Kirsten Blazek

At Home With is an interview series from Salam Hello where we follow our favorite pieces into the homes of designers, curators, and creatives shaping the way we live. Each story explores what home means and the objects, rituals, and perspectives that bring it all together.

In this edition, we step inside the world of Kirsten Blazek, creative director behind A1000xBetter, the Los Angeles-based design firm known for its layered, soulful, and deeply considered interiors. Founded on the belief that design requires looking beyond the surface, A1000xBetter brings together history, craftsmanship, color, and feeling in spaces that feel both artful and personal.


In addition to leading her studio, Kirsten is the author of A1000XBetter: A Rebel By Design with Rizzoli International Publications. Her distinct point of view is rooted in authenticity, purpose, and an intuitive understanding of art and color theory. With an eye for vintage treasures, bohemian forms, moody spaces, and the textures of the American Southwest, Kirsten creates interiors that feel collected rather than composed, each one shaped by memory, material, and meaning.

We spoke with Kirsten about the objects that carry history, the sensory details that shape a home, and why the most powerful spaces are the ones that feel deeply human. Pictured in her home, our Izra rug in Alfalfa brings a soft, earthy rhythm to the room, echoing her love of natural palettes, collected objects, and pieces made by hand.

Our spaces are so personal. What does home look and feel like to you?

To me, home should be an outward extension of who we are: a reflection of our experiences, values, memories, and the things that bring us comfort. More than following trends or striving for perfection, a home should feel authentic to the people who live there.

For me, that means creating a space that feels grounded and lived in, interesting without feeling overly curated or overthought. I want my home to have a sense of ease and permanence, filled with objects that carry meaning rather than simply serving as decoration.

The items that surround us tell a story, and I want my home to tell mine. I love looking at a piece of pottery and remembering the small shop where I found it while traveling, or seeing a framed photograph and being transported back to the moment it was taken.

Those pieces remind me of places I’ve been, people I’ve shared experiences with, and the chapters of my life that have shaped me.



What are some of the places, cultures, aesthetics, art forms, or traditions that have inspired your sense of interior style?

I was born in Scotland and moved to America as a young adult. My formative years in Scotland instilled in me a deep appreciation for old objects and a respect for history, craftsmanship, and materials that grow more beautiful with age. I am naturally drawn to vintage pieces that were made with intention, objects that carry the imprint of their makers and the stories of the people who have preserved them over generations.

For that reason, I am particularly attracted to handmade works created within strong cultural traditions, whether it is a rug woven by a Moroccan artisan, a textile from Oaxaca, or a piece of Native American pottery. What connects these objects is that they are more than decorative items; they are expressions of identity, heritage, and place.

They embody knowledge, values, and artistry passed down through generations and are created with care, respect, and love. Bringing these pieces into my home allows me to surround myself with objects that feel deeply human, objects that honor the cultures they come from and carry a sense of history that enriches the spaces they inhabit.


Beyond the rug, can you tell us about an item in your home that has a story?

Many years ago, while searching for a new dining table, I came across a table and chair set at a local vintage dealer and immediately fell in love with it. Neither the vendor nor I knew much about its origins, but there was something about the design, craftsmanship, and character of the pieces that drew me in. I purchased the set and brought it home, trusting my instinct.

Around the same time, I became acquainted with the owner of an Australian company called Pacific Green. I admired their work, they appreciated ours, and a mutual respect developed between us. Several years later, after I posted photographs of the dining set in a previous home, the owner reached out with an unexpected message. He recognized the pieces immediately and told me they had been manufactured by Pacific Green in the 1970s, when the company operated under the name P&R, or Post and Rail.

Pacific Green is known for its commitment to sustainability, ethical business practices, and thoughtful design, values that have always resonated deeply with me. Discovering the provenance of the table felt like more than a coincidence. It felt like one of those rare moments that reinforces why we are drawn to certain objects in the first place. I had not chosen the set because I knew its history; I chose it because something about it felt right. Learning where it came from only deepened that connection and reminded me that the pieces we live with often find us as much as we find them.


Whether it is a signature color, a certain style of art, or a collection, as your space has come together, have you noticed any fun themes?

As my space has come together, I am drawn to the American Southwest, and that influence is woven throughout my home in both subtle and obvious ways. From my affinity for cowboy culture, expressed through pieces in my art collection, to the many objects and collected items that trace their origins to the American Southwest, these references create a sense of authenticity and connection that resonates deeply with me.

My relationship with color is similarly rooted in the natural world. I gravitate toward palettes inspired by the landscape: warm earth tones, sun washed neutrals, rich browns, muted greens, and the subtle variations found in stone, clay, wood, and desert terrain.

This home, like much of my client work, is grounded in an earthy palette that feels timeless, calming, and connected to its surroundings. Rather than relying on trend driven color choices, I find myself continually returning to hues that evoke nature, creating spaces that feel layered, enduring, and deeply livable.


What is one thing in your home that you recommend to everyone?

Pay attention to the details. Creating a home that truly evokes a feeling is not achieved through visual design alone; it comes from engaging all of the senses. The most memorable spaces are the ones that feel cohesive not just in how they look, but in how they are experienced.

Beyond the visual, think about how you want your home to smell. Whether it is the warmth of cedar and leather, the freshness of citrus, or the comfort of a favorite candle, scent has a remarkable ability to shape the atmosphere of a space. Texture is equally important. The materials we surround ourselves with, linen, wool, worn wood, stone, metal, or supple leather, communicate comfort, warmth, and character before we even consciously register them.

Sound is another often overlooked design element. The music you play, the rhythm of your daily routines, and even the quiet moments within a space all contribute to its personality. Every detail contributes to how a space feels.

The most successful interiors tell a consistent story across every sensory touchpoint. When sight, scent, texture, and sound work together, a home moves beyond being simply beautiful and becomes an experience. Individually, those details may seem small, but together they are what transform a house into a home.

Thank you, Kirsten, for welcoming us into your world. Your home is a reminder that the most meaningful spaces are not built from trends, but from memory, instinct, and care. Through objects with history, colors drawn from the land, and details that engage every sense, Kirsten shows how a home can become both a personal archive and a living, breathing expression of self.

See more from Kirsten and explore the world of A1000xBetter here.

Love the rug in her home? Create your own Izra rug, or explore similar customizable styles here.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford.