Maris Park

 Delta Faucet Co.

Indianapolis

As an art student, Maris Park was fixated on the rules of design — mainly so she could break them. And while studying Industrial Design at Purdue University, she continually looked to fashion for inspiration and endeavored to bring her drawings to life. Most notable was a soda can dress collection, which made a vivid first impression when she brought the intricate designs to her interview for a sophomore-year internship at Delta Faucet Co. Not only did she get the gig, but she was also hired full-time in 2017 and is now a Color Material Finish Designer II on the Design Futures Team, working across three brands.

“Where I didn’t initially see myself in the world of plumbing, I am enamored with the fact that we get to be such a huge part of our consumers’ everyday lives’.”

How did Maris feel about trading fashion for faucets? “Where I didn’t initially see myself in the world of plumbing, I am enamored with the fact that we get to be such a huge part of our consumers’ everyday lives,” she says. Understandably, her favorite design is the Brizo Faucet collection, set to debut at KBIS 2022. The team calls it “living fashion,” because they work closely with the fashion designer Jason Wu and attend New York Fashion Week. “Fashion is a pillar in my design work,” says Maris, who admits her obsession began as a child when she would draw out her outfits every night for the next day.

Maris is equally enamored with travel, noting that prior to the pandemic, her team at Delta paired up, chose a trade show and then spent several days immersing in the region’s culture for design inspiration. Since 2017, she’s been to Australia, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. A future must-do is a family visit to South Korea to explore their heritage. Closer to home, Maris and her boyfriend —  along with their “dream dog,” a Corgi named Archie — are now fully committed to the hands-on renovation of their circa-1992 house. Her plan involves “introducing a modern glimmer with industrial fixtures, a layered palette of warm whites and mid-century modern furniture.”