Kait Bates

“I have always loved the things that make up Interior + Spatial design,” said Kait Bates, listing art and photography, math, technology, and the way environments affect quality of life as examples.

Kait decided to attend Russell Sage College after sitting in on some interior design classes as a high school student. 

At Sage, she gained hands-on experience and built a strong portfolio of work during her capstone project and two internships. 

Shortly after earning a BFA in Interior + Spatial Design in 2022, Kait joined Hyman Hayes Associates in Latham, New York, as an interior designer. HHA provides architecture, interior design, and structural engineering services to healthcare, higher education, and government clients.

“Sage gave me what I needed to get started,” she said. “I am able to use the knowledge I acquired at Sage to do things like draft, render, create finish boards, and take site measurements.”

Kait handles interior-related aspects of most projects at HHA. This includes everything from layout and functionality to selecting finishes and prepping visuals for client meetings, she said. 

“I am responsible for the construction documents which may include furniture and equipment plans, finish plans, wall protection plans, a finish schedule, interior elevations and details, ceiling plans, and millwork sections and details,” she continued. “I will also gather cut sheets and pricing information to coordinate any specific design features or products. Making sure our interior materials library is organized and up to date is also my responsibility.”

Kait is getting ready for two different interior design certification exams, and appreciates that her career offers so many opportunities to keep growing. 

“Interior design is one of those fields where things are constantly changing, you never truly stop learning and applying that new knowledge in combination with what you’ve acquired along the way,” she said. 

She is also excited to share her career experiences with aspiring interior designers, and recently invited a member of Sage’s Class of 2024 to shadow her for a day.  

“I was excited,” said Kait. “When I was in college it was extremely tough to find companies willing to take any interns or shadows due to COVID. I wanted to be able to give a student the opportunity that most of us had struggled with.”