Learn about this week’s featured Student Design Competition winner. By Dianne Pogoda
The NKBA Student Design Competition gives student members the opportunity to flex their creative muscles and create spaces that are both beautiful and functional. The 2020-2021 competition, sponsored by Fisher & Paykel, featured the challenge of blending cultures in an Upstate New York cottage for a fictional couple named Owen and Deepa. Each week we’ll highlight one of the winners.
Fatimah Satya, who graduated from Mt. San Antonio College’s interior design program in fall of 2021, won first place in the bathroom category for her stylish and accessible design. Satya said she was inspired by the vibrant colors of both marigolds and turmeric and incorporated them into her winning bath design.
Submissions for this year’s Student Design Competition are open through Monday, June 6. Click here to submit >
“They remind me of sunshine and warm hospitality. The marigold flower, central to Indian culture, is used in celebrations of life and is considered to be the herb of the sun,” she explained. “Marigolds are also very popular in Hindu weddings because they represent the sun, symbolizing brightness and positive energy. In Indian culture, the importance of turmeric goes far beyond medicine. The Hindu religion sees turmeric as auspicious and sacred.”
She muted the colors to make the bathroom more serene and spa-like, and incorporated Deepa’s design preference for earthy tones and natural wood. The flower-like pattern on the mosaic tile and gold hardware also plays into the design concept. There’s plenty of storage, and custom millwork is distressed to give the space a rustic feel.
Satya said her greatest challenge was to make the bathroom beautiful while prioritizing safety and accessibility. “I strived to give the clients a clean layout with plenty of storage space, while also accommodating the needs of the family’s elderly parents. My ultimate goal is to make the space safe and functional for everyone.”
To accomplish this, she specified grab bars next to the toilet and in the shower, included a fixed shower seat and storage nooks to keep necessities in easy reach, made the sink, vanity and toilet easily accessible, and included a curbless entry for the shower area. She used non-slip flooring by Porcelanosa, with Nanoker technology that’s durable and low-maintenance. The Veil wall-hung smart toilet by Kohler meets strict EPA flushing guidelines, using at least 20% less water than standard toilets. It has an automatic flush, a self-cleaning function with UV light to sanitize surfaces, LED lighting that illuminates the bowl and serves as night light, warm-air drying system, heated seat, front and rear wash mode and an automatic deodorizing system.
Satya, who is 33, said this is her second round in college.
“I’ve learned that education can stimulate and inspire a person to enact positive change in their life and career. You’re never too old to chase after your dreams! My interior design education helped me gain knowledge of a hobby-turned-career and also helped me improve my confidence,” she reflected. “My end goal is improving the client’s experience by better managing the space and creating a functional and stylish environment. I love that interior design is such an active profession, I feel I will never get bored — there’s always room to learn and grow.”
Submissions for the 2021-2022 Student Design Competition are open, and students must submit their projects here by Monday, June 6.
