Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Mallory

Sarah Mallory (BFA Fashion Design, 2008)
Dolly Parton Enterprises, Nashville, Tenn.

Sarah MalloryOn any given day, Sarah Mallory is wearing a number of hats. One morning, she’s a manager at Paper Source in Green Hills in Nashville.  That same afternoon, she’s writing an article for The Bee’s Knees, an eclectic online magazine she recently started with fellow O’More alumna Amanda Womack Klein. And later that night, Sarah is pinning a client’s custom wedding dress for her final fitting. Oh, and did we mention she sews for Dolly Parton Enterprises, too?

With all the plates Sarah’s spinning, it seems like she wouldn’t have a minute to spare in her schedule. But then she mentions the Agape Animal Rescue “Glitter and Glam” Fashion Show she designed this past year, and the freelance wardrobe styling she’s done for the likes of The Steve Miller Band.

“My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was 4, and when I was 15 I started my own handbag business,” she says. “Since I was small, it’s never changed that I wanted to do this.”

Sarah’s upbeat persona and entrepreneurial spirit both contribute to the go-getter attitude that has lead her down different professional avenues – all paths with potential. She’s grabbed those opportunities by talent and a little bit of luck.

“I was working on some menswear at Textiles when I ran into a fabulous man talking sequins,” she says. “The next thing you know, I’m working for Dolly Parton!”

Dolly was in New York at the time; the play 9 to 5: The Musical was beginning, and the legendary performer had written music and lyrics for the production. Sarah became fast friends with Iisha Lemming, Dolly’s head seamstress and former O’More instructor. Out of the 10 stitchers working, Sarah was the only seamstress left standing when Dolly when was done in New York.  Now, she’s been working on a three-person team as a consistent freelancer for more than two and a half years.

Because sewing for Dolly Parton Enterprises is part-time, Sarah is a manager at Paper Source – a job that helped inspire the conception of The Bee’s Knees, the online fashion magazine Sarah and Amanda began in January 2011. Amanda works from Memphis, and Sarah gathers material from Nashville. Together, they manage a website and a blog that generate ideas and tips, focusing on locally run boutiques, restaurants, artists and designers in their areas.

“We thought, ‘We’re really crafty and have fun ideas,’” Sarah says. “Why not share it?”

The founders say that the magazine is a Southern girl’s guide to shopping, cooking, family advice, home design and events. Ultimately, they’d like the magazine to complement, and lead to, a bridal studio that houses invitations, bridal and bridesmaids gowns, and alterations – all under one roof.

“Amanda’s my sister,” she says.  ”We always joked in college that we’d make it work together, and now we get to.”

Sarah’s background in graphic design and print media contributes to The Bee’s Knees blog and its needed print material. Though she has talent in graphic design (add it to the list), don’t expect her to abandon her dream of fashion design.

“I got a lot of graphic design in fashion courses, but fashion is everything to me,” she says. “Graphic design is kind of like a bonus to what I do.”

Sarah – who worked in the O’More admissions office and was a member of the Student Government Association – was as successful at the school as she has been since graduating. She nabbed the top award at the 2008 Eloise Fashion Show for her collection of tropical-inspired pieces.

“The business plan for a lingerie boutique is what won me the award,” she says. “I had everything picked out for the store. Down to the ribbon for the boxes and the tissue paper. Opening it is still a goal of mine.”

Sarah says that she knew long before her senior year in Louisville, Ky., where she would attend college.

“I first applied to O’More when I was like an 8th grader,” she laughs. “But seriously, I wasn’t any older than a sophomore. There was no other option for me.”

While at O’More, Sarah helped design print and online materials for the Eloise Fashion Show, helped with different design projects while interning in the development office, and became a staple in the student governing body.

“The best part for me was the people,” Sarah says. “They got us through in a fun way. It’s those people in the office that get you through the stress.”

Sarah enjoyed her co-workers so much that she’s kept in touch with many since her ‘08 graduation. Each year, she holds a Christmas party – one that she says 10 O’More employees continue to attend.

“I made the most amazing friends while I was there.”

Alumni Spotlight: Ondrea Kurtilla

Ondrea Kurtilla (BFA Fashion Design, 2010)
Dockers Shoes, Nashville, Tenn.

