Rebecca Talton Kalsbeek AIA, an architect licensed in NC, opened Rare Designs in 1986 and is the sole proprietor. Ms. Kalsbeek, is originally from Smithfield, NC, graduated from the School of Design at NCSU in 1975 with a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture. From 1975 to 1985, Ms. Kalsbeek worked in several private firms in the Raleigh area and in the Office of State Construction. Rare Designs has focused primarily on residential architecture since 1986.

Stephen Jackman joined Rare Designs full time as a designer in 1997. Mr. Jackman, a native of Raleigh, has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design. After graduation in 1985, he participated in internships with the Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic Deerfield Massachusetts Inc. and an exchange program with the British National Trust. Mr. Jackman worked in several Raleigh architectural offices, as well as an interior design firm, before joining Rare Designs.