Kathryn Soter is the Executive Director of the Good Future Design Alliance (GFDA), guiding a coalition of professionals committed to reducing waste and creating healthier homes through education, advocacy, and advisory work. She holds a BA from Lewis & Clark College and transitioned from a long career in advertising and media leadership at Condé Nast to helping people understand how everyday design and building decisions can have a lasting environmental impact.
A frequent moderator and speaker, Kathryn has been invited to present by organizations including the Pacific Design Center, AIA San Francisco, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and the U.S. Green Building Council—California, as well as at national sustainability conferences. Through her work, she helps translate complex sustainability concepts into practical choices that lead to healthier, more thoughtful homes.
What is your favorite corner in the world?
The houseboat community in Sausalito where I have lived for the past 11 years. It’s not so much an iconic neighborhood as it is its own ecosystem. I call it dynamic living—you are literally moving up and down with the tide twice a day. There is so much action outside my windows: seabirds, harbor seals, kayakers, and boats. And what you lose in space (I gave up a garage to live here!), you gain in community. A wonderfully supportive and colorful one. So despite “No Sky July” and the month of “Fogust”, there’s no place better.
Which material best matches your personality: wood, glass, stone or steel?
Wood. It represents growth, renewal and flexibility—qualities I value deeply. Like a tree, I’m constantly growing, creating and branching in new directions. In the Five Elements of Feng Shui, “water nourishes wood” so it feels especially fitting that I live on the water.
What everyday object would you secretly love to redesign?
Dishwasher racks. Someone, somewhere, must be able to solve the mystery of why bowls never quite fit—without launching a small engineering project every time I load the dishwasher.
Growing up, what brand(s) spoke to you visually?
M&Ms! I’m serious! It’s an iconic, enduring, colorful and fun brand. Who doesn’t smile when they see them? But they also have a great origin story—originally invented as durable wartime rations. Plus, they were the first candy in space. I also love great designs from the 50s, like a 1958 Corvette (no, I’ve never owned one), and an Eames Management chair (which I do own).
What architect, designer or artist would you most like to share a studio (or a bottle of wine) with?
The master of caricature, Al Hirschfeld. It’s an underrated talent to distill the essence of a person into a few perfectly placed lines—brilliant, funny and incredibly precise. Plus, I imagine he’d be an absolute hoot to share a bottle of wine with.
What’s the first building you remember falling in love with?
A rundown 1935 cottage I bought in Kentfield. It felt frozen in time, filled with clever and unexpected details. My favorite was a hole in the kitchen counter with a flip lid where you’d drop compost into a box emptied from the outside—an early, low-tech garbage disposal. Brilliant. The house had so much potential, and I couldn’t wait to bring it back to life. I just didn’t realize it would take 17 years.
Which design cliché do you secretly adore?
California Coastal—but in my defense, I literally live on a floating home, so my design cliché is contractually obligated, don’t you think? I really can “lean in” to that.
What are some favorite vintage pieces that you own?
A pair of mid-century Falcon chairs by Scandinavian designer Sigurd Ressell. I got them at the Paul Bert Serpette antiques market at Clignancourt (in Paris). I love them because they are low to the ground and so incredibly comfortable.
What’s the most eccentric item on your desk right now?
I have a caricature by David Levine of Rachel Carson, the patron saint of the environmental movement. She’s holding up the world on her shoulders with a pair of binoculars around her neck. Her expression is quietly contemplative but you can see strength and determination in her eyes. She is my hero.
If you could live inside a movie set forever, which would it be?
Barbie. So I could spend eternity with Ryan Gosling.
Which natural shape or pattern do you find endlessly inspiring and why?
When I was young I loved polka dots. Dots and balls are playful, and inspire me toward having fun. They occasionally make an appearance in my clothing and, sometimes, my interiors: think round tables, stools, and my oversupply of bowls. (And let’s not forget the M&Ms.)
What would you like your work to whisper about you when no one is looking?
No whispering allowed! We need to talk louder. Designing with purpose, intention, consideration for our environment and the health of occupants is not a “nice-to-have.” It’s a necessity.