Ondrea KurtillaPretty soon, Ondrea Kurttila will be hopping on planes destined for Asia and Europe for her job as a Dockers footwear design assistant. She’ll be landing in California, New York and Florida, on buying and sourcing trips. But before she does all that, she’s teaching a spring semester course at O’More College of Design.

The fashion design alum says she has a specific goal for the students in her Computer Aided Design (CAD) class: to give them pointed direction that will help them in their future careers.

“I bring a good perspective,” Ondrea says. “You can never have enough experience, and I think this will be a great opportunity.”

The two programs – Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop – that Ondrea will teach in the CAD course are ones with which she’s intimately familiar. From 3D drawings to detail sheets and tech pacs, Ondrea uses both programs in her daily work for the Dockers men’s footwear line. Because she spends ample time designing aspects of the shoes, such as tread patterns and production specifics, she knows the various shortcuts and nuances of each program.

“I want to be able to share the information I’ve learned, and prepare the students for the real world,” she says.

Ondrea says she will bring in contacts she’s made at Dockers – other designers with company partners like Chaps, Bass and Levi’s – to show students how the process works from start to finish. She hopes this type of in-class application will help them determine how best to apply the skills they’ve learned to their work after graduation.

“I think I can help them make that transition from taking classes to working as a designer,” Ondrea says.

It wasn’t long after her May 2010 graduation that Ondrea made the jump from student to designer with a well-known company. She got her foot in the door at Dockers when she met the Dockers CEO at Nine West, the shoe store she managed at Green Hills Mall. An enthusiastic conversation about design segued into an interview that quickly led to the job.

“It’s been a great adventure so far,” she says.

Dockers’ men’s footwear goes through two designs each year, in spring and fall. Each season includes 10 to 15 lines, and an intricate process that involves Ondrea on nearly every level. She is an assistant to the two men’s footwear designers, which means helping with various facets of their work while maintaining the lines she designs and coordinates.

“I work equally as a designer, but I also help them fill in as they need help,” Ondrea says. “I’m there in case they need patterns drawn, or baseplates designed… things like that. We all work as a team.”

The team produces shoe concepts a season ahead, so they’re currently working on the spring 2013 collection. They spend months researching trends within the industry, what their competitors are doing, what their target demographic is gravitating towards, and seasonal colors, styles and patterns.

“As far as my actual work goes, I love design and developing a new program or style of shoe,” Ondrea says. “[Things like] the tread and structure are so intricate. You can be creative with it.”

Once the team begins designing a season, it is a six-month process. From updating patterns and materials to developing new programs, the designers’ responsibilities don’t stop at the flat layout.

“First we pick what materials we want. Then we design everything from how your foot fits into the shoe to the eyelet of the grommet,” Ondrea says. “It’s multiple steps and involves many rounds to narrow everything down.”

She is thrilled at the thought of traveling the globe with her company. Not only will she get hands-on experience with production factories, but she will also get to see the world while she learns.

“Having the opportunity to see what goes into everything, and experience new cultures and environments all the while, is so exciting,” she says.

While at O’More, Ondrea gained experience in facets beyond design. Her sophomore and junior years, she interned with the Nashville label Prophetik. Her responsibilities included alterations and fittings, event management and helping with the line’s fashion shows.

“I got to do a lot of great things with him,” Ondrea says.

Among them was the MAGIC Marketplace, one of the largest fashion trade events in Las Vegas each year. Ondrea called it an “insane, exciting experience” – an event she attended twice with Prophetik.

All the hard work and time she invested in learning paid off her senior year, when she was awarded the Fashion Critic Award for her runway collection in O’More’s 2010 Eloise Fashion Show. The award, chosen by a panel of judges from the industry, is given to the designer whose collection was deemed best overall. Ondrea’s pieces were aquatic themed, with flowy garments and “lots of movement.”

“I had way too much fun doing the show. It was a lot of work and totally worth it,” she says. “It was crazy and wonderful.”

Ondrea says her time at O’More was an equally enjoyable learning experience.

“They had classes to test your imagination and see how far you could go with things. It showed us that you don’t have to be inside the box,” she says. “It helped you take a step back from yourself, and your design, to see what you were capable of.

“It really is a great school.”

To learn more about Ondrea, visit her website, or contact her here.

