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Kelsey Sowers

Kelsey Sowers

Pittsburgh, PA, US

 

About 

I am a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I have a Bachelors of Science in Interior Design and was our student chapter ASID President. As editor for the Art Institute's Interior Design Department quarterly magazine, I learned a lot about the school, the department, and the profession. I interned for three very different companies my senior year of college. The first, No Good Riding Hood, was a start up residential design company. The second, The Tile Collection, was a tile design showroom that designed tile layouts for most of the clients who came in the door. Finally, the third internship was with The Blind Side, a well-established, high end residential, smaller commercial projects design firm. At all three of my internships I learned very different aspects of the business and enjoyed each one thoroughly. 

Employment 

Choice Granite and Marble, Pittsburgh, PA, Sales Manager and Interior Designer

As the sales manager, I manage the schedule for the fabrication and installation of the granite/quartz/marble projects. I do sales and quoting, handle all customer service, take care of the details on projects, help customers figure out what granite would work best for them, and take care of all the office work. As the interior designer, I have turned the office into a showroom and done some light design work for some customers. When I started, the company was still doing handwritten invoices on carbon copy and I brought in some ideas to bring the company up to speed with all computer generated invoices, purchase orders, etc.

Oct 2012 - current
 

Pottery Barn, Pittsburgh, PA , Sales Associate

Aug 2011 - current
 

Basic Concept Interiors, Allison Park, PA, US, Interior Designer

Designing high end residential and hospitality interiors. I worked as the project manager on three homes and a bar. I assisted the senior designer on a few restaurant projects as well.

Oct 2011 - Oct 2012
 

The Tile Collection, Intern

I learned the most about working with manufacturers while at The Tile Collection. I dealt a good deal with calling the manufacturers for order numbers, freight, and detailed product inquiries. I designed display walls and boards for the showroom as well as working with clients to design their own projects. I did a lot of administrative work with the phone, paperwork, and organization. Learning the process of shipments was a key lesson from this internship. From the beginning when an order is placed to arrival, unpacking, checking, counting, and repackaging for pickup, the whole process was interesting.

Nov 2010 - Aug 2011
 

The Blind Side, Intern

The Blind Side was my most hands on experience in terms of design. I did a lot of AutoCAD drawings for clients, from floor plans to detailed elevations. Also, I worked on the textile and finish selections for the spaces. Calling reps and dealers to order samples and memos was one of my main tasks. I also worked on organization, sorting through discontinued materials, and MSDS for clients. One time, I did the store layout for the front studio. I went on house calls to field measure and assess the work being done by the contractor at the time.

Feb 2011 - Jun 2011
 

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Editor

As editor of the department's quarterly magazine, I used InDesign to create a graphic layout of the articles I had gathered and edited from faculty, students, and professionals.

Sep 2010 - Jun 2011
 

No Good Riding Hood, Intern

The company was just opening when I started working for April McBain. I helped with the grand opening, store layouts for the store, and projects for the clients April obtained through her design boutique. I learned a lot about starting a company, inventory, organization, people skills, retail, and how to order things for the floor. I spent a lot of time working with April to come up with creative ways to advertise, update the website, and keep up with online sales.

Jul 2010 - Nov 2010
 

Education 

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Bachelors, Interior Design

Jan 2009 - Jun 2011
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills