A parenting life, a professional career and how that blends together. Kathy Rice, Senior Project Designer at One Line shares how a mother of 2 she has found her way through these two worlds, remained dedicated to both, and knew when it was time to make career changes.

Q | As a child, what were your interests? What did you want to be when you “grew up”?

On one hand, I always loved creating interior settings for my dolls in my doll houses but also loved to play outside with my brothers in the dirt. I enjoyed drawing my stuffed animals and favorite pictures. As I grew older, I wanted to go to open houses or see new construction homes with my parents. I liked to watch the new building go up and peek inside when they were under construction then later see the finished spaces.

Kathy’s daughter works hard like her mom.

Q | Now as a mother of 2, What do you imagine your kids will be like when they grow up?

My daughter spends hours reconfiguring her doll house and she also loves to draw and paint. I can see her teaching children or working with animals when she grows up. She has a kind heart and loves to care for others.
My son is very active and love sports, and he is good in math and has a great memory. He enjoys playing with his friends and never leaves anyone out. He truly has compassion for others. When he grows up, I can see him being involved with sports or caring for athletes. (However, he says he and my nephew are going to be farmers one day and live off the land).

Q | How do you do it all? Tell us about life as a mother and a designer?

Kathy’s son, practicing his measuring and sketching skills with mom.

Balancing a job and a family has not always been easy. Many sleepless nights as a parent and waking up early was challenging and exhausting. There were many days where I felt like I may need to give up my career because I was tired and worn out, however I now look back and am glad I pushed through that tough chapter. I am grateful for the balance I have today by staying involved with my career.
There are always challenging times in life that in the moment seem impossible, but when you push through you will look back and feel gratitude towards that period. Fortunately, I haven’t had to do it all alone either, with my husband and other family members available to help when needed.
One particularly challenging time for all of us during COVID. I was balancing work and homeschooling a 1st grader and 4th grader. They worked alongside me as I was designing and documenting a 6-story office building. I was on conference calls, drafting, and helping with schoolwork at the same time. I learned a lot about myself as a professional and a parent during this time.

Q | Is having a strong career always been an important part of your life or did it grow to become more important over time?

I have always loved what I do. Long sleepless nights in college to working late nights at the office has been exhausting but its fulfilling! I get to spend my days designing and collaborating with friends and colleagues and I believe Interior design is a hands-on career that cannot be done alone.
After I had my children, my family became my priority and my career followed behind that. I am so grateful I was able to modify my work schedule while raising young children. I always knew I could not be a fulltime stay at home mom and wanted to balance a job and family during that period.
Now that they have grown up and are more independent, I have been able to put more focus back on my career and continue to grow as a designer.

Q | If you want to tell a short story (comical or sentimental) about the being a mother and professional?

I will always remember and laugh about coming back to work after having my first baby and needing to pump. My office did not have a designated space so I would have to go in one of the partners offices when they weren’t there. I was a new mom learning to adapt to all the changes of motherhood at home and in the office. At the time I felt extremely uncomfortable with many of the new changes and now I look back and laugh. I will never forget the adjustments needed and what I did to balance my career and my family.

Q | You worked for the same company for 15 years, how did that benefit you? When did you know it was time to change?

I am forever grateful for my first job. I started working there 2 weeks out of college, went on maternity leave for each of my children and returned. They allowed me to have flexible hours and work modified hours while my children were young, so I was able to keep a career and be a mom how I imagined at the same time.
As my career began to pick up speed, I knew I would not be able to commute to the office and balance my family, children’s school, and their sports the way I wanted. The challenges of working from home through COVID showed me I could still push forward with my career and be available for my family. I knew it was time to change and continue working from home.

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“There are always ways to make a career work for you and your family. When you have a passion for what you do, you will find ways to adapt.”
- *Kathy Rice, One Line Design Studio*

Q | What would you tell a young woman who is about to start their career and maybe a family at the same time?

It is all about balance. A career can be very demanding and so is having a family. You cannot predict what will happen in your life and be ready to adjust. You must know what is most important to you and prioritize your commitments.
You do not have to give up on your career when you want to have a family. There are always ways to make both work for you and your family. This could mean working at different times during the day or evening, minimizing your hours, or take a temporary leave of absence and come back to it when you are able. When you have a passion for what you do, you will find ways to adapt. Having open communication with your colleagues and partners is an important part of that process.

Q | What kind of barriers have you encountered along your journey in the professional and parenting world?

One of the hardest things for me was stepping back for a period when I started my family. For me personally I struggled with giving up some of my responsibilities, however I knew it was best for my family and I was able to enjoy the time with my children while they were young.
Accepting that I would not be at every school event or witness every milestone in their life was also hard for me, I knew if I wanted to continue my career, I had to have some sense of balance. I was fortunate to have family as a support system to fill that role while I was at work.

Q | The Why Question is important for any creative, artist or designer. What motivates you to do what you do? Why do you do what you do?

I enjoy creating spaces that are pleasing to people. I love seeing a project through from the beginning sketches to the final design and I am inspired watching the reaction of people enjoying a newly designed space.
My passion is to love what I do every day. My career is fulfilling, and I am eager to collaborate with my colleagues throughout each phase of a project. Putting our creative minds and different talents together is so rewarding for me personally as well as professionally.

Kathy’s brings over 14 years of experience in creating a wide range of commercial, hospitality and entertainment projects to the interior design field. Kathy creates dynamic interior spaces utilizing her knowledge of all aspects of design and planning with her aptitude to coordinate architectural details and construction. Kathy is a graduate of Philadelphia University and resides in New Jersey with her family of 5. Kathy is a leader, a collaborator and brings a fresh perspective and high standard to the design team.