Board Member Robinson Becomes Focal Point of International Cultural Festival

Board Member Robinson Becomes Focal Point of International Cultural Festival

Charles Robinson in Qatar

Charles Robinson in Qatar

O’More College of Design board member Charles Robinson was honored to be selected to participate in an international musical show, celebrating the Katara amphitheatre grand opening in the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar. For him, it was an opportunity to share the Native American culture on the world stage.

A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Robinson was chosen by Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to represent his culture during the Dec. 13 opening of the Katara cultural village in Doha. The event corresponded with the commencement of the Doha 2011 United National Alliance of Civilization Forum in the capital of Qatar.

“It was one of the most unique experiences of my life,” Robinson says.

Robinson dressed in traditional native regalia – which includes a feathered costume – for the musical show. The ceremony included internationally acclaimed artists from around the world, including India, Italy, Russia, China, Australia and Japan. Headlining the ceremony was Greek composer Vangelis, an Academy Award-winning musician best known for his score for the film Chariots of Fire.

“During the dress rehearsal, the prince of Qatar asked the directors to reposition me as one of the focal points in the ceremony,” Robinson says. “I had hundreds of people asking for photos with ‘The Red Indian.’ I took more pictures at that event than I have in five years.”

Robinson says that the reaction from the dignitary, and his fellow world musicians, was a humbling experience.

“Even the famous composer (Vangelis) pulled me aside backstage to take a picture,” he says. “These people were so intrigued by the Native American culture, something that we often take for granted.”

As a result of its oil and natural gas exports, Qatar has the highest per capita income in the world. The Katara village is the latest push by the Qatari government to transform the country into an oasis of international culture. Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup games – a move that signifies its rising significance as a tourism hotspot.

“Qatar spent a huge amount just around the grand opening. Twenty million was the number that people were tossing around,” Robinson says. “They want to position themselves as a cultural meeting place.”

The nation of Qatar says that more than 6,000 visitors visit the cultural village each day, despite the fact that it will not be completed for five years. The amphitheatre is one of the largest in the Middle East, and was home to the 2012 ATP World Tour kick-off in January.

The concert was filmed by Universal Music, and CDs and DVDs of the international show will be for sale at a future date.

THIRD ANNUAL AVA FELLOWSHIP IMMERSES O’MORE STUDENTS IN HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS

THIRD ANNUAL AVA FELLOWSHIP IMMERSES O’MORE STUDENTS IN HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS
Fashion, VisCom Students Trade Design Talents for Scholarships, Real-world Experience

AVA Fashion Affair

Emily Mae Anderson and Brittany Chapman

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – A Vintage Affair, the Franklin-based non-profit supporting local charities through a series of fund-raising events, has partnered with O’More College of Design to offer the third-annual fellowship program for four O’More students.

Fashion design students Megan Chapman and Emily Mae Anderson and visual communications students Brittany Chapman and Bianca Blue Huff were selected to receive semester scholarships as part of a work-study program that includes various aspects of AVA event production.

“I love the creativity coming from O’More. It’s such a talented group a people, and a valuable resource we have right in our backyard,” says Ashley W. Roberts, managing director of A Vintage Affair. “They bring a younger edge to our events.”

The four women had to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the fellowship. Past programs have included two student scholarships, but as a result of the exemplary work done by past recipients, AVA added two more this year. Starting last June, the students began assisting Roberts with graphic design, materials production, media relations and other elements of bringing together AVA’s signature events, including a concert at the Franklin Theatre with Jeffrey Steele in July and the Grape Stomp in October.

All four students are in the midst of helping plan and execute A Vintage Affair’s fifth-annual A Fashion Affair on Saturday, Jan. 28, a runway and wine tasting event that raises money for Williamson County charities.

VisCom students Brittany Chapman and Bianca Blue Huff have spent their hours designing posters, fliers and ads for the event. This is the second year Huff has been awarded the AVA fellowship, and she has helped design materials for six different AVA events. For Chapman, the design work she’s done for the non-profit has been an important portfolio-building process.

“Brittany designed the poster when we hosted Jeffrey Steele at The Franklin Theatre, and we had people asking to buy it from us – and it wasn’t even for sale!” Roberts says.

Fashion design students Megan Chapman and Emily Mae Anderson have worked with media relations and helped conduct the fund-raising campaign for A Fashion Affair. Roberts says that the women have played an integral part in planning the event, and will help run the show from backstage.

