Face of the CVPA: Q&A with Kristina 'Krissy' Klingenberger, Interior Design Major
Kristina 'Krissy' Klingenberger is a senior interior design major, who recently studied furniture design in Italy. We asked her about this, her two other internships and her inspirations.
1. Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Annapolis, Md.
2. What is your major and minor?
A: My major is interior design with a minor in art.
3. We were told you were given an internship opportunity. What was it?
A: I had three internships this past summer of 2013. I was involved in various projects that focused on many different areas of design. My first was in Florence, Italy, where I interned with Leonardo Rossano, an Italian architect and furniture designer. My second internship was at Karen Renee Interior Design in Severna Park, Md., and my third internship was with Joni Zimmerman at Design Solutions INC in Annapolis, Md.
4. What did your internships entail?
A: Furniture design was the main focus of my first internship. I designed two chairs; the first was a modern upholstered, angular armchair that was suspended from welded metal bars, and the second was a wooden dining chair with a t-shaped seat back. For my second internship, where I worked for Karen Renee, I assisted her in residential design projects doing fabric and finish selections. For my third internship, I worked at a residential design firm that specializes in kitchen and bath design. I received the opportunity to design the first floor of a remodeled home, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by May 2014 –REALLY EXCITING!
5. What countries did you intern in?
A: I interned in Italy and Maryland.
6. What was your favorite thing about your experience abroad?
A: There are way too many wonderful memories from my experience in Italy to name just one, maybe just overall submerging myself in the Italian culture and gaining experience in furniture design. Visiting the greatest influential architecture and artwork in the world on a daily basis gave me so much inspiration, which has really helped me with my current design projects. It has also given me a new perspective on design as a whole. I also met a lot of amazing people including the local Italians as well as other interns from around the world such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador and West Virginia, who have become lifelong friends.
7. What aspect of interior design are you interested in?
A: My favorite aspect of interior design is space planning, and the type of design I enjoy is residential and kitchen and bath design. I especially love hospitality, restaurant and retail design, which I have not yet experienced in the professional world. Therefore, I am interested in finding a job at a company that focuses on that area.
8. What are your plans for after you graduate?
A: As of now, I plan to move back to Annapolis to figure out where my future is going to take me. I plan to enter into the world of interior design to gain professional knowledge as well as prepare for the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) exam to become a certified interior designer.
9. Who inspires your design style?
A: Dr. Joan Dickinson, interior design professor at Radford University, has greatly inspired my way of thinking in relation to interior design. Though there are many designers that encourage my aesthetic approach, Dr. Dickinson has educated me to think in-depth about how people interact and behave in their surroundings. This has guided me to focus on creating quality spaces that serve purpose to its occupants and also how I can contribute to the improvement of design.
10. If you could work with any designer in the world, who would you work with?
A: I would highly enjoy the opportunity to work with Dutch designer, Marcel Wanders. He designs architecture, interiors and products that are highly innovative, surreal and always interesting. His attention to detail and combination of modern and classic elements is fascinating.