Global Travels Through Textile Design with CBC Design Studio
Chelsea Copitas, owner and principal designer of CBC Design Studio, fuses her passion for interior design with her experience in working in multicultural work environments with a high degree of flexibility, creativity, commitment and optimism. Chelsea draws her inspiration from her travels around the world, exploring hidden gems in San Diego, and of course her clients. Here, Chelsea discusses her passion for exploring the world, her production process, and tips for selecting the right pillows for client design projects.
Photography courtesy of Chelsea Copitas
How did you get where you are today?
Chelsea Copitas: I am born and raised in San Diego. After graduating from the Design Institute of San Diego, I worked with several local interior design firms, both commercial and residential. I even worked on a few residential projects on my own. After traveling to India and doing some soul searching, I realized what I enjoyed most about design. I have switched my interior design business focus to textile design. I am currently designing my first two throw pillows that are being hand made and produced in India.
What’s the design scene like in sunny San Diego?
CC: The design scene really suits my style as it is a bit laid back and has a boho vibe. There are lot of local artisans.
From where do you gather inspiration?
CC: My design inspiration comes from my travels around the world! I love learning about new cultures and experiencing new things in new places. My business goal is to eventually have a different line of textiles that is inspired from different countries that I have traveled to.
How does designing make you feel?
CC: Inspired, I love being creative. From having an idea in your head to seeing it come to life and having others enjoy your work is so fulfilling. I want to share what inspired me in the hopes to inspire others.
What’s CBC Design Studio’s design philosophy?
CC: CBC Design Studio’s goal is to inspire unique and detailed designed spaces with textiles.
Describe your production process from inspiration to production?
CC: I seek my designs from my global experiences. I will start sketching a pattern, then decide on the details such as the patten repeat, colors and fringe/ tassels. Once the design has been finalized, I will send this over to the vendors in India. They will make a wooden block for the design based on the dimensions provided. After the wood block has been made, the production process of the pillow will start.
How do you typically work with interior designers?
CC: As I just started my business focusing on textiles I have not yet had the opportunity to work with other designers. However, I would like to see myself working with designers in the future. Ultimately would love the opportunity to collaborate with a designer on a textile line.
Can you offer interior designers some tips of best practices for sourcing pillows for a client space?
CC: I think it is important to note the pillow inserts; sometimes this detail can get overlooked. Some clients can have an allergic reaction to certain down or other synthetic fabrics. If the pillow your sourcing comes with an insert, I would be sure that it can be replaced, also for the longevity of the pillow.
In your opinion, why is it important for designers to use softwares like Ivy to manage their business operations and purchasing with vendors?
CC: I noticed that it is crucial to have a software system like Ivy to keep your business organized. It is nice to be able to refer to one program to keep track of the companies profits, as well as easily tracking orders. This is a huge time saver for the backend of your business!
What’s your focus for the remainder of 2018?
CC: CBC Design Studio’s future for the remainder of 2018 is going to be focused on expanding the India textile line and growing the business’s reach to other designers.
Ivy is the fastest growing community and business management software for interior designers. To learn more about Ivy, schedule a demo with an Ivy Guru who can show you how designers use Ivy to streamline their workflow and make more time for what they love, design.