because of my connection with the European sensibility and aesthetic. I then started Kristin Kilmer Design, a full-service boutique interior design firm covering all aspects of the design process from architectural design drawings to decoration and custom furniture design, I quickly became distinguished as the interior designer of many architecturally significant, mid-century modern homes in the Los Angeles area, including those of renowned architects R.M. Schindler, John Lautner and Ray Kappe. I also became the only designer to design a model home for the prestigious TED conference.
At a very young age, I started to experience health issues that persisted as time progressed. No doctor could diagnose me so by early adulthood, I took my health into my own hands and tirelessly studied a myriad of holistic disciplines even beyond nutrition, including psychic education/clairvoyance. Throughout my studies, I was often able to keep my symptoms manageable and I learned that many of my health issues also stemmed from the external environment. So I started incorporating this education into my design work and began implementing sustainable practices as much as possible including non-toxic finishes and furniture, organic textiles, sustainable materials, energy efficient appliances, low or no VOC paint, electromagnetic frequency reduction, air and water filtration and mold remediation.
And, for the most sensitive clients, I’ve even designed spaces to help enhance intuition and well-being with color frequency, crystals, patterns, symbols, grounding mats, and Feng Shui.
So, despite my health issues, my career was thriving even though I would often have to spend weekends in bed and go to bed right after work. Then, a series of traumas resulted in a rapid decline to my health, which forced me to halt my design practice and heal.
I began attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition online (IIN), where I was educated in many aspects of functional medicine, hundreds of dietary theories, timeless Eastern traditions like Ayurveda, plus practical lifestyle and coaching methods. While this deeper healing education led me to an unfortunate diagnosis of chronic Lyme and autoimmune disease, it was this new diagnosis and all of this continued education that inspired me to form Kristin Kilmer Wellness so I could really help others.By the time I received my holistic health coaching certificate at Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I had already completed more than 15 years of intense study in many Eastern and Western methods including Pranic Healing, Breath work, Clairvoyance, Energy Medicine, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). This training truly honed my natural intuitive abilities, allowing me to see emotional and physical imbalances (including hormonal issues and food intolerances), blocks to healing and unconscious areas of genius within the client’s energy field, all of which I drew on to create a personalized, “mind-body-spirit” approach to Kristin Kilmer Wellness.
This approach suits each client’s unique “bio-individuality,” lifestyle, preferences, and goals, which leads to greater self-empowerment that allows each individual to facilitate lifestyle changes that produce lasting results and optimal health.
Through this intuitive health coaching process via Kristin Kilmer Wellness, my own health began improving and the interior design business began to flourish once again. However, in performing both services separately, I realized that a well-designed, luxurious sanctuary lifts the spirit and creates a great sense of well-being on its own, but by incorporating healthy practices for the home and self simultaneously, one can really achieve optimal health and well-being… I really believe in creating both inner and outer beauty!
Thus was born Kristin Kilmer Life + Style, a full-service integrated approach to holistic health and life-enriching, luxury interior design.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think any entrepreneur has a smooth road, especially if they are doing something relatively new. There are plenty of amazing interior designers and health coaches out there but there is no one fully incorporating this full-spectrum approach along with the intuitive readings that are also channeled during this process. It is all about “course correcting” rapidly and fast fails. I still have clients that just hire me for solely interior design and others solely for health coaching and/or readings but this new offering is catching on!
The major struggle has obviously been my own health and making sure I incorporate lots of time for renewal as well as study to keep up with the latest and greatest. Even though I am in remission now, I have a very sensitive system and there are still many days a month where I don’t feel well and I can’t get everything done that I really need to accomplish. Yes, I have a great team but there are just a lot of things that I need to stay on top of. I’ve had a lot of people tell me to keep the companies separate but I think it’s important to trust one’s gut instinct. It really IS a lot to manage but it’s worth it! Chronic Illness is unfortunately on the rise and environmental toxins, pollutants, plus genetically modified and processed foods create a perfect storm for this and I just don’t want anyone to go through what I have in order to heal fully. Thankfully, I have been my own “guinea pig” and I’m able to take a lot of guesswork out of the equation.
