As a leading designer for Karma Resorts, Tina Kirschner has interpreted her indelible signature style for Karma properties worldwide.
Since 2011, Kirschner has worked on some of Karma’s biggest projects, including Karma Kandara’s di Mare restaurant, Karma’s Goan gem, Haathi Mahal, and Karma Bavaria. It was in Bavaria that Kirschner first met Karma Founder and Global Chairman, John Spence.
“I’m from Munich originally; my parents owned a building company there”, says Kirschner over the phone – she’s in Bali working on a project. “I was never really interested in the structural side of things, but I developed a passion for design at a very young age.”
Designing space
When Karma purchased what would become Karma Bavaria in 2011, Kirschner was hired to reimagine the resort’s signature restaurant, Karmasee. Then came numerous projects, including a recent project refurbishing Karma Bavaria’s fractionally owned apartments.
“The people of the (Bavarian) Alps have their own style, and I wanted to ensure we paid homage to that. I landed on a modern mountain style with a warm ambience. I didn’t want to compromise on the vision, so I designed a lot of the furniture and decor from scratch.”
“We even created these faux deer antlers as wall decorations – I had them custom made out of resin – they were so realistic we got stopped by customs, they just couldn’t believe they weren’t real!”
An eye for detail
Driven by her hands-on approach to design, Kirschner travels the world to craft custom furniture and materials for many of her projects. She says it comes down to being a perfectionist and ensuring that all elements of a project flow seamlessly together.
“When we designed di Mare (at Karma Kandara), we were working with a beautiful indoor-to-outdoor space. I honestly believe it’s the best dinner view in all Bali. The lighting was a big challenge though – a decent wind would knock around any hanging downlights – so I designed and had made a downlight that allows air to pass freely through it, keeping the lighting stable. It’s just another detail, but an important one.”
Colourful horizons
As for why she loves working with Karma, Kirschner says it’s a combination of factors, including her love of travel, and the ability to work on such varied and different spaces across the world.
“I’ve just finished work on refurbishing twenty-nine apartments for Karma in Goa, at Karma Haathi Mahal. It was such a joy – India’s such a wonderful, colourful place, and I was able to use that as inspiration.”
“The result is spectacular; I’m sure guests will be thrilled!”
For more information on Tina Kirschner and her work, visit: http://www.tinakirschner.com/
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