Interior Design Senior Portfolio

PORTFOLIO I N T E R I O R

K A T E

D E S I G N

A L L E N

O'MORE COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 4

ABOUT KATE ALLEN

“EVERY GREAT DESIGN BEGINS WITH AN EVEN BETTER STORY.” - LORINDA MAMO

THE

DESIGNER

I am graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the O’More College of Architecture & Design at Belmont University in May 2024. My passion for design began early when I participated in my parents’ meetings with architects for renovating several of their homes. I loved sketching out floor plans, understanding at an early age the relationship of space due to my love of art, puzzles, and building as a child.

Throughout my education at Belmont, I have been interested mostly in how interior spaces can bring internal well-being to those who inhabit the space. I seek to tell stories of people & places by finding unique pieces that serve as a catalyst for my relational designs, thinking thoughtfully through the form, function, & aesthetics of the space.

PERSONAL DESIGN

For six months, I studied abroad & traveled in Italy and southern Europe, expanding my appreciation for various methods and styles of architecture as well as ways of living.

T O me, E X C E P T I O N A L D E S I G N

This portfolio is a collection of my work from my four years in design school. I have worked on individual and group projects in residential, hospitality, healthcare, and other commercial fields in design. I enjoy layering various mediums to communicate my designs having experience using several programs & methods including hand-drafting, sketching, hand-rendering, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop & InDesign, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Enscape.

Kindly , Kate

PHILOSOPHY

CREATES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN AESTHETIC BEAUTY AND OPTIMAL FUNCTION FOR WELL-BEING, WHILE THOUGHTFULLY TELLING THE STORY OF PEOPLE AND PLACE.

02

01

WOMEN’S REHABILITATION CENTER

HOME & RESTAURANT

05

SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

04

03

HOSPITAL CHAPEL

06

KRAVET AWARD-WINNING FABRIC DESIGN

THAI RESTAURANT

07

HOME FOR WELLNESS

08

HAND DRAWINGS & RENDERINGS

THRESHOLD FALL 2022

This project was a renovation of The Nextdoor rehabilitaion center for women in Nashville. It was a group project so we chose overall color schemes and a concept together, but designed rooms individually. I designed 3 areas - the dining room, patio, & clothes closet. This project challenged me to create residential feeling spaces in a very commercial setting.

My group chose the concept of threshold.

Threshold can be defined as "a point of entry or beginning"and also as "the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested." We thought this told the story of what the Nextdoor does for women recovering from addiction. It is both a new beginning, and a place that will necessitate intensity to produce change and new habits for the residents.

MATERIALS CONCEPT LAYOUT

PROCESS SKETCH

01

WOMEN’S REHABILITATION CENTER

OUTDOOR PATIO: CULTIVATE For the patio, the goal was to transform the area into a space that residents could safely socialize, exercise, meditate, and connect to nature. I was challenged to create a wall that served as a barrier from the street, but didn’t feel like a prison. My solution was a layered earth wall with custom board-formed concrete planters and seating which created dimension and interest within the space. I also changed the doors to glass garage doors so the interior dining space could open onto the patio. Drawings were done using Sketchup & Procreate.

LAYERED EARTH

BOARD-FORMED CONCRETE

FOUNTAIN TILE

FOUNTAIN SKETCH

DINING ROOM PERSPECTIVE (SKETCHUP & PROCREATE)

DINING ROOM Since the women live in this building for up to one year, making sure they have a comfortable space to eat their meals every day was very important. I designed the dining room to have several different options of seating to accommodate all needs. I designed modular hexagonal tables to support connection between residents and booth seating for the ability to sit alone or in smaller groups for refuge.

DINING ROOM REFLECTED CEILING PLAN

PROCESS SKETCHES

DINING ROOM FLOOR PLAN

CLOTHES CLOSET: METAMORPHOSIS In the last room of this project, the clothes closet, my vision was to turn a storage room into a meaningful experience for the women at the Nextdoor. I chose the concept of metamorphosis which is defined as "a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one." I created a room where the women would walk through the stages of metamorphosis, choosing a new outfit, but also learning to grow into the beautiful people they were created to be.

MACROSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPH OF BUTTERFLY WINGS

COCOON SCONCE

PALLETTE KNIFE PAINTING TEXTURE WALLPAPER IN “COCOON ROOM”

PROCESS SKETCHES

FLOOR PLAN

SECTION

KOINONIA FALL 2021

KOINONIA: A Greek word, describing bonding and close fellowship through contribution. A word derived from the epicureans, who believed a person should be devoted to enjoyment, especially that of fine food.

This home and restaurant is designed for a chef, her husband, and young daughter to facilitate community in the town of Agios Nikolos on the Island of Crete, Greece. In Koinonia, all are welcome and have a place at the table. Conversation is valued as a way for important & innovative ideas to flow while connecting deeply with individuals.

Koinonia emphasizes sustainability in its culinary practice, carrying along the tradition in Crete of farm-to-table food with little waste. The design also uses locally sourced materials as well as solar panels, capturing the abundant sunlight available on the island.

