By Donna Heiderstadt

Whenever Samantha Kunka’s parents asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, her dream job was typically rooted in the creative arts. “My answers were always different creative careers,” she recalled, “from Britney Spears’ Backup Dancer to Pastry Chef to eventually Interior Designer.” Today, at age 28, Sam (as she prefers to be known) is the Cabinetry Designer at Birmingham, MI-based Bolyard Lumber, where she uses her natural eye for aesthetics to assist designers and homeowners seeking high-end custom cabinetry. Her not-so-secret weapon? Sam has an affinity for creating stunning 3D computer renderings for projects, such as a Grand Rapids, MI remodel featuring a swanky, mid-century modern kitchen with medium tone, horizontal grain, quarter-sawn white oak veneer doors on the perimeter and a dark blue island. 

“My favorite part of my job is taking any 2D set of architectural building plans and developing them into detailed kitchen drawings — floorplans and elevations — and executing extremely detailed and realistic 3D renderings,” said Sam, who majored in Interior Design at Bowling Green State University. “A lot of our clients are not able to visualize their space from a 2D drawing, so producing 3D images for their projects really makes them feel more comfortable and confident about their new space.”

Sam’s exceptional computer rendering skills earned her first place in the Kitchen/Bath and Interiors Contest for Chief Architect software in 2022. She is also proud of having supported two lead designers who collectively sold $1.7 million in product in one calendar year and of having designed over 10 showroom displays and functional team spaces for Bolyard. “To be given creative freedom in such important spaces that will be there for designers and clients to utilize is a memorable accomplishment,” she noted.

When she’s not at work, where she always starts her day with an iced Americano with almond milk and caramel, Sam enjoys trying new restaurants, going to concerts and getting lost in a book while curled up on her sofa. “When I have a free Saturday, I love to go thrifting,” she said. “I have a strong eye for fun and functional homeware.” Sam also enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Lawrence, and their big but sweet mastiff/presa canario mix, Ela, and vacationing in Tybee Island, GA, “where you can just relax and go where the day takes you.”

Sam isn’t all about relaxing, however. When it comes to her life goals, her list of must-dos is 10 items long and includes things such as traveling to Europe and South America, sky-diving with her dad, volunteering overseas, drafting a book (likely non-fiction romance), becoming a wine sommelier and, last but certainly not least, teaching a college-level Interior Design class.