Kelley Robinson
Director of the Undergraduate Interior Design Program
Associate Professor
School of Design
A dedicated educator and accomplished designer, Robinson holds a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn University. She maintains professional interior design registrations in both Florida and Georgia and is the founder of Workshop 131, Inc. in Tallahassee. She is the current Florida representative for the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians and served as president of the ASID Florida North Chapter from 2019-2020. Her professional work has been recognized with multiple design awards, reflecting her creative vision, technical expertise, and commitment to high quality, human-centered design.
Robinson’s research agenda advances two interrelated lines of inquiry that contribute to the field of interior design. The first utilizes cross-disciplinary methods from areas such as vernacular architecture, history, and geography to examine the temporal and spatial evolution of the domestic space. The second line employs a mixed-methods approach that responds to real-world challenges facing interior design practitioners.
Robinson brings a steadfast commitment to excellence in teaching, student mentorship, and the advancement of interior design practice. She has played a key role in strengthening the undergraduate program through curriculum development, accreditation efforts, and the integration of emerging design methodologies. Over the last few years, she has elevated the department’s career fair, expanding opportunities for students to connect with industry leaders and gain meaningful professional experiences. As director, Robinson will guide the undergraduate interior design program’s long-term trajectory, support faculty and student success, and promote a dynamic, future-oriented environment that enables graduates to shape the evolving design profession.
Contact
Education
Master of Fine Arts, Interior Design, Florida State University, August 2014
Thesis title: “Seeking effective agri-tecture: An urban farm design that nourishes a food desert,”
Major Professor: Dr. Jill B. Pable
Bachelor of Architecture, Auburn University, June 1998
Teaching Areas
Studio I
CAD I
Portfolio Development II
Design Fundamentals II
Research Areas
Her research revolves around the temporal and spatial evolution of the domestic space, specifically areas related to the analysis and mapping of extant features among early to mid-twentieth-century houses, and COVID-19’s impact on residential environments and its associated WFH procedures affecting design practice.
Select Works
Robinson, K. G., & Huber, A. M. (2023). Design Mentorship: Determinants of Career Development and Psychosocial Supports. International Journal of Design Management and Professional Practice, 17(2), 30. Retrieved from https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/design-mentorship?category_id=cgrn&path=cgrn%2F200%2F205 doi:10.18848/2325-162X/CGP/v17i02/1-30
Robinson, K. G. (2022, November–2023, February). Eastern Bluebirds in Habitats: Land | Water | Sky [Regional Group Show]. The UnVacant Lot, Thomasville, Georgia: Hurst Boiler, Thomasville Center for the Arts, & FSU’s Studio D Summer Institute.
Robinson, K. G., & Huber, A. M. (presented 2022, June). WFH: A perspective of its benefits and drawbacks from the emerging interior designer’s viewpoint. Presentation at 2022 EDRA Annual Conference, Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), Greenville, South Carolina. (International) Retrieved from https://edra.confex.com/edra/EDRA53/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/11410
Huber, A. M., & Robinson, K. G. (presented 2022, March). Organizational assimilation within the interior design industry: Are emerging designers on equal footing? Presentation at 2022 IDEC Annual Conference, Interior Design Educators Council, New York, New York. (National)
Robinson, K. G. (presented 2022, March). Resiliency and pivots: A collection of stories during a shared societal calamity. Presentation at 2022 IDEC Annual Conference, Interior Design Educators Council, New York, New York. (National)
Robinson, K. G., & Huber, A. M. (presented 2021, October). Mentorship: When here is there. In 2021 Virtual Fall Symposium. Presentation at the meeting of Interior Design Educators Council, Virtual. (National)
Robinson, K. G. (presented 2021, October). Timing to elsewhere postponed: A case study of coincidental inhabitance during construction and COVID-19. In 2021 Virtual Fall Symposium. Presentation at the meeting of Interior Design Educators Council, Virtual. (National)
Robinson, K. G. (presented 2021, April). Studio I on a sticky note: Reimagining traditional methods within digital platforms. Presentation at Online education: Teaching in a time of change, Architecture_Media_Politics_Society (Amps), Virtual / Manchester. (International)
Robinson, K. (2020). How will our spaces change as we continue to practice social distancing? Retrieved from https://www.interiorsandsources.com/article-details/articleid/22945/title/spaces-change-social-distancing
Awards
Second Place: Residential Kitchen Category for a private client, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Florida North Chapter (2019)
First Place: Corporate Category for the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Florida North Chapter (2018)
Honorable Mention: Hospitality Category for the Governors Club Patio, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Florida North Chapter (2018)
Second Place: Residential Kitchen Category for a private client, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Florida North Chapter (2016)
First Place: Residential Individual Space Category for a private client, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Florida North Chapter (2007)
Service
Co-chair of the 2024 IAD Career Fair
Faculty adviser to the Interior Design Student Organization (IDSO)
Continued involvement in interior design legislative advocacy
Past President, ASID Florida North Chapter (FY1920)