Junior interior design class presents projects

Today at 9 a.m. the junior interior design class presented projects to this year’s visiting designer on the ninth floor of the Huntsman business building at Utah State University. This is the program’s first semester long-project.

This year’s visiting designer, Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, assigned the students to work on a villa.

Noriega-Ortiz is a well-recognized interior designer and author. His clients include, rock star Lenny Kravitz and Mexican author, Laura Esquivel. His work has been featured in books and on television shows.

Darrin Brooks, an associate professor in the interior design program, said the students must move a staircase from the central area and then remodel and present the home for the owners for the project.

The villa, located in Puerto Rico, is owned by a Russian man and a Spanish woman. The students have the challenge of combining Russian, Spanish and Puerto Rican culture.

“We’re looking at Russia we’re looking at Spain, we’re looking at Puerto Rico and we have to pull those three cultures together,” Brooks said.

Kim French, a student in the program, said she was nervous to present to Noriega-Ortiz.

“I think more than nervous,” she said. “It was anxiety. We had worked so hard for it and we were so excited to show it to him but we weren't sure what the reaction would be.”

Another student, Madison Stewart acknowledged she was nervous to present as well but Noriega-Ortiz was nice.

“He came in and was joking with us. He was very personable,” she said.

The students said that while the project was worth it, it was stressful.

“Creating it, the whole thing was hard,” student Kaytee Lucherini said. “I think we had people that just didn't sleep.”

The students said getting into the rhythm of the project was the most difficult part.

“I felt like I was finally getting into the flow by the third room,” student Caitlin Lindley said.

The students created both a magazine and a video. The magazine was used in the presentations but was also intended to be a piece of work students could send to internships and possible jobs. The video was to present their design for the home.

“Once I got the hang of the video it was fun to make it,” said Lindley. “But it was totally different and hard to figure out how to present it.”

After the presentations the students attended a lunch with Noriega-Ortiz. They said it was a relief to be done.

“I feel so much better that we’re done now. It’s a relief,” Stewart said.  

The visiting designer series has been in place at Utah State University since 2003.

Brooks said the program has become a bit of legend.

“We cannot believe the legacy of our design program. We've brought in such significant figures and we only seek out the best,” he said. “Designers are typically honored to be in line with the celebrity status designers that have accepted over the years.”

Brooks said the visiting designer program has been a unique addition to the interior design program.

“I don’t know of any other university to work on such a project. We’re really unique,” he said.