Ki Designs: Unique Boutique Opens In South Tampa

Not that long ago Kimy Marino was redecorating her childhood bedroom with crafts of her own creation. Now this recent FSU graduate is opening her own boutique on MacDill Avenue in Tampa.

"I've always liked making things," explains Marino. "Always been into decorating, so I thought I'd combine the two."

The new boutique, named Ki Designs, sells handmade custom gifts such as painted glassware, picture frames, cake stands and other knick knacks created by Marino. Customers can choose from inventory already on the shelves, or can request custom-made gifts.

Marino says she can take an existing product and customize it to suit the recipient or create something entirely new. "People come in with sketches and I'll make something from that, like, say a painting," she says. Marino has been painting since she was a small child. Her parents are both artists. As she got older she discovered a way to connect her painting with her passion for home decor. "When my friends starting turning 21, I started painting martini and wine glasses, and beer mugs for their birthdays."

When Kimy made the decision to open her own business, she knew her hometown of Tampa was where she would do it. "I grew up here, and I wanted to stay in this area."

Marino says she chose the MacDill area because of its eclectic collection of buildings that comprise the community. "I like the freestanding buildings that run from Kennedy to Gandy," she says. "But I don't feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Kimy Marino, Ki Designs