Learn About Curated Experiential Design with Alison Luksetich 

Alison Luksetich is a valued member of FRINGE at bkm OfficeWorks. She was creative from a young age, using Legos and Barbies not to create storylines like many children, but spaces. Her creative mind even earned her the title of “most artistic” while in high school. Ironically enough, she had not yet discovered her innate connection to art. Her passion grew over time, and eventually she embraced the arts as an expression found in many different mediums.

Today, Alison serves as an A+D Creative Consultant at bkm OfficeWorks, bringing unique curated interior designs to the San Diego professional community. When asked to explain how experiential design can be used for shaping interior spaces, she provided enlightening feedback. Learn about how her personal insights have shaped her understanding of the craft and how it impacts her work today.

Q: What is FRINGE to you? 

A: This is a loaded question! To me, it is a holistic brand, and more importantly, an experience. It is a curated service that challenges the way people view and experience space. The real job at FRINGE is to uncover what people don’t know they want. We are the translators; we listen to a client’s vision and translate it into a physical essence.

Q: Why do you think FRINGE is important?

A: We are living in a copycat culture; everyone and everything is starting to look the same—including interiors. You walk into an office and you see the same three aesthetics repeated. Copying in our culture is super easy to do; however, we are all starving for uniqueness and authenticity. FRINGE transcends brand expression; it is a deep dive into who you are and what makes you tick to create a space that carves new self-expression.

Q: What is your favorite facet of FRINGE?

A: Where I find the most innate joy is in the materiality of architectural design. This extends from lighting to greenery to textiles. I have always been drawn to materiality and like to use it in unexpected ways.

Q: Where do you pull design inspiration from the most?

A: A huge piece is fashion—design and fashion go hand in hand. Fashion and interiors are a reaction to what is happening in the world. For example, certain fashion trends are now leaning toward eccentricity. After such a dark time during the pandemic, people want to escape to this lighter world. I believe this translates directly into interior designs as well.

I also look to my idols. Overall, I like what I like. I have a lot of inspiration from within.

Q: What is your personal design aesthetic?

A: Our house is eclectic. I used to think my parents were crazy to have so many different things in the home, but now I have learned to appreciate the stories behind everything.

Q: If you could have only one piece of furniture in a room, what would it be?

A: It would be a chair, something unique from the 1950s-1960s. It would display fine craftsmanship, interesting detail, and a story behind it.

We have a bar from the 1960s in our house; a couple had it custom-made in the ‘60s for their party room in La Jolla, California. I like things tied to personal anecdotes and history. Craftsmanship is starting to come back around in our industry.

Q: If you could be an expert in any facet of interior design, what would it be? 

A: Playing into my interests, materiality and textiles. Understanding the production side of textiles, I would love to do something like that myself because there is so much artistry behind it.

Q: If you could sit down and have lunch with any designer, who would it be and why?

A: My idol is Dorothy Draper—she was the first person to professionalize interior design in the 1920s. Not only the first person, but the first woman. At the time, it was a big deal for a woman to be in business. What I admire is how she carved her own path and went with the aesthetics she wanted to do. She was very anti-minimalist, which does not always mean loud. She played with patterns, scale, color, and texture.

She paid attention to detail, too. She did projects where she designed everything—such as dishware, and uniforms for people who worked in the building—every little detail. She was thinking of the experience as a whole, which I like to do as well.

She had a saying, “If it looks right, it is right.” This is very much about intuition, and listening to what you feel inside about putting spaces together.

Q: What are your passions or interests outside of work?

A: My spare time is filled with two English Bulldogs, ages eight and three. We have a full house! They are the most full-of-life dogs I have ever seen, and are special in so many ways. I absolutely love animals.

I also do a lot of weight lifting and work out with my husband. I enjoy doing anything outside, music, and bringing people together to make them feel happy.

Q: If someone runs into you at a bar, what drink should they buy you?

A: I like shots and drinks that have theatrics with them, such as tequila shots, because they have tradition. Cocktail-wise, a mai tai. I am on the hunt for the perfect mai tai in San Diego (I have already had some pretty good ones). For the perfect drink, it would have to be paired with the perfect experience.

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A: Deep down, the child in me would say to live in a really cool treehouse in the jungle, to be one with nature. Someplace to disconnect and experience more intimacy with nature.

Thanks to Alison Luksetich for chatting with us. It is clear that her expertise in experiential design is influenced by both personal and professional inspiration.

Are you interested in home or office interior design? Speak with our design experts to create a modern office space that suits your professional needs.