Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Stevens.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katherine. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The concept for Domada came from my wanting something like it – a tribal rug from Turkey or Iran in the shape of a cowhide.
At the time, I was living in New York and working as a management consultant. I thought it would be a great piece for my Williamsburg, Brooklyn apartment, but online research proved my idea wasn’t yet on the market. A little bored with the corporate world, I started taking night classes at Parsons and learning about interior and product design. I’d always loved design – I studied Art History at the University of Southern California – but didn’t start considering a shift into space until Parsons.
A year later, I’d completed a Certificate program and saved up enough capital to quit consulting and start Domada. I left New York to travel to Morocco, India and Turkey, sourcing vintage and antique rugs and learning about weaving processes. After I finished traveling, I came back to Texas because of the product itself. Cowhides are such a staple of Southern and Southwestern interiors. Within six months of returning to Houston, I debuted Domada at Round Top.
I recently showed at Shoppe Object, a premier wholesale show for independent designers, in New York. I’ve worked with both residential and commercial designers, including Kenda Scott, whose Metairie, New Orleans boutique features a Domada cowhide rug. It’s one of my favorites, a vintage, Turkish Kazak that I found in an estate sale here in the U.S. Additionally, I’ve started an interior design practice. I work in both commercial and residential spaces and also provide art consulting services.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I had to teach myself how to do everything – take product photos, import materials, build a website, determine cost-effective shipping logistics, to name a few – I learned very quickly that I needed to ask for help. A lot. I call on friends – in my industry and others – regularly. The camaraderie buoys us.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Domada story. Tell us more about the business.
Domada is a conceptual rug and pillow line that reimagines animal hides for interiors.
Cleverly reshaping contemporary, vintage and antique rugs, we transform these pieces into cowhides, bear skins and sheepskins, among others. A complementary pillow line is crafted from excess material, creating stand-alone or coordinating accents to the artful hides. The concept is unique and renders one-of-a-kind works that can be used as floor coverings, wall hangings and decor.
Domada marries two seemingly opposing aesthetics. The name translates to ‘domesticated’ or ‘tamed.’ We seek to elevate and modernize the hide into a rich tapestry while imbuing traditional Oriental and tribal carpets with new life. Domada has grown very quickly. Only on the market for six months, there has been enormous interest from both the interior design industry and the media due to the innovative nature of our pieces.
I’m most proud of the partnerships we’ve brokered with highly regarded designers. Being features in their spaces is the highest compliment.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’ve been very fortunate to earn the artistic respect of influential members of the design community. The two most important of these relationships stemmed from my participating in Round Top last spring.
One is with a designer/art consultant who placed my pieces in high-end retail stores, and the other is a peer who has generously introduced me to designers and aesthetes creating a community for intelligent, independent design.
Both of these relationships have garnered an enormous amount of exposure for Domada, and I am very grateful for that.
Pricing:
- Cowhide Rugs range from $3,000 to $5,000 a piece.
- Creatures (Sheepskin, Cat) range from $250 to $400 a piece.
- Pillows range from $375 to $500 for a pair.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2224 Brentwood Drive
- Website: www.domadadesigns.com
- Phone: 7132345834
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @domadadesigns
- Facebook: Katherine Stevens Design DBA Domada
- Twitter: Katherine Stevens Design DBA Domada
- Yelp: Katherine Stevens Design DBA Domada
- Other: Katherine Stevens Design DBA Domada
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