Meet the Team: Kristen Dettoni, Founder

Kristen Dettoni founded Design Pool in January 2019 and is based in southern New Hampshire. Kristen also launched Domanda Design in November 2020 and is a practicing artist. We’ve talked before about her design process and her inspiration for starting Design Pool, but not much about Kristen. In the first in our Meet the Team series, we asked Kristen Dettoni a couple of fun questions so you all can get to know her a little better.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
In first grade, I was cast as Susan B. Anthony in a school play and after that decided I wanted to be the first female president of the United States. That may not have happened, but I did end up president of my own business, which I think first grade Kristen would be pretty psyched about.

What is one of your earliest textile memories?
Sewing. I learned to sew in a home ec class in high school and instantly started sewing a lot of my own clothes. I was always a maker and loved taking a flat material and turning it into a three-dimensional garment. Every fabric has a memory of what it wants to become and I like trying to figure that out. I like the process of finding the right fabric for a pattern. I loved sewing so much in high school that I started a tailor shop in school to do tailoring for the teachers and made prom dresses for my friends. All these years later, I’m still friends with my high school sewing teacher. We get together once a year for a sewing weekend.

How would you describe your personal interior style?
Transient because I’m always moving. That doesn’t mean sparse though. I love to surround myself with artwork I’ve collected over the years. I like my home to feel like my own mini gallery. The pieces I have are not super fancy or expensive but hold great personal value to me. Many are from places I’ve traveled to and others are from artist friends and family. One of my favorite pieces is a painting of an Italian alleyway painted by a great-uncle I never met. A few years ago, my mom and I traveled to Coreglia, Italy to find that alley and stand in it ourselves. It was magical.

Who is one of your favorite pattern designers?
William Morris, I love his level of detail and the fact that he created all this beautiful work by hand, before computers. It’s inspiring to think people are still buying wallpaper with his designs, they truly are timeless.

If anything were an Olympic sport, what would get a gold medal in?
Talking!

Fun fact?
I have no self-control when it comes to anything sweet, especially chocolate!

Where can they find you on social?
I like to use LinkedIn to keep connected professionally and I share my artwork and inspiration on Instagram.

Cover photo credit: Kristen Julianna Photography