Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Foster.
Hi Kayla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Despite that background, I didn’t initially plan on entering the building industry. While exploring my options for continuing education, I discovered a drafting and design program at a local technical college. It immediately felt like a natural fit. I had admired architectural design for years, particularly through growing up around home building and the Parade of Homes, but that was the first time I began to see it as a career of my own.
My time in school was transformative. Design came naturally to me, and I was fortunate to have mentors who recognized that and continually challenged me to develop it. By graduation, I was selected to give the valedictorian speech, and my final project, a facility for children and adults with special needs inspired by my younger brother, became one of the most personal and meaningful projects of my education.
The first few years of my professional career gave me experience across several sides of the industry. I began in cabinetry drafting before spending approximately two years at a local commercial architecture firm, where I gained a foundation in commercial architecture while continuing to pursue residential design independently. During that time, I had the opportunity to design a home for the 2024 Parade of Homes, my first full Parade home and a significant milestone early in my career. I’ve since had the opportunity to design a second.
That first Parade project also led to an unexpected connection with JZW Architects. I later joined the firm and helped establish its Southern Utah office, eventually managing projects and helping train new drafters and team members as the office grew. I had tremendous respect for the people I worked with and the environment they created. During my time there, however, I became increasingly certain that residential design was where I wanted to focus my career long-term, and ultimately decided to pursue that path independently and give it my full attention. I left JZW at the end of 2025 and have since been pursuing Lynne Nour Architecture & Design full-time. I’m still early in both my career and the life of the studio, which makes this season especially exciting. I’ve had the opportunity to build a broad foundation across residential and commercial design, project management, and now business ownership, while continuing to refine the kind of work I ultimately want our studio to be known for. There is still plenty for me to learn and much more I hope to accomplish, but I feel incredibly fortunate to be building a career around work that, in one form or another, has interested me since I was young.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Being a young woman in the building industry, and working as an architectural designer rather than a licensed architect, has meant learning early on how to establish credibility and be confident in what I bring to the table. I’m often working alongside builders, engineers, tradespeople, and clients who have been in the industry much longer than I have, and there have certainly been moments where I’ve felt the need to prove that my age doesn’t define the quality of my work or the value of my perspective.
At the same time, I’m very conscious of the limits of my experience and credentials. Architecture and construction are incredibly broad fields, and there is always more to learn. I’ve had to become comfortable saying, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” asking questions, leaning on experienced professionals, and knowing when something needs to be handled by a licensed architect, engineer, or other specialist. I actually think learning that distinction early has made me a stronger designer.
Being a woman in a predominantly male industry has added another layer to that. I’ve been fortunate to work with many people who have respected my ideas and given me opportunities early in my career, but I’ve also had experiences where I’ve had to become more comfortable speaking up, standing behind a design decision, and holding my own in conversations where I may be the youngest person and the only woman in the room.
Now, running my own studio brings an entirely different set of challenges. I’m learning how to balance being a designer with being a business owner, from pricing and contracts to client relationships, scheduling, and knowing when to say no. I’m still learning constantly, but I’ve become much more comfortable with the idea that credibility doesn’t come from pretending to know everything. It comes from doing good work, communicating clearly, knowing your scope, and continuing to learn.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Lynne Nour Architecture & Design?
Lynne Nour Architecture & Design is a residential design studio specializing in custom homes, remodels, and thoughtful residential design. At the center of my process is understanding the people who will actually live in the home: how they move through their day, how they gather, what they value, and even the small routines that can completely change how a space should function.
I believe a custom home should feel genuinely custom, not just in its appearance, but in the way it supports the people living there. From the floor plan and sightlines to natural light, window placement, exterior composition, and architectural details, I try to make every decision feel connected to both the client and the home as a whole.
Ultimately, I want Lynne Nour to be known for thoughtful, timeless homes that feel deeply personal to the people they were designed for. I don’t necessarily want every project to have a recognizable “signature look.” I’d rather someone recognize our work by the level of intention behind it.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think the next 5–10 years will bring an interesting balance between technology and a desire for more personal, intentional design. AI and visualization tools are already changing how quickly we can explore ideas and communicate them to clients, and I think those tools will only become more integrated into the design process.
At the same time, I think people are becoming more thoughtful about how they want their homes to feel and function. We’re already seeing a shift away from designing purely around trends or maximizing square footage, and toward homes with more character, better use of space, and layouts that reflect the way people actually live. I think the most exciting part will be using new technology to make the design process better without losing the human element that makes a home personal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lynnenourarchitecture.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnenourarchitecture/
