Kate Chudy of Pepper Design Co. Brings Elevated and Playful Design to Downtown Boutique
Story by Chelsea Chambers
Kate Chudy created local design firm, Pepper Design Co. in 2016. Born and raised in Boise, she began her design career in Las Vegas with the celebrated Roger Thomas and award-winning Wynn Resorts, spending six years working on high-end residential and hospitality projects. She furthered her experience in Boston, leading concept development on high profile commercial ventures and later moved on to manage exclusive residential commissions throughout New England. Returning to her hometown two years ago, Kate has enjoyed bringing her extensive knowledge and experience back to Boise, “Boise is now the city I wanted it to be while I was growing up. It is also becoming more diverse, so naturally interior design is evolving with that,” she said. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest and New England Home.
Shawna Loveland, owner of Boise’s newest maternity and baby boutique, Baby Blues & Pink, reached out to Kate for guidance in creating the perfect space for her store. Kate explained, “I met Shawna for coffee about a year before we started the design process. She spoke of her long-time goal of opening a premium boutique. She dreamed of creating a warm, welcoming space for mothers and babies, and I immediately fell in love with her vision and energy”. They spent the next few months searching for the perfect venue, which ended up being the Owyhee building facing Main Street.
At the start of any project, Kate considers the story she wants the space to tell. The Owyhee venue began with some great key features including natural light and big windows. In order for the space to be functional and what they envisioned; Kate built upon those elements. She framed the interior with arched niche displays, designed custom light fixtures to span the entry, added a generous fitting room with thoughtful toys to keep toddlers entertained and created a beautiful point of sale counter that is both functional as well as creates a strong design component that helps to anchor the space. At Baby Blues & Pink, everything has a soft edge. The space is inviting, warm and playful. “So much of my inspiration for this boutique came from Shawna’s illuminating and gentle dynamism, as well as envisioning a space I would want to bring my toddler to, or a friend expecting her own little one,” said Kate.
Kate spoke of the need for a trusting and cohesive relationship between client and the designer. “The most successful projects are those where the client fully trusts their design team and allows them to utilize their professional creativity to bring a vision to life.” Wright Brothers Construction took the time to understand and execute the level of detail and finish that Kate was hoping to achieve, “With Boise booming in new construction and remodels, it’s imperative to have a team that doesn’t want to rush through the specifics or cut back on quality,” she added.
Pepper Design Co. is located on Grove Street in a collaborative office space shared with Maren Baker Design and Kasey Fitzgerald Design. The designers’ collective network of professionals is comprised of architects, designers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists, artisans and talented makers who share the same vision for a cooperative work environment and connected community. “Not every designer wants to share resources and ideas. I’ve lived in bigger cities where the design communities weren’t so friendly, and it felt lonely on my own. I’m thankful to have found my community in Boise to share ideas with; I feel supported here.” Kate’s approach to every project is unique, flexible and responsive. Her designs often incorporate vintage, new and custom pieces, layering old and new, and integrating a healthy dose of color and texture. Fresh and accessible, Kate and Pepper Design Co. can help with everything from new build construction to full-scale remodels, custom furniture design, full house furnishings and simple room refreshes.