52 weeks of design (kitty & company) week 30

By Kitty Golding
Kitty & Company will be conducting a series of short interviews with Chelsea Residents for 52 weeks, bringing to light differing personalities and design styles in our community.  Perhaps you will meet someone new through these weekly interviews or perhaps it will be YOU! Stay tuned and follow us each week – we now introduce you to  Mrs. Rachel Krugh.
What is your current profession? I have been a physical therapist for 21 years, and I also own a business.
Your family members: My husband, Joe, and our children, Jack, Kate and Grace, our dog, Luke, (and 3 cats and 8 chickens). We have also been blessed to have 3 "Bonus Kids": 3 foreign exchange students we have hosted over the past few years, Beck (from Thailand), Jean (from Brazil) and Chaemin (from South Korea).
People think of me as: outgoing  but really I am an introvert
When did you move to Chelsea and where did you live prior to coming to Chelsea? We moved to Chelsea from Tacoma, WA about 10 year ago, to bring us back closer to our Midwestern roots. (And because Tim Allen spoke to us through a Pure Michigan campaign television commercial and told us we would love it here. True story!)
What do you love about where you currently live? When we lived in Washington it was very crowded and we dreamed of having "green space" of our own someday. Our home here in Chelsea is on a beautiful 6-acre lot and we love tending to it - we have room for a garden, orchard, chickens, trails through the woods and a whiffle ball field.
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would it be? On the Puget Sound in Washington.
What three words describe your style? Minimalist, natural and eclectic
Who most influenced your design styles?
My Aunt Ceil. Her home always seemed magical to me - especially during the holidays.
What are you most inspired by in your design/decor? Nature
As you think about the home in which you grew up, what elements did you like and do you think you have incorporated some of them in your own home? My childhood home was always very busy, as my Mom ran a daycare out of our house, so the space needed to be functional and not fussy. I find myself making design decisions with the same sort of practicality in mind.
When entering your home, how do you want it to feel? Welcoming and comfortable
What is one element or trend in design you do not like? Floral wallpaper (and couches)
What is the biggest design issue you struggle with? I am practical to a fault, so I have a hard time getting rid of something that is in good condition even if it is outdated (see the floral couch story below).
Have you ever built a new home or remodeled an existing one? *We are often working on renovating our current home, and we most recently updated our kitchen and finished our garage. We have not built a new home from the ground up yet, but it is on our bucket list.
Have you ever sought professional help with the interior design of your home - if so, what did you find most helpful? Not yet, but Kitty & Co would be my first choice if I did.
Have you stayed true to a style through the years, or have you fluctuated in your tastes? I visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house as a child, and I have been enamored with organic architecture and design ever since. As a result, I have always tried to make interior design choices that incorporate elements of a home's natural setting. So, as we have moved to different parts of the country, each home has had a different design feel to it.
 
If you were moving and could only select one item from your home to keep, what would it be?  My photos
Which room in your home gets the most use? Our kitchen/dining/family room is where we spend the vast majority of time year round, but in the summer, our deck is our favorite place to linger together. We eat dinner out on our upper level deck, enjoying the views of our property, almost every night from May through September.
Name an item you purchased for your home that you regret buying? A bold, vibrant-patterned floral couch. We bought it shortly after we got married, and I loved it for a year, but then I quickly grew tired of it. But we kept it for many years, and now a good majority of the photos of my children as babies are taken on that hideous couch!
No room is complete without: Something that inspires me: family photos, artwork, books, memorabilia from our travels, etc; and something that makes me laugh.
If you are a pet owner, how has that influenced your choices in design, if it has? * Flooring that is easy to clean, and washable rugs.
Has any local venue particularly caught your eye - if so why? Our neighbors renovated an old barn on their property and turned it into their home, keeping the existing roof lines and beams, and it is gorgeous. And the walls have so many stories to tell!
What did you do to pass the time during the COVID-19 State shutdown? * I spent a lot of time running, hiking and walking my dog - and I challenged myself to learn something new every day to offset the monotony of being cooped up at home.
A few of your favorite things!
Movie – The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite Historical Place You have visited – Gettysburg, PA
Scent-Vanilla
Music– Alternative
TV Show- I am not a TV watcher
Meal – Copper River King Salmon
Travel Destination (on your bucket list)– New Zealand
Season - Summer
Color- Green
Favorite thing to Collect – Friends and Experiences
Design Style- American Craftsman
Museum – The National Museum of Natural History
Hobbies- Anything involving being outside - but you will most often find me running or hiking
Plant - A four way tie!: Mountain Laurel along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania in the Spring, White Pine trees in Michigan during the summer, Aspen trees in Colorado in the fall, and the Pacific Madrone tree in Washington during the winter
Item on a bookshelf  - Our family photo albums
 
Kitty’s Note:          
Rachel and I share some common bonds – owning a business, loving nature, having 3 (or more 😊) kids and raising chickens!  We first met when I worked at the Wellness Center many years ago.  Rachel’s magnetic  energy, positivity and open mind, from my perspective, have kept her healthy and a lively influence in our community.

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