Kristin Kilmer Life + Style – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As mentioned, Kristin Kilmer Life + Style is a merging of the companies, Kristin Kilmer Design and Kristin Kilmer Wellness. Using principles and years of experience in holistic, sustainable design and health coaching, we incorporate wellness of the body, mind, spirit with healthy home practices, intuitive health coaching and even full-service interior architectural design.
This sets us apart from the competition in that no one is really combining both of these disciplines; but through my experience, one’s inner world truly reflects their outer world and vice versa. If the home is in deficit and disorganized, one can’t feel or achieve their best and if one’s health is compromised, it’s challenging to maintain a healthy surrounding environment. And that is when we need our home to be a sanctuary the most. Moreover, there is no one bringing in the intuitive and energy work into these practices which is really timely and becoming more and more popular as it can be like experiencing 10 years of therapy in one session. It really is THAT laser focused and I love to say, “Sanctuary Starts from Within.”
Our services include:
Complete design services from architectural design drawings to decoration and custom furniture design. We cover aspects of designing the holistic home:
Non-toxic finishes and furniture, sustainable materials, energy efficiency, low or no VOC paint, electromagnetic frequency reduction, air and water filtration, mold remediation. We are also open to designing spaces to help enhance intuition with color frequency, crystals, patterns, symbols, grounding mats, and Feng Shui.
For the individual, we follow the practice that optimal health our birthright. And while high-level nutrition, supplementation and exercise is important, and we advise on that thoroughly, it is just a part of the holistic spectrum. The intuitive consultations focus also on the emotional body to remove blocks and false beliefs, plus unearthing hidden areas of genius to fully allow the individual to thrive. When this emotional stress is in balance, there is less inflammation in the body and less chance for disease.
Exercise advice, diet, nutrition, detox and cleansing protocols, herbal remedies, supplements and alternative treatment recommendations are recommended and woven in. But to allow the individual to heal fully we recommend a variety of personalized healing modalities, meditation and stress relief techniques, breath work and energy medicine.
Many people often just schedule a 30 or 60 minute intuitive session as they are so powerful and SO much information comes though.
Because I have lived and thrived with chronic conditions and Lyme disease myself, I really AM able to help people with complex health matters, autoimmune issues, thyroid problems and many other types of dis-ease (while also under a functional medicine doctor or naturopath’s care of course).
Finally, we firmly believe that the ultimate healthy lifestyle encompasses both the healthy home and body. So the Life + Style concept offers expert analysis with the Home & Self Harmony Offering, wherein both interior design and health coaching are offered collectively for individuals interested in ultimate health and well-being. Through this, we assess both the home (including your pantry!) and personal needs to design a plan that creates a sustainable, luxurious existence both inside and out!
We offer in-person and Skype consultations.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I definitely don’t define success like the norm. Because of my past health issues, I just can’t “do life” like the masses. When I had the beach house, the fancy car, and the published projects, I was often so ill I felt like I was dying everyday. It was just too much effort to keep up given my constitution. So, to me success is very different. I no longer live in a fancy home or drive a fancy car. I spend my money on health, savings and travel. Getting into remission (and then relapsing and getting into remission again) has been my biggest accomplishment. Now, really making a difference in other people’s lives is my biggest marker, whether it’s through design, intuitive health coaching or both. I do intuitive readings for people at least five times a week now and to help people get clarity in such a short amount of time makes my heart sing. Witnessing my own life and other’s lives transform is the ultimate success to me.
Pricing:
60 minute intuitive wellness reading: Voyage LA special: $120
30 minute intuitive wellness reading: Voyage LA special: $65
Initial healthy home and self consultation: Voyage LA special 2 hours: $350
Free 15 minute discovery call
3 month health coaching – Voyage LA special; inquire for individual or groups
