Furniture Guru
Springfield, IL
Bachelor of Science, Interior and Environmental Design, Illinois State University
Masters of Business Administration in Project Management, Keller Graduate School

Cora has mastered a variety of design positions including flooring sales, kitchen & bath design, and even granite fabrication, but her true passion is commercial furniture planning.  She is a strong technical designer and project manager.  What makes her unique is her uncanny ability to juggle a multitude of details within a project from start to finish.

FUN FACT
As a little girl, Cora would lay out floorplans using shoestrings and then “design” the floorplan with Barbie furniture. For real!

Furniture Guru, Allied ASID
Cabot, AR
Bachelor of Science, Interior Design, University of Central Arkansas

Tamara is jazzed about learning. She adopts tech trends and cool apps like some of us collect shoes! This passion has led her to be invited to speak as a power user at annual industry conferences. An active member of ASID since college days at Central Arkansas University, Tamara is the Chair for the South Central Chapter. She loves being an influencer, especially onboarding and training new designers and is always looking for a new or better way to improve environments for clients as a kimiko furniture guru.

FUN FACT
Super-techie Tamara prefers a paper planner over a digital one. It’s been the Happy Planner brand for this happy furniture planner for the last 5 years.

Furniture Guru
Bedford, TX
Bachelor of Science, Interior Design, Abilene Christian

With 15 years’ experience as designer and project manager, Amanda enjoys twice the satisfaction from a beautiful job/job well done. As kimiko’s Double-Duty Dynamo, she captures critical site info with field-to-desk keenness and uses it to inform the project process. Clients appreciate the continuity she brings to her dual roles in aesthetics and functionality as the designer, and in order entry and installation as the project manager.

FUN FACT
Despite her right-brain/left-brain skillset of design and project management, Amanda is strictly left-handed, and so is her Mr. Right.

Furniture Guru
Grimsby, ON, Canada
Diploma in Architectural Technology, Mohawk College

Matthew is Kimiko’s International Man of Intrigue and pulls from both a manufacturing and software background in the furniture industry. He has worked as a designer, project coordinator and manager, technical product specialist and design team leader. He’s even been a DIRTT bag.  His combination of mad furniture skills and broad experience allows him to be the Edward Scissorhands of furniture for his clients.

FUN FACT
In his spare time, Matthew likes to flex his culinary muscle with his smoker and will bbq almost anything!

Furniture Guru
Houston, TX
Bachelor of Interior Design, Monterrey Center for Higher Learning of Design, Mexico

Yadira brings a dash of international spice to Team Kimiko. Her interest in commercial furniture was ignited by an opportunity with a major manufacturer in Monterrey, Mexico. As subject matter expert to dealer-design teams in Mexico and Kuala Lumpur, Yadira was liaison to some of the largest dealerships in the USA. She applied this unique experience to a position with one of the largest furniture dealerships in Houston, TX. Yadira is proficient in design and specification software including 20/20 CAP and Configura CET Designer.

FUN FACT

Yadira longed to play the piano since childhood and becoming a computer keyboard whiz did nothing to satisfy the dream. Now she’s happily taking piano lessons alongside her 6-year old son.

Furniture Guru, LEED AP
Houston, TX
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design, Savannah College of Art and Design

Rachel contributes her knowledge and passion for interior and sustainable design to the Kimiko team, based on a foundation formed at architectural firms. She loves to research and ask questions to solve intricate furniture puzzles – she has a true hunger for knowledge. Rachel strives to inspire others with innovation, responsibility and most of all, compassion – which is why at kimiko, she leads the ‘free furniture’ efforts; connecting used furniture donations to non-profit organizations.

FUN FACT
In her spare time, Rachel is crossing countries off her bucket list – 14 down, 181 to go!

Furniture Guru
Houston, TX
Bachelor of Arts, Interior Design, The Art Institute of Houston

A native Texan, Sessily played all the sports and joined every club her small-town high school offered, preparing herself for multiple projects and responsibilities of a busy Kimiko furniture guru. Having earned a BA in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston, Sessily built her career in commercial design, furniture planning, and project management. We’re so glad she joined Kimiko Designs and puts all that energy to good use on our clients’ furniture planning projects.

FUN FACT
Sessily’s mom bought a Barbie house to focus her little girl’s obsession with rearranging furniture in the homes of their family’s friends. A furniture nerd was born.

Furniture Guru
Lake Country, BC, Canada
Bachelor of Applied Arts, Interior Design, Ryerson University

Yvonne is kimiko’s International Woman of Intrigue. She spent the first 20 years of her career working at one of Canada’s largest furniture dealerships. During her years in Toronto she led (some secret) projects for corporate and government agencies. Her 007 assets include loyalty, a strong work ethic and laser-focused accuracy; plus other things that we can’t tell you because of her top secret clearance.

FUN FACT
Yvonne didn’t speak a word of English when she moved from Poland to Canada in her twenties.

Furniture Guru, RID TN, NCIDQ 029281 Knoxville, TN
Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, University of Tennessee

Melissa earned her BS in Interior Design from CIDA-accredited University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  She worked to achieve meaningful credentials during her career: LEED AP, NCIDQ Certification, and Registered Interior Designer in the State of Tennessee.  Early experience in architecture and construction laid a strong foundation for Melissa’s career in the contract furniture and design industry.  Her love of furniture, art, and design and her proficient technical skills are great assets to her clients and Team Kimiko.

FUN FACT
Melissa is a TN-licensed cosmetologist.  Color-coding floor plans or coloring hair, Melissa’s got style to spare.

Media Maven, Allied ASID
Houston, TX
Bachelor of Science, Home Furnishings Merchandising, University of North Texas

Sarah shares the coolest obsessions with team kimiko––a love of problem solving, furniture, puzzles and design. With a BS in Home Furnishings Merchandising from the University of North Texas, Sarah has impressive technical skills and style to boot. Besides managing kimiko’s admin and social media worlds, Sarah deftly serves as right hand to the Chief Happiness Officer.

FUN FACT
While living in Qatar, Sarah experienced the thrill of dune bashing—high-speed slipping, sliding, and spinning across the desert dunes in an SUV.

Daisy is the in-house furniture testing expert at kimiko designs and lover of all things soft/cushy. She is a kind-hearted senior Saint Bernard and was rescued from a shelter in Arlington, TX. She now spends most of her days under Dianne’s desk or walking around the block during conference calls. She is one of the inspirations for kimiko’s charitable giving during the holiday season.

FUN FACT
Daisy has been on the television show Good Day Houston not just once, but twice; supporting local animal rescue groups!