Who We Are
JESSICA RISKO SMITH ASID, LEED AP, NCIDQ
Since she was 8 years old, growing up on the Northwest Florida coast, Jessica has had a passion for reimagining spaces. Every month she’d rearrange her own bedroom furniture, always experimenting with how to make a new world out of a 10×12 space. Now, as founder of JRS ID, she spends each day helping clients create their own new world, with unique, stylish, and ultra-livable designs that elevate their everyday lifestyle.
Before launching her own firm in Santa Barbara, Jessica earned her degree in interior design from Auburn University and had a long career at Gensler, a worldwide corporate design firm, where she worked with Fortune 500 companies on legal, finance, retail and entertainment interiors projects. Her time spent developing ideas that began on sketches on trace paper instilled a vast knowledge of the construction process, which proves a major asset with her clients today. Jessica is a LEED Accredited Professional and a longtime ASID Professional Member. Her depth of experience, professionalism and broad understanding of the complete architectural and design-build process makes for confident, collaborative working relationships start to finish.
With a professional, trustworthy reputation and a keen eye for relaxed, natural California-inspired interiors, Risko Smith creates environments that are functional, beautiful, sustainable, and a true pleasure to live, work, and play in. Her travels to New York, Chicago, Mexico and Europe continue to influence her design vocabulary and vision for unique styles, trends, and products for residential and commercial interiors. The JRS ID studio is located in a historic Santa Barbara garden courtyard, where the team is often found meeting with clients and vendors. Otherwise you can find Risko Smith with her two kids and dog, Rabbit, refueling at Handlebar Coffee, oftentimes sketching more new world design concepts.
JESSICA RISKO SMITH ASID, LEED AP, NCIDQ
Since she was 8 years old, growing up on the Northwest Florida coast, Jessica has had a passion for reimagining spaces. Every month she’d rearrange her own bedroom furniture, always experimenting with how to make a new world out of a 10×12 space. Now, as founder of JRS ID, she spends each day helping clients create their own new world, with unique, stylish, and ultra-livable designs that elevate their everyday lifestyle.
Before launching her own firm in Santa Barbara, Jessica earned her degree in interior design from Auburn University and had a long career at Gensler, a worldwide corporate design firm, where she worked with Fortune 500 companies on legal, finance, retail and entertainment interiors projects. Her time spent developing ideas that began on sketches on trace paper instilled a vast knowledge of the construction process, which proves a major asset with her clients today. Jessica is a LEED Accredited Professional and a longtime ASID Professional Member. Her depth of experience, professionalism and broad understanding of the complete architectural and design-build process makes for confident, collaborative working relationships start to finish.
With a professional, trustworthy reputation and a keen eye for relaxed, natural California-inspired interiors, Risko Smith creates environments that are functional, beautiful, sustainable, and a true pleasure to live, work, and play in. Her travels to New York, Chicago, Mexico and Europe continue to influence her design vocabulary and vision for unique styles, trends, and products for residential and commercial interiors. The JRS ID studio is located in a historic Santa Barbara garden courtyard, where the team is often found meeting with clients and vendors. Otherwise you can find Risko Smith with her two kids and dog, Rabbit, refueling at Handlebar Coffee, oftentimes sketching more new world design concepts.
RACHEL WILLIAMS Designer
Rachel is a true California native. After spending many years between Northern and Southern California—she landed in Santa Barbara in 2014 and hopes to never leave! Rachel earned her BA in Interior Design from Cal State University, Chico and holds a minor in Spanish from El Universidad del Pais Vasco in San Sebastian, Spain. Rachel has held leadership and sales roles in the design industry at high-end retailers, developing her keen awareness for customer service and project management.
She brings her wealth of experience to JRS ID where she is a key player in the planning stages, developing furniture plans and coordinating the multiple project elements. When she’s not obsessing over textiles in the office or honing her CAD skills, you can find her doing yoga, enjoying Sayulita, Mexico with her family and running after her wild toddler—anywhere that takes her!
