New York City
www.linkedin.com/in/marinakeator marinaoakleycreative@gmail.com 413-834-7107
Belmont University | 2020-2024:
O’More College of Architecture and Design
B.F.A. in Interior Design | Summa Cum Laude
Alpha Chi Honors Society: Gaston Noelle Scholarship Nominee Spring 2023 | Belmont University
O’More College Award for Achievement in Sustainability Nominee Spring 2023 | Belmont University
Alpha Chi Honors Society Fall 2022 | Belmont University
IIDA Chapter President 2023 - 2024 | Belmont University
Creating spaces that nurture users’ physical and emotional wellbeing, while seamlessly bridging the gap between beauty and function by means of connection, comfort and character.
Junior Designer: June 2024 - Present (New York, NY)
• Manage vendor coordination, including pricing, correspondence, and handling of sample requests and returns.
• Source furniture, lighting, fabrics, and finish materials to support project design concepts.
• Attend site visits regularly and complete measurements of both individual spaces and full residences.
• Create and maintain detailed furniture plans and design drawings using AutoCAD.
• Develop and manage all project finish schedules in Programa, maintaining regular communication with contractors for updates.
• Spearhead custom furniture design, including concept development, intent drawings, and coordination with third-party custom workrooms.
• Enter all project selections into Studio Designer.
• Create proposals and purchase orders through Studio Designer.
• Collaborate closely with the project manager and principal designer to develop and prepare client presentations, incorporating elevation drawings and 3D modeling renders.
• Assist the project manager with budget and timeline reviews, client and contractor communications, and scheduling of meetings and site visits
• Support successful project execution through effective communication, organization, and project tracking.
• Contribute to business development initiatives, including written communications and magazine submissions.
Contracted Designer: July 2023 - May 2024 (Nashville, TN)
• Partnered with a team of architects and served as the sole interior designer for large-scale residential projects.
• Conceptualized, designed, and specified the materials for all relevant spaces
• Utilized SketchUp and Enscape to build and render 3D models of entire residences, which were reviewed by the team and sent out to clients for feedback.
• Attended weekly team meetings to present work and provide updates.
Design Intern: August 2022 - April 2023 (Nashville, TN)
• Worked for a licensed designer at a boutique residential firm.
• Utilized AutoCAD to design floor plans, furniture layouts, tile drawings, and elevations.
• Managed the materials room to ensure ease of access for all employees
• Worked within the Studio Designer database to create specification sheets and finish schedules.
• Collaborated with material representatives to order necessary samples based on stock and pricing.
05 A MOTHER’S JOURNEY: IDEC 2023
Studio Project
CREATIVE WORKS
Studio Projects
High-End Residential New Build
Located: Las Vegas, NV
Build Date: Estimated 2025
Square Footage: 31,000sqft
For this project I was responsible for leading the following rooms:
• The Wine Room
• Main Floor Powder
• Butler’s Pantry
• Dog Wash & Laundry
• Outdoor Kitchen
• Second Floor Powder
Located directly between downtown Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon, the Summit Club is a one of a kind community which bridges luxury with intimate community.
The client wanted this home to feel like a spaceship that had crash-landed on Earth. This idea of a crash-landing is reflected through the colliding landscape and the angular elements of the facade. Both the interior and exterior of the house take on the feel of a clean modern spaceship, while still evoking a sense of home. The design also has several unexpected nods to 80’s and 90’s sci-fi movies which users of the space can try and identify.
Designed not only as a functional tasting room but also as an abstract piece of art showcasing wines from the client’s personal vineyard, the space features a hanging cow fixture that playfully alludes to alien abduction. Meanwhile, the wine display is intended to replicate a portal to another universe
The main floor powder bath is designed to transport the user to the planet Uranus. Referred to as the sideways Ice Giant, Uranus is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on a vertical axis. All the line details in the space follow the same orbit angle.
While not visible to the public, the Butler’s Kitchen & Pantry is designed to be simple and functional, incorporating design elements from other areas of the house. The material choices ensure continuity with the adjacent show kitchen, as well as the dog wash and laundry, unifying the three spaces.
Sketch Up + Enscape
Photoshop + Sketchup + Enscape
Objective: Over the course of two semesters, identify a design problem, develop a design proposal based on data-driven research, and apply design theories to execute the solution.
Objective: Considering three assigned specific traits, design some form of physical space that embodies the personality and interests of the unknown “her.”
Collects conversation starters from other countries
Prefers to be barefoot
1
2
3
Favorite book is Night by Elie Wiesel
4
The Caverns are inspired by the ebb and flow of life now and life hereafter. At the entrance, the user steps into a cold, dark space, gradually finding comfort as they move into a more open and brighter environment. The user experiences connectedness by absorbing organic materials through sight, sound, smell, and touch. Upon exiting, the user is forced to confront themselves but is quickly welcomed with the warmth of paradise.
Scan to access a fly through video of the space.
Sketch Up + Enscape + Photoshop
Objective: Following the guidelines of the IDEC Interior Design Competition: Migration & Refuge, research and create a design that proposes a solution for the ever-present global refugee crisis.
10,000 containers
40,000 family units
10,000 community units
Tasked with building the inner shell of a small home at a 1/4” = 1’ scale to gain a better understanding of structural systems.
The objective was to create a staircase that served as both a functional staircase and an abstract representation of our enneagram type.
As an enneagram six, much of my stress comes out as anxiety around the unknown. Therefore, the concept is centered around the idea that you never know what is right around the corner.
The aim of this project was to research our ancestral culture and choose a myth or legend to create a conceptual representation. The models were then built using a bypass system composed of primary, secondary, and tertiary elements Derived from the native Canadian legend of the lake monster Ogopogo, my concept was centered around the First Nation Peoples’ value of protecting the environment to support future generations.
After creating our original model, we were required to combine models with two others from the class while maintaining the bypass system. We then had to write a legend that incorporated all three ancestral stories.
