There are seven studio courses that the students take to enhance their skill sets and knowledge about interior design projects. These skills are space planning, utilizing building codes, accessibility, Universal and Sustainable design guidelines, finish and material selections & specifications, and using the right software for the project to create construction documents and presentations for their design solutions.
NKBA Student Design Competition
NKBA Student Design Competitions are annual projects sponsored through the NKBA, which is a national competition with monetary prizes for first, second, and third place. The winnings can go towards tuition and school expenses. So every fall semester in TXMI 3380 Kitchen and Bath Design Studio, the students are introduced to the NKBA design standards and a project that includes a specific client needing their kitchen and bath remodeled. Based on specific stipulations for the client, the students are judged based on understanding of the NKBA design guidelines, following NKBA design protocols for the drawing set, specifying appliances, finishes, cabinetry, lighting, etc., to create a complete design solution. Then in spring, the students submit their projects to the NKBA.
In the following fall, students are invited to attend the NKBA Design of Distinction Gala in which the students present their projects with students from other colleges. This is an opportunity for the students to meet industry designers and discuss their projects. Guests vote on the student projects and first and second place winners are announce that evening at the dinner and award ceremony.
For the 2023 competition, one of our students was one of the two winners.
Kravet Design Competitions
TXMI 4350: History of Interiors, Design, & Furnishings
For Fall Semester in TXMI 4350 History of Interiors, Design, & Furnishings the students design three textiles based on research of Mid Century Modern design, textile designers, and interior designers as well as reviewing the Kravet website for inspiration for their designs. This competition follows a visit from Mr. Scott Kravet with the class in which he shares parts of their archive of textiles. Mr. Kravet is a second-generation owner of Kravet Textiles in New York. The students create a presentation that includes their research, inspiration from Kravet’s website, to help generate their custom designs. About 5 to 10 presentations are submitted to the Kravet team, which includes Scott Kravet in New York for voting. They then let us know the winner, second, and third place and give certificates to all the participating students and then an actual engraved acrylic award is for the top winning student to keep.
TXMI 5310: Studio VII
For Spring Semester the next Kravet Design Competition is assigned in TXMI 4380 Material Estimations and Specifications, which ties in with their capstone studio course TXMI 5310 Studio VII in which the students design a boutique hotel in the style of their choosing. For the hotel, they design three more textiles to use in their project, typically two fabrics and a wallcovering. Again, research on their style as well as reviewing the Kravet textiles for inspiration to create their own designs. Then then create a presentation with their research, inspiration, and designs and these are submitted to the Kravet team in New York for voting. Certificates are awarded to all those participating, and a finial acrylic award is given to the first place winner to keep.
Projects by Class
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Professional Practices
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Kitchen & Bath Design
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Universal & Sustainable Design
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Intro to Space Planning and Layouts
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Senior Capstone
