Today we’d like to introduce you to Kasey McCaskill.
Hi Kasey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have carried a love for interior design since my early childhood. I grew up watching Architectural Digest videos on YouTube for hours on end, rearranging my parents’ entire house in the middle of the night, moving all the furniture in my room around weekly, and wearing onesies while painting my childhood bedroom every color a little girl could dream of. The freedom of expression I felt when designing my bubblegum pink and tangerine room when I was 10 years old has led me on a lifelong journey of seeking to cultivate that same feeling for others in their own spaces.
Throughout the years, I’ve rearranged and redesigned friends’ rooms, apartments, and dorm rooms. I don’t think there’s a single person close to me who has not urged me to go to school for design and make a career out of it. However, my love and enjoyment for my hobby always deterred me from pursuing it further. I felt that I’d lose my passion for it if it ever became “work,” and that was something I wasn’t willing to risk.
I moved away from the only home I had ever known and began my life on my own in St. Augustine. In my first year of living here, I moved three times. Each move brought me something special: the opportunity to completely redesign each space and create a whole new feeling, atmosphere, and ambiance. Friends of mine really enjoyed being in my spaces, and the word spread. I began doing more and more rooms for friends just for my own personal enjoyment. Through being invited into so many homes, I quickly fell deeper in love with the town’s architecture, charming houses, checkered floors, and crystal doorknobs.
Flash forward to three months before my college graduation, everyone was scrambling, trying to figure out their post-grad life, applying to 90 different job applications, and worrying about their future. Although I loved my Social Entrepreneurship major, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life upon graduation. But for some reason, I felt an immense sense of peace, and trusted that something would work out.
During this time, I was helping a friend with her room when she suggested the idea of starting an Instagram account for my decorating. She said it could be a way for me to simply share content from my own moves, as well as all of the content and before/after pictures from all the rooms I’ve assisted with. In September of 2025, I made the account, blind to what was to come.
After I made my first few posts, I got my first direct message inquiring about my services. Then another. Then another, Then another. Here we are about 7 months later, and I consider this my full-time job! I realized that this is what you WANT work to feel like! I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve who can’t sleep because I’m so excited about the projects I’m working on and the ideas I have. I think people can feel my love and passion for the art, which draws them to me and my business. I feel like my whole life has prepped me for this moment, and it came to fruition at the perfect time. Since graduating from college, I finally have the time and mental space to fully tap into my creativity and execute my vision for my brand, which is reflected in the success I’ve had so far.
It has truly been a dream come true, and I have loved every second of building my brand, growing my connections, creating dream spaces for my clients, and evolving my business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Creating my business KM decorates has been a shockingly smooth journey. Everything has come together so naturally, so seamlessly, and has fallen perfectly into place. I think this is the result of something being your true calling. I am lucky enough to be able to give my full attention to creating my business right now, and I think that is what has allowed me to really execute, perfect, and solidify my business model, and start strong from the get-go.
Creating beautiful spaces is not new to me. However, the actual “business” side is (banking, LLC, etc). Luckily, I’m fresh out of college, and I feel as if my degree prepared me very well for the tasks I’ve had to do in starting this from the ground up.
I also have an AMAZING support system full of like-minded creatives. Knowing that I will rarely ask for help, my friends and family have taken it upon themselves to simply show up. Whether that’s helping me build, move, or install furniture, or assisting me in website building or logo design, it’s taken a huge weight off my shoulders and lessened the load of me being the sole person running the show.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My business, KM decorates, specializes in intentionally designing and sustainably decorating spaces. The first service I began offering was “room reimagines.” Knowing that my demographic was mostly college kids, I knew that they wouldn’t have the means to completely redo their whole apartment or dorm room. I believe that every person deserves a space they can relax in, enjoy being at, and somewhere they let their guard down… ESPECIALLY busy, stressed college students, I wanted to be able to cultivate that feeling for them still, so this service allows me to “reimagine” their room in a different way and simply use what they already own to create a more functional and aesthetic environment at zero cost.
My most popular service so far has been budgeted redesigns. Clients have the opportunity to tell me a budget, as well as send me their dream Pinterest inspiration pictures. I first source all the items, and then pull the whole room together on a designated installation date. This process has been super fun because it allows me to vicariously live through my clients and get to tap into and experience so many different decor styles and themes. I also love being able to bring other people’s visions to life and hunt for items that maybe I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards.
I have really just been letting my own niche find me, and trying to cater to any requests from my clients. I started having strangers reach out to me who weren’t local, asking for my assistance with their spaces. This gave me the idea to offer consultations. In doing so, I can have a wider outreach, and it is also a cost-effective way for them to get a second opinion and some guidance. I create what is essentially a “cheat sheet” for the designated space they are inquiring about. This online document is filled with my personal suggestions for the space, products, links, mood boards, and step-by-step instructions on how to rearrange their space. This way my clients can reference the document on their own time and make the updates on their own time and budget.
My degree from Flagler College is in Social Entrepreneurship, which highly prioritizes and teaches the significance of sustainability. Doing right by both people and the planet is very important to me and how I live my life, which transcends into my work and decorating approach. Reusing items and getting creative with what my clients already own and love is one way that I practice this. Another way I practice this, and perhaps this is what defines my brand and sets me apart from others, is that most, if not ALL, items purchased are second-hand or thrifted. I love doing this because, most importantly, it keeps costs low for my clients, allows them to have one-of-a-kind and unique pieces, and we are being conscious of our consumption patterns and waste.
I am most proud of my ability to create these spaces for people. I am often told by clients that they’ve never had a space they truly LOVE before. I always joke that my goal is to turn non-homebodies into homebodies. My goal is for you to enjoy your space, to look forward to returning to it even when you’re away on amazing vacations, to want to host and fill your home, and to most of all, be proud of your space. Most people text me the morning after I do their rooms and tell me that they’ve never slept better. That simple sentence means the world to me, and embodies why I do what I do. It is incredibly fulfilling that I am able to make this happen for people who I believe are so deserving.
My favorite part throughout this whole process has been being invited into people’s homes. It may not seem like a big deal, but to earn the trust of a stranger and be invited into their home, their most vulnerable and protected space, is such an honor to me. Having people trust me with their prized possessions, share the stories behind trinkets, pictures and memorabilia with me, and hire me again to work on multiple rooms is so rewarding. I truly feel like I have become friends with each of my clients, and many have left reviews saying the same. I feel that this intimate connection is what makes people resonate with me and my brand, and I would not want it to be any other way!
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Honestly, most of my inspiration comes from the people around me. Seeing the creatives in my life immersed in their element and craft has been so fulfilling and motivating to watch. It has made me recognize my own talent, and realize that just because something is second nature to one person, doesn’t mean that it comes naturally to everyone. Everyone has their own niche and their own talent, and it’s really opened my eyes to how valuable and special each one is (including my own).
On that note, my all time favorite Book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, a novel about self fulfilment, destiny, and following your dreams. It has shaped who I am today as both a person and business owner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kmdecorates.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmdecorates/
- Other: https://share.google/plekVmCDCaAZEnFF7
Image Credits
Ansley Pacetti Photography
