When you walk into a space designed by Working Spaces, you feel it before you notice it. The rhythm of the room, the ease of movement, the way culture seems to materialize in finishes and furniture—none of it happens by accident. Behind the scenes is a careful choreography of discovery, design, logistics, and human intuition.

At the center of that choreography is Beth Studebaker, Senior Designer and Design Lead, whose career has spanned healthcare systems, corporate campuses, and everything in between. For Beth, commercial interiors aren’t about chairs and desks—they’re about translating human behavior into built form.

The Long Road to “Here”

Studebaker didn’t stumble into design; she built her way into it. She started in commercial real estate, sketching out national offices for Edward Jones and H&R Block. By 2011, she’d moved into the world of furniture dealers, managing complex healthcare projects for a Herman Miller dealership in Kansas City.
It was there she got her crash course in the nitty-gritty of interiors—designing spaces, sourcing product, managing installs, even handling warranty calls. “I saw every last bit of the furniture side of things,” she recalls. That hands-on immersion shaped her holistic approach to design.
By 2022, she had joined Working Spaces, where her role has evolved from Director of Design in St. Louis to team lead back in Kansas City. Today, she oversees designers, juggles a portfolio of up to 30 active projects, and is once again shaping healthcare environments in partnership with the Denver office.

Every Project Starts With “Why”

For Beth, the spark of every project is not what a client wants, but why.

“Clients may come in asking for a certain office layout,” she explains. “But I want to know—what’s the real problem? Is it noise? Efficiency? Flexibility? Once you understand the ‘why,’ you can design beyond the surface request.”

That curiosity recently transformed the headquarters of Fish Window Cleaning. The company had considered offering height-adjustable desks only to select employees. Beth and her team nudged them toward standardizing across all 30+ offices, future-proofing the space while giving every worker the freedom to choose.

“We also activated their in-between spaces with lounges and gathering tables,” she says. “It drew people out of private offices—and now it’s everyone’s favorite place to be.”

The Invisible Machine

The glossy finishes and clever floorplans are only half the story. Behind the curtain, Beth orchestrates a logistical symphony: warehousing, delivery schedules, and sequencing installs across multiple vendors.

“There are so many details,” she says. “Furniture is essentially custom… down to every size, finish, and fabric. Seeing it all come together with the architecture is always rewarding.”

Her current lineup spans everything from two-chair office refreshes to multi-floor hospital wings in Colorado. She rattles off projects in progress: a behavioral health unit with safety-sensitive furniture, patient rooms designed for durability and comfort, a reimagined University of Missouri reception space in bold black and gold.

Designing for Wellness and Culture

The throughline in all these projects? Human wellness.
“We spend as much time in our chairs as in our beds,” Beth says matter-of-factly. “So ergonomics isn’t just a buzzword. It’s about health.”
Her perspective sharpens in healthcare settings, where design has to anticipate both cleanliness and safety. Vinyls and polyurethanes replace woven textiles; chairs include “clean-outs” to prevent bacteria from hiding. In behavioral health, furniture must sometimes be bolted to the floor or engineered to eliminate self-harm risks.
“It’s design with empathy,” she says. “Every choice has a human at the end of it.”

Looking Forward

Working Spaces is making its mark in Kansas City, expanding from its St. Louis headquarters with a reputation for precision and care. For Beth, that care is what sets the firm apart.
“From day one to the final punch list, everything is lined out, every role is clear, and we never lose sight of the client’s culture,” she says. “That’s what makes people want to come back to the office—not just a pretty space, but one that reflects who they are.”
And for Beth, the payoff is always the same. “It’s hearing the feedback, seeing people thrive in the space we created. That’s what makes it worth it.”
This sleek, human-driven approach is exactly what differentiates Working Spaces: more than a furniture dealer, we’re a partner in building environments where culture, wellness, and collaboration come alive.
To learn more, contact us today.