This year, A Fashion Affair will feature 2006 Emmy Award-winning designer Randall Christensen, perhaps best known for his dance-wear couture seen on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

For Anderson, this will be a major meet and greet; she says her passion lies in costume design, and she hopes to find an outlet for that when she steps into the professional world.

“This is such a cool opportunity for all of us. I’m so enthusiastic just to be a part of it,” Anderson says.

About A Vintage Affair
A Vintage Affair is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that is dedicated to raising money for Williamson County charities that benefit women and children in need. AVA hosts various events throughout the year in order to fulfill the goal of fundraising for the community. Since its inception in 2001, AVA has contributed nearly a million dollars to local non-profit organizations.

Interior Design Course Helps Produce Showroom For Custom Furniture Maker

Interior Design Course Helps Produce Showroom For Custom Furniture Maker
Studio III Class To Design Saddlecreek Design’s New Downtown Franklin Space

SaddleCreek

Scott Moore with the Studio III class


Franklin, TENN.Scott Moore of Saddlecreek Design specializes in creating one-of-a-kind furniture pieces that are often the focal point of the room. He takes pride in the masterpieces he crafts, and he needs a space to display his labor. That’s where interior design instructor Kim Zimmer and her Studio IIII students take the reins.

The interior design course will work with Saddlecreek Design through the spring semester to design the company’s future storefront and space on Columbia Avenue in Downtown Franklin. On Wednesday, Zimmer and her team met with Moore to discuss his vision for the project, brainstorm initial ideas, and take site measurements.

Moore works with all design mediums- including wood, glass, steel- to blend custom finishes and unique style. The students’ challenge is to produce a space that reflects and highlights the furniture. The group will have to work around city and building codes (and an archaic sump pump) to produce a space that fits the Saddlecreek Design needs. All aspects of the new showroom, from lighting to flooring to layout design to signage, will be in the hands of the students.

O’More will be documenting the student progress for the Saddlecreek Design site throughout the semester. To learn more about Saddlecreek Design, go here. To view more pictures of the ongoing project, and to follow the continuing process, go here.

O’More College of Design and TEAM IRELAND Partner for Irish Heritage Classes

O’More College of Design and TEAM IRELAND Partner for Irish Heritage Classes
Weekly Courses Will Focus on Irish Heritage and Community Bonding

AICE
Franklin, TENN. – O’More College of Design is partnering with TEAM IRELAND and Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment (A.I.C.E) to offer a series of weekly classes designed to promote Irish culture and its heritage. Each class, students will learn how to converse on various topics through the Gaelic language. People will also be able to participate in the through a live, online-viewing for each of the 10-week sessions.

TEAM IRELAND represents a partnership between nine distinct groups in Middle Tennessee that have an existing alliance with Ireland. These groups support an active relationship with the country in various ways, and TEAM IRELAND works to advance more robust relationships within the regional community.

“We want to bring together the people of Ireland and Middle Tennessee, and create a community that celebrates a common ancestry and shares a bond of Irishness,” says Éilís Crean, fiddler and founder of TEAM IRELAND and A.I.C.E.  “This sentiment is perpetuated by the logo and mantra, ‘TEAM IRELAND, Fostering Dignity and Beauty in Our Shared Irishness.’”

The classes will kick off Monday, Jan. 16, at 6 p.m. in The Ireland Room at O’More. In order to accommodate all schedules and locations, TEAM IRELAND and the design school will also offer a live viewing through Skype.

Each weekly class will center around Irish conversation, called “Cómhrá Ghaeilge​​.” The series’ mission is to pass along Irish culture in the form of language, music, song, dance and storytelling.  Crean says that her inspiration for the Irish group, and this series, lies in one of the country’s oldest traditions.

“Historically, people in Ireland gathered at houses to play music or even at a crossroads where dancers were included,” Crean says. “The purpose of the gathering was camaraderie and friends-to inspired and vitalize one another. That’s what I hope to do here.”

More specifically, these classes will include lessons and conversations about the Gaelic language, traditions and folklore.  Some lectures will be based around common themes, such as New Year’s resolutions and St. Patrick’s Day. However, Crean says that the series will focus mainly on Irish heritage, with in-depth topics such as: traditional Irish music, song, dance, storytelling, history and many more ideas prevalent to the Irish culture.

The classes will last one hour, and participants are encouraged to sign up for the full 10-week package. To view the weekly curriculum and sign up for classes, visit www.eiliscreanAICE.com, or email eiliscrean@gmail.com.

O’MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN LAUNCHES COMMUNITY EDUCATION INITIATIVE

O’MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN LAUNCHES COMMUNITY EDUCATION INITIATIVE
Courses from AutoCAD to Watercolor Painting Offer Creative Outlet in Winter Months

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – O’More College of Design is offering a variety of art and design-based community education courses to the public through a new initiative to be launched in mid-February.

Anyone over the age of 16 is invited to participate, regardless of skill level. Courses include Watercolor Fundamentals, an Artist Trading Cards Workshop, Beginning Crochet and an AutoCAD Workshop. Participants should expect a hands-on learning experience from O’More’s leading instructors, and a class environment similar to that of O’More undergraduate courses.

“Our campus is a hub of creativity, and we wanted to provide an opportunity for the community to be a part of it,” says Shari Fox, O’More’s vice president of academic affairs. “For someone interested in trying a new artistic medium, it’s a chance to learn from a professional and evaluate whether a full semester course would be valuable.”

O’More maintains an enrollment of about 200 elite design students from all over the nation, producing graduates with bachelor of fine arts degrees and passion and expertise that extends past its campus.
“Our mission is to prepare students to think critically and imaginatively, to become responsible citizens, and to develop a pattern of lifelong learning,” Fox says. “We can continue to fulfill that mission by igniting new passions and rekindling old ones through the Community Education initiative.”

Participants can register online at here or by calling (615) 794-4254. The registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 6.

Founded in 1970 and located in the downtown historic district of Franklin, Tenn., O’More College of Design offers bachelor of fine arts degrees in fashion design, interior design and visual communications.

What: Watercolor Fundamentals
When: Saturdays; February 18-March 24
Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: Lehew Design Center Drawing Studio in The Factory (Building 9)
Cost: $180; materials not provided
Description: Relax and let the paint flow in this introductory watercolor class. Students will learn a variety of traditional paint applications including wet on wet, dry brush, masking, splatter, and more. Participants must be 16 years and older.

What: Artist Trading Cards Workshop
When: Saturday, February 11
Time: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Studio 1 on the O’More campus
Cost: $50 class fee; $15 supply fee
Description: What are Artist Trading Cards? In this one-day workshop, you’ll discover how a 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch card can become a beautiful work of art. Participants will learn how to create these cards with a variety of mixed-media. You’re encouraged to bring found items, such as photos, unique collage pieces and personal effects to create these one-of-a-kind cards. No previous skills required. Participants must be 16 years and older.

What: Beginning Crochet
When: Tuesdays; February 21-February 28
Time: 6 p.m.-8p.m.
Where: Café Eloise on the O’More campus
Cost: $100; materials not provided
Description: Participants will learn basic instructions to understand and use the general stitches needed to produce a beautiful, sampler-stitch scarf. No previous skills required. Participants must be 16 years and older.

What: AutoCAD
When: Tuesdays; February 21-March 27
Time: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Where: CAD Lab on the O’More Main Campus
Cost: $180
Description: Not familiar with the latest version of AutoCAD?  Do you feel your skills have gotten a bit rusty? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, join us for this Auto CAD refresher class.  Topics include: Intro to Auto CAD 2012, basic drawing and modification commands, creating text, annotation, blocks, external references, viewports, layout, and plotting. Participants must be 16 years and older.

President’s Best Of Men’s Event Returns March 9

President’s Best Of Men’s Event Returns March 9

InvitationO’More President Mark Hilliard is bringing his popular men’s event back to campus on Friday, March 9th from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m., featuring Best Of… categories in everything from watches to whiskeys, bow ties to leather goods, and cars to electronic gadgets. On Saturday, March 10, both men and women are invited to attend workshops on cigars and men’s style.

Participants will have an opportunity to talk with brand representatives and examine a host of luxury products before making a purchase decision. Great food, drink, cigars and casino games make this one of the best parties of the year.

