Kamaren on site in Naples Long Beach, CA
Photography by Steph Fowler Photography

Interior designer Kami Henson has been running Space Case, a South Bay residential interior design firm, alongside her mother, a general contractor, since 2009. Together, the mother-daughter duo have done projects of up to $1.5 million, handling everything from large-scale renovations to decor.
Now, Henson is introducing a new design-focused concept within the firm: Design Karavan.

Surf Ranch Convergence project, Lunada Bay, CA
Photos by Mark Singer photography

The innovative concept will act as a mobile furniture and space makeover studio. Designed to take away the pain of shopping for furniture, fixtures and other materials to design a space how you want it, the Karavan — with Henson’s expertise in interior design — brings the store to the customer’s door. Henson and her designers will also provide recommendations, sketches and personal touches to improve the space.

Henson views Design Karavan as the natural extension to Space Case and a forward-looking way to create an accessible and fun design experience for anyone looking to improve their space and love where they live.

Raised in Torrance, Henson has been captivated with the design industry since her mother established her design business in the 1980s.

Photo credit by Mark Singer Photography

“I grew up sitting in and being astonished by the beauty of all the design showcase homes that she would take me to,” Henson says. “And so I've been doing interior design almost all my life. When my mother established her design business, I was answering the office phone when I was 10 years old.”

Henson majored in art history in college and spent some time as a gallery director in fine art, but she eventually made her way back to the family business and her passion for improving spaces.

“For the last 15 years, my mom and I have been partners in business, and we did renovations of luxury homes,” Henson says. “So we would be called, even as our client was considering purchasing a home, to come on site and consult regarding the potential of the house. And then we would design the architectural plan, build and finish the home with furnishings and all of the decor and accents.”

The team would do everything from exterior and interior renovations to landscape design. They have worked on several notable projects, including the Surf Ranch Convergence project in Lunada Bay. Henson says she is proud of several accomplishments on that transformation, including the building of a new gorgeous vaulted roof and beamed ceiling as well as the interior and exterior design blend that the team achieved through material and color selections. The team also was able to keep the home’s centrally located fireplace, which was made of local fossil stone quarried in the 1950s.

By Steph Fowler Photography

Coastal Bathroom Makeover
Naples Long Beach, CA

“It’s pretty unique still to find women general contractors and design and build teams that are a woman-owned family business,” Henson says. “We like to think that we are breaking down some gender barriers — we do wear dresses and cute boots, and yes, we also climb ladders and get up on the roof and in attics too with the dust and spiders.

Henson said they did experience some challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the uncertainty and fluctuations in the supply chain and manufacturing industries. However, their longstanding presence in the community helped them source products and keep materials and fixtures flowing to the job site.

Naples Long Beach, CA
Living Room Refresh

“Even though it was a time with considerably more challenges,we were able to get through it relatively unscathed because of our experience in the industry,” Henson says. “We only do business with the most reliable places and product sources, and we're fortunate to have the relationships with all of the fantastic trades whom we've enjoyed doing business with over the years.”

Holiday decor design photos from Kami Henson

As Henson adds Design Karavan to the firm’s services, she also sees potential for the idea to offer people a more sustainable way to buy furniture and decor. Most items from conventional stores wear out in a few years, which contributes to waste. Henson and her team aim to purchase locally through manufacturers who care about sustainability, and to introduce clients to more high-quality yet affordable options that will last longer for their home goods.

Right now, the team is gearing up for the holiday home makeover season, beginning with Halloween in October. Henson said she gets particularly excited about the idea of designing on theme and also challenging herself to make purchases that her clients can use all year long, not just around the holidays.

“To me, even as a young girl, it was always extremely important and the most satisfactory [experience] to improve a space and feel the benefits of making it more functional and more aesthetically pleasing,” she says. “So for me, the most rewarding thing is seeing and also hearing from my clients that have been affected profoundly. I have clients that still after years tell me that they think of us every day because of this one special thing that we did in the house that made such a difference to them. It definitely keeps us continuing to want to strive for that kind of impact on our clients.”
You can check out some of Henson’s work on her Instagram account @spacecasedesign.

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Bio:

Emily McGinn is a journalist based in the Los Angeles area. She enjoys reporting on and writing about a variety of topics from lifestyle to news, especially in her areas of specialty, environmental science and political science.