02

HOME & RESTAURANT

1ST FLOOR RESTAURANT

PROCESS SKETCHES

CUSTOM CHAIR & LIGHT FIXTURE FOR DINING ROOM BASED ON SEASHELLS & SEA ANEMONES

2ND FLOOR LIVING SPACE

3RD FLOOR ROOF TOP

SECTION

REVERENT SPRING 2022

This hospital chapel was designed to accommodate all religions, focusing especially on Christianity, Islam & Judaism.

Traditional architectural elements from the middleeastern region - where all three religions originated, incorporate with reflective elements such as light, shadow, water, and vegetation.

I used SketchUp & Enscape to create the renderings.

03

HOSPITAL CHAPEL

F L O O R

P L A N

2,350 SQ. FT.

Since this chapel is in a hospital, visitors, patients, and staff will need places to reflect and pray with privacy when processing difficult news. I designed the large fountain in the center as an acoustic way to maintain white noise to allow for privacy in expressing emotion. The fountain also provides a hand-washing station which is part of worship rituals in both Judaism and Islam. The space is designed with inclusive features for all abilities of mobility.

The octagonal shape is based on the traditional shape for many mosques and early christian churches & monasteries. The number 8 symbolizes completion in Judaism, giving this space a sense of wholeness & health.

FLOOR PRAYER & MEDITATION

COMMUNION TABLE

ACCESSIBLE HAND-WASHING STATION.

PRIVATE PRAYER ROOM

ENTRY

PRIVATE PRAYER ROOM

ALTAR WITH CANDLES

HAI

CHAH

LONG SPRING 2023

The concept “Hai Chah Long” means “to slow down” in Thai which reflects the relaxed intimate atmosphere of this restaurant serving fresh Thai cuisine in Florence, Italy. Inspired by the Italian phrase "la dolce far nienta" meaning the sweetness of doing nothing, this blending of cultures between the Italian and Thai lifestyles is reflected in our design using natural wooden materials, rich colors, and dimmed lighting.

04

THAI RESTAURANT

F L O O R

P L A N

BLOSSOM SPRING 2022

Blossom assisted living home is a place for senior residents to thrive and engage with their environment by encouraging Integration with the greter Brentwood community to foster purpose among residents Connection to natural elements to inspire overall wellness through biophilic design and Balance of luxury and intimate home aesthetics to invite hospitality and comfort. Elements are inspired by global cultural designs to create a dynamic atmosphere.

All renderings done using SketchUp and Enscape. Floor plans and elevations done in AutoCAD.

05

SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY CUSTOM ACCESSIBLE WELCOME DESK DETAIL

CIRCULATION & ADJACENCY DIAGRAMS

ENTRY, LOBBY, & MARKET The lobby allows for families and friends to visit residents and have several different seating options. The large planter and skylight in the center of the room breaks up the space and connects residents to nature which can be calming. the open layout allow the lobby to flow into the dance floor and bar area.

The market & cafe provides residents with a casual dining option with healthy nourishing food options. All counters and shelves are accessible to users with differing abilities.

SPA, POOL,& WELLNESS CENTER This wing of the assisted living center is dedicated to the residents’ health & wellness. The spa & pool concept was inspired by Roman bathhouses where the pool can be therapeutic for the residents. In addition to a mechanical chair lift, the pool has a zero-entry ramp so residents can easily enter the pool.

Custom designed pedicure seats with accessible ramps. Hair salon for residents to take care of their appointments within a safe setting so the residents can maintain a sense of self-worth and dignity.

APARTMENTS Sample floor plan of a single apartment with finish bubbles. Built in storage throughout the apartment.

Customizable gallery wall in the bedroom & bookcases in the living room to allow residents to personalize their space during a time when they are transitioning to living away from their homes. Kitchen designed with roll-under sink, and under the counter drawers.

Island on casters for the ability to be moved out of the way.

KRAVET FALL 2022

Fabric design for the Kravet Design Competition which won first place. Drew inspiration from motifs from the Ionic frieze of the Erechtheum in Greece and the Minoan Vitruvian scroll as well as the botanicals which are represented in those motifs. My final design was done using AutoCAD & hand-rendering.

06

KRAVET AWARD-WINNING FABRIC DESIGN

PROCESS SKETCHES

WELLNESS AT

SPRING 2021

HOME

The concept for the design of this home was to utilize the views and natural sun path for the uses of each room. The circular rooms are designed to promote internal ponnection and also outward reflection.

Renderings done one year after the original studio project using Revit & Photoshop.

07

HOME FOR WELLNESS

SOFA HAND-RENDERED USING MARKERS

MORNING SUNRISE VIEWS IN OFFICE

SITE MAP/FLOOR PLAN

MODEL

WORK HAND

BY

SPRING 2020-FALL 2023 These are a collection of selected works done using only hand-methods of drafting, urban sketching, rendering, watercoloring, & model building.

08

HAND DRAWINGS & RENDERINGS

This cabin was the final product of my building systems class. It is built at a 1/4" scale and demonstrates wood frame building systems.

THANK

YOU

FOR YOUR TIME & ATTENTION IN VIEWING MY PORTFOLIO. I HOPE MY DESIGNS HAVE INSPIRED YOU TO CONNECT WITH ME.

Kindly , Kate KATE7ALLEN@GMAIL.COM 737-240-0745