Kristen Dettoni, founder of Design Pool Patterns in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, recently won a prestigious HiP Award from Interior Design Magazine for her new pattern collection designed for the Roland DG Dimensor S printer, Technology X Tradition. The pattern won in the Hospitality; Wall Covering category. We talked with Kristen about her influences as she developed this new collection, how the Dimensor S’s groundbreaking print technology adds a tactile dimension to the patterns, and the impact that today’s innovative digital print technology is having on the interior design market as a whole.
Your Technology X Tradition collection is both timeless and modern. Please tell us about how you developed the collection.
Kristen Dettoni: I was very inspired by the book Embroidering her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power that talked about how she used embroidery to communicate and show her power and the technology of the era, even when imprisoned. Designing for the seven patterns in this collection, I reflected on how textiles have always been intertwined with technology in both obvious and subtle ways. On a large scale, jacquard looms were the first computers. On a more intimate scale, stitching on textiles has long been a way for women to record their lives through symbols and words, providing a snapshot of a person and a culture at a moment in time. This connection inspired me to use cutting-edge technology to record our time. These patterns ask, what symbols tell my personal story? What types of technology are impacting us in 2024? With this as an inspiration point, I sketched tools and flowers significant to me and began to form motifs and patterns. In some of the patterns I also hid messages in code as an homage to Mary.
Why was incorporating a tactile surface important for you with this collection?
When I first saw what the Dimensor S was capable of, I was so excited! Immediately, I knew I wanted to develop a collection that showed off this new technology. I also knew that in order for interior designers to be excited about a new product, they had to see something different. It couldn’t just be wallpaper with areas of dimension, that dimension needed to be used to create something wholly unique. This is why I was inspired to create a collection based on cross stitch. I wanted this printed substrate to have a connection to something real and tactile, that could tap into memories and experiences associated with touch.
How do you see the Technology X Tradition collection being used by interior designers?
These patterns have a more traditional feel to them, yet they still manage to be modern. I think they would be fun to see in high tech spaces with a lot of hard surfaces and screens, environments that would benefit from the contrast of something tactile and comforting. I think they would also really work in a retail or hospitality environment on an accent wall. I think the texture would make an interesting surprise on an otherwise flat surface.
As you attend industry shows and talk with interior design professionals, what impacts do you see digital printing having on the interior design market?
At the shows I have been to recently, I definitely see a growing awareness of digital printing as a feasible option in sourcing materials. There is a lot of interest, and designers are eager to learn more about it. From the printer side, there is a lot of enthusiasm to get into this market. Slowly but surely, designers and printers are connecting. As more designers adopt digital printing and are comfortable sourcing directly from printers, I see the door being blown wide open on the ability to customize their materials. Digital printing gives people and companies a new tool to truly express themselves. It can take professional and personal branding to a whole new level. With unlimited options though, sometimes comes option overload. So, I see a future in which companies such as Design Pool help curate options to make this technology more accessible.
