By Donna Heiderstadt

As she neared graduation with a degree in Interior Design from Brookdale Community College in New Jersey, Kiersten Reed began to have doubts. So, she opted to explore furniture design programs, driven by her passion for creating functional pieces and her admiration for Frank Lloyd Wright’s comprehensive approach to design. But when given the opportunity to intern at a local kitchen and bath showroom, she quickly became intrigued by the industry. “Designing custom cabinetry brought me the same joy as crafting furniture, if not more,” said Kiersten, who is now Senior Designer and Assistant Manager at Monmouth Building Center on the Jersey Shore. “I enjoyed the challenge of transforming spaces to suit clients’ unique needs in ways they hadn’t imagined.”

Now six years into her career, 28-year-old Kiersten has achieved the NKBA | KBIS CKBD certification and has been recognized as the youngest person in her company to become an assistant manager for a key department. Her quest for knowledge and talent for high achievement began in college when she gained international experience while studying abroad in Italy and Spain for two summers and when she was chosen as one of 50 individuals to participate in a student design competition at NeoCon in Chicago, where she snagged the People’s Choice Award.

Among her most memorable projects for Monmouth’s kitchen-and-bath department was a kitchen remodel for a client with Parkinson’s and other debilitating medical issues, which meant the renovation wasn’t merely a design task, but rather a critical effort to create a functional space that would evolve to accommodate changing needs. “This project felt different to me. I was so inspired by my client’s strength and her story I found myself sparking conversations about life and sometimes forgetting the main purpose I was there,” she recalled. “I realized I possess the ability to elevate my clients’ quality of life, and that, to me, holds immeasurable value.”

Also important in Kiersten’s life is her Chihuahua mix, Harper, and travel, to places as familiar as her mountain house in Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks and as extraordinary as Granada in Spain’s Andalusian countryside. On her bucket list: a hot-air balloon ride and seeing the Northern Lights. Kiersten also enjoys playing golf and tennis on weekends — followed by brunch with friends. “Any excuse for an egg’s benny and a bloody Mary!” is her motto. Her 2024 goals include learning a new language or taking a glass-blowing class. “I know this may make me sound nerdy,” she said, “but I just love to learn. My father always said that no knowledge learned is ever time wasted.”