Montecito Moms: Birgit Klein

Birgit (Bee) Klein is an international woman of travel, style, and design. With a resume boasting clients all over the world, she is now poised to make her presence in Montecito more formal… with a new store!

Ms Klein and her family came to Montecito four years ago, when her daughter was entering kindergarten and they didn’t want to begin school in Los Angeles. 

She and her husband fell in love with our town back in 2009 when they first moved to California and visited Santa Barbara for a weekend. She then realized it was perfect for their family, but she had to work on her husband for six years before he was ready to make the move. Says Klein, “Where else can you hike in the morning, drop your kids off at school, and then be at your office to work at 9 am?” 

Not that there will be much time for hiking in the coming days. Ms Klein is preparing to open a new design studio in Montecito in early October.

Says Klein, “We will have onsite interior designers and also a retail store where both trade and retail clients can come and shop for fabrics, custom upholstery and case pieces, lighting, accessories, and bedding. Whether it is just one piece or the design of a room or a whole house… we will be able to help.”

Ms Klein grew up in Germany and then studied interior design in London. After working for a well established interior designer there, she decided to start her own business in London back in 2006, and eventually came to the West Coast. Of course, running an international business is not an easy task, especially when you factor in kids.

“Having your own business and being a mom is super hard. With all the traveling that comes with my work and having the office in Los Angeles, I am often away. But I couldn’t imagine it any other way and hopefully one day my kids will look back and are proud of what their mom has achieved.” Now with an established reputation in Los Angeles, London, and New York, she is excited for this next adventure in our community.

“With our new store, all the furniture is designed and made by us, and anyone can come in and see the high quality of the pieces. A lot of the fabrics we will be selling are European brands that I love and have been using for a long time. The quality is fantastic and they are well priced. We will have the most beautiful bedding that can be monogrammed and some fantastic accessories brands from Europe also!”

The idea of the studio is to have a one-stop shop where clients can come and design any furniture for their home but also get help with the overall look of a room or house – whether it is furniture, drapery, or accessories. Klein is collaborating with her friend Una (Malan) who already has two showrooms in Los Angeles, representing some great brands. Their partnership for this new adventure will help to ensure they can take care of clients here in our town. “We both have different skill sets and we complement each other really well so we are very excited about this new opportunity.”

Most items on display in the studio will be for sale including accessories such as decorative pillows, throws, accessories and some bedding that can be purchased off the floor. Many items can be customized and can usually be ready in four weeks if the chosen material(s) are in stock.

When she looks back on what brought her to the 93108 and this new endeavor, Klein is proud and looking forward to what her new store can offer people here. 

“I love the community feel of Montecito. It’s small but very international!”

Birgit Klein
525 San Ysidro Road, opposite Jenny Kayne (opening tentatively: Winter 2019)
www.birgitklein.com
@birgitkleininteriors