About Gatehouse
Studio
Kim Sankey, Founder & Lead Designer
After studying at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, Kim launched her career in merchandising, where she developed a keen eye for balance, texture, and timeless design-an aesthetic that continues to shape her interiors today.
In 2004, she founded Gatehouse Studio, which has since grown to include projects across multiple states.
The studio is now based in both Southern California and Nashville, Tennessee, allowing Kim to serve a diverse range of clients with a signature, cohesive design approach.
Meet Kim,
Founder & Designer.
Kim Sankey has been creating beautiful, livable spaces for more than 20 years. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, she launched her career in merchandising — developing an eye for curating products, textures, and aesthetics that would later define her approach to interior design.
A trip to the Maison & Objet design show in Paris changed everything. Inspired by what she saw, Kim made the decision to follow her dream of opening a home furnishings destination. In 2004, Gatehouse Studio was born in Costa Mesa, California.
What started as a home goods boutique quickly grew into a full-service interior design studio. Over the next two decades, Kim built a reputation throughout Orange County for her personalized approach — designs that reflect each client’s personality, lifestyle, and taste rather than following fleeting trends. Her work has been featured in the Newport Harbor Home Tour and has earned a loyal following of clients who return project after project.
In 2024, Kim expanded Gatehouse Studio to the Nashville, Tennessee area, bringing her California-refined design sensibility to the homes of Brentwood, Franklin, and the greater Nashville community. She continues to serve her longtime California clients while building a new chapter in the South.
Kim’s design philosophy is simple: your home should feel like the best version of you.
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Every Gatehouse Studio project starts the same way: with a conversation. Before we select a single fabric swatch or pull a furniture catalog, we want to understand how you live in your home. Who gathers in the kitchen? Where do you unwind at the end of the day? What do you want to feel when you walk through the door?
From there, we build a design that’s tailored entirely to you. We handle everything — space planning, material selection, furniture sourcing, vendor coordination, and installation — so the process feels seamless from start to finish. Whether we’re working on a ground-up build with your architect or refreshing a single room, the level of attention and care is the same
Our Approach.
With deep roots in Orange County and a growing presence in the Nashville area, Gatehouse Studio is uniquely positioned to serve clients in both markets. Kim travels between California and Tennessee regularly, maintaining hands-on involvement in every active project regardless of location.
Whether your home overlooks the Pacific or sits on a tree-lined street in Williamson County, you get the same thoughtful, personalized design experience that has defined Gatehouse Studio for over two decades.