DCTH

Highlight of the Week: Number 2: Christine Rossi

Every week we at DCTH are picking a #DCTH user at random to highlight. This is a easy way to give back to the community for being so supportive in DCTH and a way to bring more people together and learn who is behind the avatar.

Week Two is Christine Rossi

Give everybody a brief summary of what you do:
I guess if I had to give a simple answer, I’d say I design things.  I am fascinated by all aspects of art and design and I enjoy switching up my mediums.  I am an Interior Designer and a Graphic Designer by education, I have also designed furniture and play in the metalsmith studio for fun. I have been working professionally in the Interior Design industry for the past 12 years. Before going to graduate school for Interior Design, I studied Design (graphic with some industrial) in college and those elements are always present as I approach any interior.  Since I have been focusing my work on Interior design, my graphics work is usually in relation to interiors projects.  Graphics can play an important role (even on a subtle note) in commercial projects (i.e. retail spaces or corporate spaces) These are typically environmental graphics or print graphics supporting or creating the brand.

What brought you to DCTH?
I have tried to meet as many creative people on Twitter as possible.  I enjoy the creative network and love the learning from and collaborating with other designers.  I had already been following the infamous @chadengle ( hee hee) so when he/you created DCTH, I was definitely in.

What brought you to twitter?
A friend of mine, who was much more savvy in the on-line world taught me about twitter.  It took a little while for me to get into it, but soon I started meeting such a great group of people and really enjoyed the exchange of information.  I am now officially hooked ☺

How vital is connecting with others in this field?
I think it is extremely vital.  I have lived and worked in many different cities in the US.  I was spoiled with the physical design networking available in places such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago and really missed that living in Tampa.  Twitter has been an amazing tool to connect with great people all over the world.  There is so much going on in the world of design and the world in general. I think in any aspect of design, it is important to not be close-mined or ignorant when it comes to what other people are doing.  Design is influenced by everything around us, politics, economics, life in general.  I find it fascinating to see how these element integrate into all aspects of the design/ art world. It inspires me.  Social media is a fabulous tool for this.

Why Interior Design/graphic design?
I grew up in a very creative home environment. My father was an architect / city planner. My mom also has a passion for fashion design and fine art. As children my sisters and I would play with my dad’s drafting tools, my moms paints (we would get in trouble for this of course), sketchbooks, pastels, etc.  These were some of our favorite “toys”.  When I was deciding my direction in life, I knew it needed to be creative.  I took a graphics class in high school and was hooked.  When I went to college, I knew I would study Design.  I concentrated mostly on graphic design but also took many industrial design classes, which I loved.  After working in advertising for a while after college, I decided to go graduate school and honestly was originally deciding between Architecture and Industrial design.  As I researched schools and programs, I began to learn more and more about Interior design.  I had previously thought that Interior Design was decorating, but as I learn about it I realized it is in its true sense, more a perfect merge of Architecture and Industrial design.  It deals with the human interaction of space.  The program I chose at Pratt was based more on the design of the space, constriction, interior architectural finishes.  It was perfect. I love it because I am also able to incorporate my graphics background wonderfully into many of the projects I work on.

What are some lessons you learned the hard way?
Oh, there are so many!  One very important one: Time management. I still have to remind myself about this one.  It is very important when working for a firm when you are budgeting / billing clients for all of your time.  I know many people who own their own companies end up just not billing for all of their hours, but in my mind this shouldn’t happen.  Be realistic in your bid, manage yourself, schedule your time and keep your clients in the loop regarding any discrepancies in the bid/project time. (there are so many factors that can increase this that do not have to do with your actual work.) Easily said, I know. I do know that being able to master this leads to not only better life balance, but also a better attitude toward your projects and your work. It also becomes crucial as you advance in your career and the workload number and complexity of projects increase.

Freelance or Full-time?
Right now I am full-time but have my own company.  It is relatively new.  I have worked professionally for design firms for over 12 years, but in today’s economy, most firms in Tampa (and elsewhere) have let most of their employees go.  I have some great projects I am working on out in California and loving it.

Where can you be found in the social media realm? (twitter, facebook, blog… shameless self promo ☺ )
I am on Twitter @modbird, Facebook, Linked-in (chris rossi) , Coroflot , Friend Feed
Right now, I really only use my Facebook for old friends and family, but can found on the others for networking.  I have a blog ( that is just a silly personal blog, but am working on a more professional Interior/graphic design-based blog that I hope to have up in a month or so. (I will keep you posted ☺ )
I also have a tumbr blog and a posterous blog that are more simple blogs of design/environmental inspiration.

Any recent projects you want to show-off?
With Interior design, the timeframe for the projects can be quite long.  The projects I am currently working on began in October 2008. They are not at the point to show yet (still under construction). They should be finished up this summer.  I can share them with you then ☺
I do have some projects I finished up last summer in my portfolio on Coroflot.

designers . highlights . twitter