A Different Perspective

I don’t remember a time when homes weren’t part of the conversation.

Growing up, my mom was always doing something creative. Before real estate and design, she was a photographer, so I grew up watching her think about light, composition, color and all the little details most people probably never noticed.

Then came real estate. Model homes. New construction. Blueprints spread across the counter. Driving through neighborhoods just to look at houses. Job sites. Design meetings. And eventually, building our own homes.

At the time, I didn’t think much about it. It was just normal.

Now that I’m working alongside her, I realize how much I was actually taking in.

I notice proportion. I notice when something feels too heavy or when a room needs something unexpected. I think about how materials will look together before they’re ever installed. And I’m constantly connecting design back to fashion—texture, layering, contrast and knowing when to stop.

I’m also learning that design is so much more than choosing beautiful things. There are decisions happening long before a room looks finished—decisions about plans, windows, lighting, cabinetry and how everything will eventually work together.

My mom and I don’t always see things the same way. And I’m learning that’s kind of the point.

She has years of experience and understands how a house actually comes together. I’m looking at it through a different lens, asking different questions and bringing my own perspective to the process.

kristinADDYSON is where those two perspectives meet.

I still have a lot to learn, but maybe that’s what makes this part so fun. For me, it feels a lot less like choosing a career and a lot more like realizing I’ve been growing up around it all along.