ABOUT & CONTACT

I design beautiful, useful things.

  • • PRODUCT: lighting, décor, and custom furniture; collections sold through U.S. and U.K. retailers; Master’s in Product Design.

    • STRATEGY: positioning, narratives, and launch assets that strengthen brand identity, connect collections with consumers, and reduce market risk.

    • STRENGTHS: prolific ideation, disciplined iteration, pre-production problem-solving, and collaboration with makers, manufacturers, and stakeholders.

    • SKILLS: interprets technical drawings with attention to materials and tolerances; guides CAD development alongside engineers; translates digital concepts into prototypes through mockups and partnerships with fabricators (3D printing and CNC).

    • PROCESS: research → sketch → prototype → production; focus on manufacturability, materials and tolerances, CMF, and clear workflows with makers and manufacturers.

    • MARKET: retail sales in the U.S. and U.K., plus commissions for interior designers and collectors.

    • HIGHLIGHTS:
    – ANIMAL : MINERAL lighting – exhibited at Salone del Mobile; international press.
    – CB2 concept pitch – self-initiated pet products; brand-aligned strategy and spec-ready prototypes.
    – CREAM glass vases – proprietary fabrication process; international retail and press.

    • LOCATION: Los Angeles; open to relocation (particularly Austin) or remote.

With a cross-disciplinary background and a master's in product design, I create products for how people actually live—rooted in material experimentation and built for production realities. My work spans collections sold through U.S. and international retailers, commissions for designers like Celery Kemble and for private collectors, and self-initiated product concepts pitched to CB2 and The Shade Store.

Guiding concepts from sketch and research through prototyping into production, I balance aesthetic ambition with manufacturability, cost, and brand alignment—always keeping market viability in focus.

I think in terms of collections and campaigns as I design, so form and story advance together—shaping both how a piece is made and how it’s received. This means considering how materials perform and patina over time, how behavior and use dictate form, and what gives an object beauty and value.

I guide projects from concept to production—working with engineers on CAD development, interpreting technical drawings with attention to materials and tolerances, and translating digital concepts into physical prototypes through collaboration with fabricators (3D printing, CNC, traditional methods).

By anticipating and resolving challenges before they reach production, I solve for the constraints of each project while maintaining design integrity—whether working with small-batch artisans or coordinating vendors for scaled production.

As the devil’s advocate colleagues brace for—then thank, I ask the hard questions that sharpen the work. And I dig deep—for the angle, the specificity, the unexpected ingredient that snaps it all into place.

The result? Lighting named one of New York Magazine’s “Top 50 to See” at Salone del Mobile; glass vases developed with insight from NASA engineers and sold internationally; and a self-initiated pet furnishings collection for CB2—designed around how pets sleep, play, and lounge, with production-ready specs.

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Based in Los Angeles; open to relocation, particularly Austin, or remote roles.

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Based in Los Angeles and open to relocation—particularly Austin (my hometown)—or remote roles.

CONTACT

G E T I N T O U C H

Alternatively, let’s talk via email:
Valerie@DeKeyserDesign.com

Thank you.
I’ll get back to you within 1-2 business days.