Meet Karin Dax | Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karin Dax and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karin, why did you pursue a creative career?
A creative outlet is essential for me — to have that partnered with my career makes what I do both challenging and fulfilling. I love the creative aspect of interior design more than any other part of the work. To take a blank space and figure out the best way to fill it for each client, whether it’s a home, office, lobby, or restaurant, is like putting together a puzzle, and the materials, finishes, and furniture are the finishing touches that make everything come together.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting to where I am today has been a journey… I remember in high school taking a test that was supposed to help you determine what would be the best career pursuits for you to follow. Many of the options it listed for me were design related, but instead I chose to study psychology. After graduating college and feeling quite lost, not knowing what I wanted to “BE”, I started taking a number of adult education classes in the arts, including photography and pottery. Eventually, I started to look into how to tie art and psychology together and was planning to study for a master’s degree in art therapy, but I soon realized it still wasn’t the right fit. I needed to find a way to express my own art with a profession that had a creative outlet. It took time, but fate eventually brought me to interior design, and I found my niche.

There is nothing more stimulating to me creatively than taking an empty space and figuring out how to develop it and give it personality. It’s the best part of my job. I love working three-dimensionally, playing with the forms, shapes, textures, materials, and colors while designing a space. I have a distinctive eye, and I understand what my clients need. I know how to marry their design aesthetic with my own and with the requirements of each space in order to create the right concept, style, details, and composition for each project, including the layout of the space and material selections, all the way from the flooring to the light fixtures, as well as the design of built in custom pieces to furniture selection and arrangement. Sometimes I need to intuit what the client isn’t saying or doesn’t know they need. As the designer, I have to bring that knowledge to the table. That is what we do at Aire + Partners, Inc… We bring our experience and expertise in design to each and every project, and we build strong relationships with our clients and our team partners to create the value and the trust that’s needed to complete each project in the best possible way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Miami Beach is one of the best places to live and to visit. There are so many things to see and do in and around Miami Beach, it’s hard to limit it to a week… But if I were to create an itinerary, I would say, Day 1 must be a beach day. Pack up the car with your beach umbrella, blanket and chairs, and don’t forget your cooler so you can make a day of it. Pick up some tequeños and empanadas (and fresh squeezed orange juice and espressos) at Moises Bakery in North Beach, then head north to Haulover Beach. At the end of the day, head back to North Beach for dinner and drinks at George’s for great Italian food and cocktails.

Day 2, head into downtown Miami to take a stroll around Bayfront Park and then hit the Perez Museum. You can make a day of it by having lunch at the museum café while enjoying the waterfront views. In the evening, wander around Wynwood to see the street art and galleries. There are too many bars and restaurants to choose from, but I love Bakan when I’m in the mood for Mexican.

Day 3, hop on the train or drive up to West Palm Beach and visit the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, where you can spend the day wandering through the 200-acre park and then enjoy lunch at their café. From there, head to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands for a stroll on the boardwalk (also known as part of the Great Florida Birding Trail). Downtown West Palm Beach has grown tremendously in the last few years, so there are lots of options for dinner and drinks…

No trip to Miami would be complete without visiting South Beach, so on Day 4, head down to South Pointe Park to enjoy the sights and the people watching. Enjoy brunch at Planta, one of the best vegan restaurants in South Beach. From there, go to Ocean Drive and book the Art Deco Tour to learn about the history and the architecture of the area. Then head over to Lincoln Road Mall to spend the evening shopping, strolling, eating, and drinking… Grab some ice cream at Gelateria 4D, and dinner at Juvia is a must, for the food and the views.

Day 5, the last day, step back in time and head to Hollywood Beach for a relaxing day of sand and sun. Hollywood Beach feels a lot like Miami Beach, back in its early heyday. The architecture is of a smaller scale, and there’s a huge boardwalk for strolling along the beach or renting bicycles. You’ll find tons of cafes and restaurants all along the boardwalk, so arrive hungry and spend the day taking in your Vitamin C. At the end of the day, make your way to Aventura Mall for dinner and drinks at CVI.CHE 105 for some of the best Peruvian food in Miami.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without a doubt, I owe a significant portion of my success to my family and friends, and especially to my husband. As the co-founder of our company, Aire + Partners, Inc., he has been an invaluable partner every step of the way. Whenever I find myself doubting my abilities on a project, he is always there to offer his unwavering support and guidance. He’s my go-to sounding board for any design or business decisions, providing his expertise to help steer us in the right direction. As an exceptionally talented architectural designer, his groundbreaking projects throughout South Florida, especially Miami, are a constant source of inspiration for me. Simply put, I couldn’t imagine where I would be without him by my side.

Website: www.aireandpartners.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aireandpartners/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karindax/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aireandpartners

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aireandpartners/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aireandpartners/

Other: https://vimeo.com/aireandpartners http://karindax.com/portfolio.pdf

Image Credits
Camila Funes, Javier Ospina, Midjourney