We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Rita Kettaneh ("RK").
Rita Kettaneh designs furniture that is unique, playful and meaningful. She seeks to make the experience of owning furniture an inspiring one where pieces evoke an emotion within their users and tell a story that is personal to each one of them. With an engineering foundation, an entrepreneurial specialization, and experience in marketing and design, she brings in a multitude of perspectives. This allows her to design furniture pieces that connect well with the person and with the market. Rita won the A’ Design Award in 2018 for her design The Crystal Tables and she has participated in exhibitions in Como, Beirut, Dubai, and Berlin.
Rita Kettaneh Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Rita Kettaneh.
Rita Kettaneh Design - Palette Table
Designer Interview of Rita Kettaneh:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
RK : Since I was young, I've possessed an artistic side which I would express through portrait sketching, painting, and playing the piano, and later, through figure skating and modern jazz. Academically, I was always intrigued by maths and physics which lead me to pursue a degree in engineering. Since then, I gradually gravitated to the arts and design field by joining a startup in the arts in London after completing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship at UCL. In a transitional phase between London and home, I took a workshop which made me discover my passion for design as the perfect balance between art and science. And so, I began enrolling myself in a multitude of design-related workshops and courses. Supervised by experienced designers, artists, and architects, I continued to develop myself as a furniture designer through continuous practice and learning over the last three years and I've started realizing my designs by working closely with local craftsmen and producers.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
RK : I recently launched my startup called KRAY Studio to commercialize my designs. My main goal is to design furniture that is boldly innovative and that connects with us.
DI: What is "design" for you?
RK : Design is the link between art and science. It seeks to create beautiful, meaningful solutions to our human needs.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
RK : I like works that are intriguing and that engage the mind as much as the senses.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
RK : I like transparent materials, like glass and acrylic, because of their openness and how they interact with the light.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
RK : I love working with my hands in a quiet environment. This allows me to develop my concepts. However, there is no limit to how I find inspiration, as it can be triggered by different experiences and interactions.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
RK : I prefer to strike a balance between aesthetics and function.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
RK : When I am developing a concept, I alternate between being very focused and seeking further inspiration. The whole process is enjoyable as I feel I am on a path of discovery. I am usually patient and optimistic. I know when I've reached a good design because then I feel thrilled.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
RK : It is a mix of emotions. If the realization is not to my liking, I experience some disappointment and look forward to iterating on it. As to when it is realized successfully, I feel a sense of satisfaction.
DI: What makes a design successful?
RK : A design is successful if it delivers its function in a aesthetical form that is easy and safe for the user to adopt, is technically feasible and financially viable.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
RK : First comes safety, then comes function closely followed by aesthetics.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
RK : The designer should aim to increase the quality of life of society from an emotional and practical aspect, while respecting the environment.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
RK : The design field is becoming more entertwined with technology and further interrelated with other industries. This increases the need for designers who are proficient in technical tools and are able to collaborate with experts across a wide range of fields.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
RK : All positive from my end! I'm joking... I'm really optimistic about being a designer though it can be sometimes challenging. Like the challenges of an artist, a designer relies on inspiration, so there is some luck involved. But I believe that the more ideas I come up with, the more likely I am to find a good concept. Another challenge is that it requires a lot of patience and hard work to keep iterating on the design before it matures to its optimal state.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
RK : A designer must have flexibility and courage. This is important so that the designer can iterate between different options and adapt to test outcomes or feedback.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
RK : This would really depend on the project, customer feedback, chance and inspiration, as well as whether any technical challenges are experienced during realization, which could require the need for redesign or finetuning the design. So it can vary from days to months.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
RK : I am planning on exhibiting and selling the Crystal tables and I'm working in parallel on some other designs.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
RK : I like to iterate between time spent focusing individually and time spent getting feedback and brainstorming with other people.
DI: How can people contact you?
RK : ritakettaneh@gmail.com