Featured Business Partners and Products Include:

  • Luxury Watches: David King, King Jewelers
  • Premium Leather Goods: Colonel Littleton
  • Designer Eyewear: Dr. David Shen, Vue Optique
  • Luxury Cadillacs: Nelson Andrews, Andrews Cadillac
  • Hand-made Bow Ties: Otis James, James Bow Ties
  • Electronic Gadgets: Josh Lomelino, VisCom Chair
  • Southern Whiskeys: Holiday Wine and Spirits
  • Top Cigars, Cigar Aficionado:  Holiday Beer and Cigars
  • New Premium Cigars: General Cigar

For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

PROM PARTNERSHIP IS A PLUS FOR O’MORE

PROM PARTNERSHIP IS A PLUS FOR O’MORE
Design students create hard-to-find sizes for charity
By Maria Giordano
Article published by Williamson A.M. in The Tennessean.
To read the story, go here.

FRANKLIN – There’s something about dressing up for prom. It’s that chance to wear a special dress, primp and look your best.

But for some girls, getting that dress would not be possible without organizations such as Fairy Godmother of Music City, a group that collects formal gowns and all the accessories for an annual prom dress giveaway.

The Nashville-based organization recently partnered with O’More College of Design to engage fashion design students to help with a recurring challenge: the need for plus-size dresses.

In the past, the group has been unable to fill this niche, said Heather Figlioli, a fashion design instructor at O’More. And, that’s where her innovative fashion design course came into play.

Typically, fashion design is geared toward the size 4 runway model. The nonprofit needed dresses for sizes 18 and up. So, for a grade in Figlioli’s class, students took discarded prom dresses and retooled them to make new ones for curvier girls.

“I think it’s sparked some interest in the students, especially knowing someone is going to wear their design,” Figlioli said. “It’s nice they get the real-life experience.”

Students face new task

Students in the class, made up of juniors and seniors, were allowed to use basic patterns to help with their creations. They deconstructed up to four smaller dresses to get the material needed to make one gown, few had ever made a plus-size dress before, and some commented that some of the plus-size formal dresses they had seen were more for a mature woman.

All of Figlioli’s students are fashion design majors, which means at some point they will be responsible for developing and creating a collection for a final grade. Students in the class said reconstructing the larger dresses helped to hone their practical skills and think outside their comfort zones.

“A lot of times when we design clothes, it’s for someone in our heads or the form,” said Krista Allison, 21. “It’s nice to be connected to the real girl. It’s really rewarding.”

It’s also tricky, said Lauren Cunningham, 20. Using multiple dresses requires them to be careful about all aspects of building the dress, including the grain of the material, and how it will fall. They want to make sure the dresses don’t look like patchwork, Cunningham added.

“It feels nice, too, because we’re working for a good cause, and someone is going to appreciate it,” said Lauren Zwanziger, 20.

Figlioli said she hopes to incorporate the project in future classes. Perhaps next year girls will receive fittings, she said.

“Finding age-appropriate dresses is tough,” Figlioli said. “They don’t want to wear their grandmother’s dress. They want to look cute.”

Contact Maria Giordano at 615-771-5425, mgiordano@tennessean.com, or MariaGiordano at Twitter.com.

STUDENTS DESIGN HIGH-RISE UNIT FOR WELL-KNOWN MUSIC PROFESSIONALS

A Studio III interior design class, led by instructor Kim Zimmer, spent its fall semester designing a high-rise condominium that was originally two units at the ICON in the Gulch. The client–a couple of well-known players in the music industry–hoped that the class could help make the transition from a house in Brentwood to a 2,500-square-foot apartment in downtown Nashville.

“The process has been very fluid,” says instructor Kim Zimmer. “Students have gotten a real world experience.”

Each of the students was given an initial floor plan at the beginning of the project, and the opportunity to meet with the client. The students were given instructions about what the client wanted incorporated–from office-space to the entry way–in the new home. Certain personal pieces influenced the student’s design, such as the red Murano glass chandelier the couple bought on their honeymoon in Tuscany. Students designed room layouts, created potential installations, and chose everything from the curtain fabrics to the furniture for specific rooms.

The nine students presented their work on Wednesday, Dec. 7, in front of a panel that included interior design chair David Koellein. Each student had 20 minutes to present her board, and walk the judges through the design process. At the end of the presentation, the student fielded questions from the panel about individual thought processes, and design relationships. An open discussion and critique by both the judges and the students followed each presentation. The panel instructed individual students on ways to improve–from presentation skills to rendering–and advance their work.

Next week, the students will present their work to Bristol Development and the clients. One student will be chosen. To see more pictures of each individual’s work, go here.

O'More College of Design is a design college located in Franklin TN. We offer degrees in Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Visual Communications.