Dozens of the country’s most sought-after designers gathered at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan, on April 25, to show off vignettes they created for the opening of Housing Works’ Design on a Dime (DOAD) benefit. Among them was a team of student designers from NYSID, mentored by NYSID instructor and alumna Claudia Tejeda ’08 (AAS). The students were Krishna Nidhi Babu (MPSS), Valerie Cheung (BFA), Taurean Jones (BFA), Carissa Pintello (MFA1), Nour Saedeldine (MFA1), and Shambhavi Sanjay (MFA2). The beautiful interior they created was made possible by more than $38,000 of decor donations from Kravet, Inc. After the opening on the 25th, the public had three days to shop the array of vignettes for fabulous art and objects, some vintage, some created for the event. All of the proceeds from this sale went towards Housing Works’ dual mission to end homelessness and AIDS through lifesaving services.

Designing in the Real World

“The students get so much out of DOAD,” says faculty mentor Claudia Tejeda, principal of Claudia Giselle Design and the instructor who teaches The Business Side of Interior Design at NYSID’s Institute for Continuing and Professional Studies. “There’s the networking with established designers; there’s the opportunity to see designers in action, not just doing the glamorous parts but also aligning the lampshades; there’s the collaboration and compromise it takes to work as a team, and there’s the lesson of resourcefulness. Everything at DOAD is donated or foraged, and the whole point is that you use it with grace. You make it work.”

Says student designer Nour Saedeldine, “When you're in a classroom the design is static, and you have full control of it. This was not the case in real life. The DOAD experience was balancing multiple schedules, personalities, availability of products, and other responsibilities. I relished the challenge and learned how important it was to be clear and considerate when communicating on a time-crunch. I was able to comprehend just how much interior design involves people and problem-solving.” Adds student designer Carissa Pintello, “DOAD provided a real-world wake-up call with tighter budgets, creative constraints, and logistical navigation. Designing this real-life physical space (even a tiny one) allowed us to push ourselves as not just creatives, but also as project managers.”   

A Unity of Cultures

The NYSID students’ vignette, sponsored by Kravet, Inc, was centered on the theme of “A Unity of Cultures.” In their description of their design intent, the students said, “Each member of our team finds themselves a minority within the design industry. . .Upon stepping into our space, you will not see one context, but the layering of multiple continents, countries, and ancestries. You will see the beautiful intertwining of very different lineages, woven into one unabashedly patterned and colorful room.”  On two gorgeous “Ellipse” side tables, from Kravet Design, sat antique Foo Dogs and traditional blue and white Chinese and Korean ceramic lidded jars. Afghan and Maliki rugs hung on the walls, next to gorgeous paintings and prints, including a watercolor by Willam Gropper, the American political cartoonist and Socialist-Realist painter. John Boone, Inc. donated a coffee table that served as the heart of the room. J Pocker designed and donated a custom mirror for the space, making the tiny interior look larger. Industry wallpaper installer, Preference Wallpaper, donated their labor for the installation of the wallpaper, provided by Kravet, Inc.

The Power of Experiential Learning

NYSID is known for its rigorous curriculum, small class sizes, and faculty of practicing interior designers and architects. Other benefits of studying at NYSID are the vast opportunities for experiential learning. Says MFA1 student Carissa Pintello, “What really makes a NYSID education surpass any other school's is the way its professors and administrators open up so many opportunities for incredible hands-on industry experience such as competitions, study abroad, seminars, showhouses, internships, and the list goes on. Our education extends far beyond the classroom and into the real world of interior design.” In addition to DOAD, NYSID students jump in and design at high profile industry events that include Nantucket by Design, DIFFA by Design, and Rooms with a View. MFA1 students can take NYSID’s popular summer Experiential Learning Studio, which allows a team of students to design a real project for a non-profit client. Student teams have designed the interiors of schools for the blind, police stations, safe houses for victims of domestic abuse, low-income housing, non-profit headquarters, and much more. Request more information about a NYSID education or reach out to NYSID Director of Admissions Emmanuel Cruz.