Line Risom, put in her own words, is proud to be an “expat – woman – entrepreneur – contractor in Kuwait.” While contracting is widely viewed as a male dominant field, Line is here to prove them superbly wrong. Originally from Denmark, but spending most of her life in Norway, this interior designer came here on a whim in 2003 and stayed for a passion to create. It’s no longer a man’s world – she’s proved that time and time again. Working hard on other people’s dreams, it wasn’t until 2007 that Line decided to construct her own company and break away from the corporate life. In 2007, D’Fineline was born. When asked why this part of the world, she simply responds with “the richness of the region – both in materials and design.” Fast forward eight years later, D’Fineline stands for all that is modern, chic, and most of all, precise. It’s always refreshing to catch up with this lovely lady as she tackles Kuwait one project at a time.

Starting out at THE One as an interior designer in 2003, Line was fresh out of university. She then moved onto two other workplaces before realizing that her next step would be creating her own company. It was in 2007 that she took the leap and decided to branch out and realize her dream. D’Fineline was born out of her home before she took out an actual office. “I started with nothing but three clients that believed in me and had faith in my vision,” Line smiles – and the rest, as they say, is history. An entirely self-made woman, Line put everything she had into creating this company. Slowly growing, Line admits to working harder than ever, “This is what I wanted to do, and I work extra hard to make sure that everything is done precisely.”

She started off doing interior design for villas and commercial properties, and as of 2013, construction was introduced. Growing up as the daughter of a contractor, hard hats and power tools were her refuge. She learnt from a very early age how to install and remove tiles, paint walls, and handle a nail-gun with grace. Line’s father was constantly challenging and supporting her in what she did. She had gained a very beneficial insight as to what it takes to become a contractor and interior designer. Inspired by the work her father did, it didn’t take much convincing to get Line to land on this career path. “My father was always taking me with him on construction sites and challenging me there to use the tools,” she added.

Seeking to push boundaries, Line’s addition of construction to her company is helping her further achieve her vision. “It’s very difficult to just hand over a design and let someone else execute it – I like to be in charge of the process.” So bringing in sub-contractors and challenging them with her vision wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. The company’s name, D’Fineline, basically mirrors the philosophy she lives by – refined drawings with crisp, clean, elegant lines. With everything being d’fined, the design still has to be kept fun yet chic. This is where the name comes from and this is what she constantly strives to achieve. With the experience she’s accumulated from working for other people, Line is always ready to tackle any challenge that comes her way. “I like to think I’m mentoring the people I work with,” she smiles fondly, “I think of the team as a family, we’re only a team of seven in our office.”

With high-end projects and a trusting clientele, Line takes on the projects in full. The elements to her are very important too – not just in a design sense, but in a material sense. She loves to incorporate elements from nature and creating a focus out of them. Natural stone slabs and marble are common in her interiors as well as the use of real wood. “I don’t believe in fake parquet, and natural light is very important to me.” This deep-rooted appreciation of the natural elements pushes Line to incorporate more of them in her design.

Challenging the stereotype, Line holds her own in her field. She knows what works and what doesn’t and isn’t afraid to altar a design to enhance it. “When I work on a project, I treat it as though it were my own, giving it everything I have,” she states. She works on everything with her heart and soul to ensure that every project is done with perfection. Having lived in Kuwait for so long, Line has no intention of leaving it and enjoys seeing it grow. “Kuwait is full of potential and provides a lot of possibilities,” Line says, “I enjoy creating a home or building a dream.”

If you’re in the market to recreate a space you’re in or are just curious about what options are out there, please check out Line Risom and Dfineline at www.dfineline.com or email info@dfineline.com. You can also follow them on Facebook: Dfineline Interior D’sign Office – Creative D’sign Minds for their latest projects. They are situated in Al Fanar Mall. 1st Floor, Office 13/F, Salem Al Mubarak Street, Salmiya.