Story Behind the Smile: Kelsey Gilbert

If you ever need someone who can calculate an angle, operate a drill and turn a pile of lumber into something beautiful, Kelsey Gilbert is your person.

Her love of handiwork started early, tagging along to job sites with her dad, who works in design and architecture. “Where he was, I was right there with him,” she said. “One of my earliest memories was helping him build a huge playground. He showed me how to use a drill and let me screw in the screws.” That playground eventually became a fort she played on for years, and the hands-on learning never stopped.

Today, the projects are bigger, but the partnership is the same. “When I run into a problem on a project, I call him and we talk through it,” she said. “Over the past few years I’ve completed some big projects with his guidance that I’m really proud of.”
Kelsey is not someone who sits still for long. “I’m always either in the middle of a project, working on drawings for a project, or scrolling Pinterest for ideas,” she said, noting that her husband has learned to roll with the constant stream of new plans and creative energy.

The math teacher in her shows up in the details. “I love the problem solving,” she said. “Figuring out the angles and cuts or piecing together a pile of wood to make something beautiful is my favorite. Seeing the finished product and thinking, ‘I did that,’ is so cool.” She also enjoys challenging expectations. “I love breaking the stereotype of women and power tools. It’s not just for the guys.”
Her advice for anyone thinking about starting a project is simple. “Just start. You can’t be afraid to mess up. It’s all a learning process.”
Among her favorite builds is a screened-in porch with a tin roof at her previous home. “Can you say naptime in a rainstorm?” she said. “It was a spot we spent so much time as a family.” In her current home, her garden has taken center stage, filled with flowers and vegetables from spring through fall.

At the heart of it all is a love of creating. “I really just love leaving things better than I found them,” she said. “Making them pretty.”