Meet the Designer: Kristine Paige Kamenstein of Jackson Paige Interiors (Part 1 of 2)

At the designer portfolio review hosted by The Editor at Large at Studio Baccarat’s Limited Engagement showroom, three guest editors selected their favorite portfolios to receive a free submission to publications through EditorAtLarge.com.

One of the all-stars selected was Kristine Paige Kamenstein of Jackson Paige Interiors. We decided to learn a bit more about Kristine’s work and how she got started.

GDG: How did you get started in the interior design world?

KPK: Prior to Jackson Paige Interiors, I studied design and managed design showrooms. However, as the saying goes, nothing beats experience like experience, which in my case meant actually working on design projects. Creating a design on paper is only one part of the equation; managing its evolution is where the real challenge comes in. A designer’s ability to be flexible, change courses and find solutions is constantly tested.  This is something no classroom teaches.

GDG: Were there any people who really helped you along the way?

KPK: Yes! There have been many people who have been enormously helpful and influential along the way. Foremost was my business partner and Jackson Paige Interiors co-founder, Sasha Jackson Premoli, who also managed a design showroom. We started the firm together over 12 years ago. Sasha had an aversion to the word “no.” She relentlessly encouraged us to take the many risks we took to start our business, which, ultimately, led to many early successes. She regrettably passed away five years ago from metastasized cervical cancer. Our firm feels very strongly about donating a portion of our proceeds to the Prevent Cancer Foundation in her honor.

GDG: How did you and Sasha grow Jackson Paige into what it is today?

KPK: It's a crazy story, really! The initial couple of years of our career was constant contradiction. We were really fortunate to be hired early on to design custom lampshades by a couple that had recently fired their designer. When our lampshades came out beautifully, they hired us to source some accessories, then to do their powder room. Pretty soon we were in charge of the entire 18,000 square foot project!! Knowing how lucky we were to be handed the reins of such an enormous project, we did everything we possibly could to make it perfect!

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo to hear more about Kristine and Jackson Paige Interiors. Kristine will tell us more about the path the company took toward success and what some of her favorite rooms are to design.