How Otis Extension’s Interior Design Certificate Program Helped Kate Lester Switch to a Thriving Career

“My Extension classes put me in a room with people who were serious about design—both peers and instructors,” she says.

Kate Lester had it all figured out. After studying business and marketing at USC, she was going to get a corporate job in a high-rise in downtown Los Angeles. 

She lasted one year in her corner office. 

Lester realized she was born for something more creative, so she quit her office job, worked at Baja Sharkeez in Hermosa Beach, and started taking interior design classes at Otis Extension. 

“I was looking for a program that took design seriously but also understood the business side of the industry,” Lester says. “Otis Extension offered a practical, hands-on approach, which really appealed to me. I wanted skills I could actually use, not just theory.”

While enrolled in the Interior Design Certificate Program, Lester segued to a job in design retail at Ethan Allen, and later worked in the sample library at Mark Cutler Design in West Hollywood. 

When she finally set out on her own in 2010, one of her first clients was a partner at Baja Sharkeez, in what would become a full-circle moment. She now has an office in Redondo Beach, two Kate Lester Home stores that sell design accessories, a rug collection with Jaipur Living, and she recently launched an artwork collection with Visual Contrast. 

“My Extension classes put me in a room with people who were serious about design—both peers and instructors,” she says. “Those relationships matter. Design is a relationship-driven industry, and that early network helped open doors and create opportunities down the line.”

Throughout her interior design program, Lester was able to hone her own distinctive style, which she now describes as a blend of curated vintage finds and modern flourishes with classic lines. She often incorporates an element of whimsy in her projects, looking for “one weird thing” to add as a personal touch for each client. This ensures her interiors don’t look catalog-y. Lester wants every room to tell a story. 

A Full-Service Interior Design Studio

Kate Lester, the studio, specializes in residential projects, covering design layouts, material selection, renderings, and complete construction documentation, among other services. 

Lester says the Interior Design Certificate Program’s holistic approach helped prepare her for her thriving career. “The studio courses made the biggest difference because they forced me to develop a clear point of view and stand behind my choices. Presentation and materials courses were also incredibly impactful; they taught me how to translate vision into something tangible and buildable,” she says. “We were designing, space planning, and concepting, but also learning how to present, specify, budget, and communicate like professionals. That combination mirrors exactly how I run my firm today.” 

What bolstered the class structure and composition was Otis Extension’s priority on employing working professionals as instructors. “That exposure was invaluable,” Lester says. “My instructors were honest, direct, and generous with industry insight. That kind of mentorship helps you understand expectations early and build confidence faster.”

Learning to be resourceful was another essential skillset she mastered in her program. “Great design isn’t about having unlimited options—it’s about making strong decisions within constraints,” she says. “Budgets and limitations don’t weaken creativity; they refine it. That mindset shift changed how I design for the rest of my professional career.”

For inspiration, Lester likes to travel and visit boutique hotels and vintage shops, and often refers to fashion and architecture in her work. “I love layered, lived-in spaces. I’m always studying how materials and moods come together in the real world, not just in photos,” she says. Her ride-or-die creative tools are material samples: stone, textiles, wood, and surface finishes. “Digital tools are great, but nothing replaces seeing and touching materials in real life. That’s where the magic happens.” 

For anyone looking to switch careers or upskill in interior design with Otis Extension, Lester’s advice is to “go in with intentions. Don’t just complete assignments. Use every project as a portfolio opportunity,” she says. “Ask questions, push your concepts further, and build relationships with your instructors and classmates. Treat it like the beginning of your professional practice.”

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