The World of Karamia Designs

“My Home is My Face” —Karina Rizzo

From Moscow to Los Angeles, from the Bay Area to the Santa Ynez Valley, Karina Rizzo is a woman on the move. Having fled the political turmoil of Soviet Russia in the early nineties, and paid her dues as a city dweller, Karina has found that the relaxed environment of the Santa Ynez Valley nurtures her creative side.

“People are driven to urban life to make money, but they come to a place like this by choice,” she reflects. “This is the place for your soul.”

Karina’s passion is to touch the human soul by refiguring the spaces that house the body, putting to good use her natural eye for detail and intensive education to found The Karamia Interior Designs Group.   Karina chose the name “Karamia,” taken from the Spanish “cara mia” or “my face” to reflect the company philosophy of a scientific and ergonomic approach to renovation and design.

“The person has to be considered inside the space – it’s a very important concept,” she explains.

“My design is more substantial than wall coverings and colors. I am not concerned with froufrou décor and decoration spots that need dusting, but rather creating an ergonomically correct environment that meets the needs of the inhabitants.”

The discipline of ergonomics, also called human factors engineering, refers to the practice of studying human capabilities in relationship to the demands of life and using the results to optimize human performance and bring about well-being.

The application of ergonomics to the field of design requires the designer to calculate deeper than beauty and style when figuring a space.

Equally important are the ways in which space is occupied by each individual in the home, the comfort of the body at rest and the health and protection of the body at work. In the ergonomic perspective, every detail must be taken into account to bring maximum benefit to the resident or employee.

Karina’s commitment to the green design concept is another reflection of this preoccupation with balancing the way humans fit inside their environment, finding a way to coexist at the maximum achievable benefit to both.

Karamia Designs uses stone, organic paints, solar power, renewable woods and , whenever possible, recycled materials to create and refigure living spaces with the help of local artists, architects, and contractors.

Karina’s masters degrees in Interior Design and Environmental Science, coupled with her background in industrial ergonomic solutions, led the American Society of Interior Designers to elect her to serve on a volunteer team charged with the design and renovation of the medical facilities at the 67,000 square foot Downtown Women’s Center for homeless women in Los Angeles.

“I am really looking forward to being part of this project, to create solutions for how the spaces function for all the people who use them, especially those with wheelchairs or walkers or other physical limitations,” says Karina.