Last week, we introduced you to A. Keith Powell of A. Keith Powell Interior, who was recently honored as a Star on the Rise during DCOTA's Stars of Design Awards. We had the pleasure of talking with Keith about his Stars of Design experience and what he has been up to since.
GDG: When did you realize your interest in design?
AKP: Honestly, I had zero interest in design growing up! I really hadn't a clue there was any talent there until a happy accident with Ralph Lauren!
GDG: What most progressed your skills in this industry?
AKP: As I grew to realize this was my true calling, I looked back at my career as a window designer and started deconstructing the way I had been putting things together. This gave me a real-time understanding of how I could bump up my skills and grow my talent.
I started to create depth of field, layering textures and colors just as if a room were a huge window display. This gave me a deeper appreciation for my training as a window designer and made me realize how valuable that training was in creating my current career.
GDG: Were there any mentors who were particularly helpful along the way?
AKP: My biggest mentor, hero, and inspiration was, and always will be, Mr. Gene Moore of Tiffany & Co. He was possibly the most brilliant person I have ever known. His vision and scope of how to tell a story far surpassed the amazing work that I was fortunate to be doing with Ralph Lauren.
My training with Ralph Lauren was also invaluable in teaching me the nuts and bolts of construction, blueprints, and how to read and draw them in scale. I learned everything about plumbing, lighting, codes, materials, and almost everything involving construction of a house.
Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for more from Keith tomorrow!
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