Kia Steave-Dickerson

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Kia Steave-Dickerson
Born
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science
Occupations
  • Interior decorator
  • property master
  • set decorator
  • scenic artist
Known for
Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science. Steave-Dickerson started K.I.A. Enterprises, which focuses primarily on interior and scenic design and construction. In 1993, she starting working as a set designer and property master on films, commercials, and musical theatre productions, frequently working on M. Night Shyamalan
's films.

From 2002 to 2004, she appeared on Trading Spaces as part of a revolving cast of interior designers. While planning and decorating rooms for the participants, Steave-Dickerson said that she created specific themes for each participant. Her designs were criticized by Kim Reed of the

NBMBAA-Wells Fargo Entrepreneur Excellence Award, Steave-Dickerson has worked with transitional housing
.

Early life

Kia Steave-Dickerson was born and raised in

Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science.[1][2] Although Steave-Dickerson had considered a career in dry cleaning (given her interest in clothing), she decided to pursue interior design.[2]

Career

1993–2002: K.I.A. Enterprises and work in entertainment

Steave-Dickerson's early designs focused on window decorations and fabrics.[1] After graduating from college, she worked in retail for several years (including at Maen Line Fabrics). After her father's death, Steave-Dickerson used her inheritance to found the design company K.I.A. Enterprises (also known as K.I.A. Design and Construction and K.I.A. Design & Construction Enterprises).[2][3][4] The company expanded across the United States[3] and does work in interior and theatrical design and construction.[4] Critics have called Steave-Dickerson's approach simplistic yet bold.[1] According to Jennifer Baldino Bonett of the Philadelphia Business Journal, Steave-Dickerson relied on furniture and fabrics made in Philadelphia for her company's projects. In 1998 and 2003, she received awards from minority businesses in the city for her contributions.[2]

She began her career as a set designer and property master in 1993,

Indian American film director M. Night Shyamalan.[1][2] In Unbreakable, Steave-Dickerson appeared as an extra. Shyamalan praised her designs, calling her "the funk diva".[2]

2002–05: Trading Spaces

In 2002, Steave-Dickerson first appeared on the American

Pyramid in 2004.[12]

Steave-Dickerson's appearances on Trading Spaces were criticized.

Today disliked her work on the series, saying that a bedroom decorated with AstroTurf and artificial foliage resembled a graveyard. Reed called Steave-Dickerson "another homeowner nightmare" similar to two of the show's other designers (Douglas Wilson and Hildi Santo-Tomas), and encouraged its producers to remove her from the series.[9] Carpenter Ty Pennington did not give an opinion of the designer when he was asked about the show's cast.[14]

2005–present: Continued career as property master

After Trading Spaces, Steave-Dickerson hosted the short-lived American reality television series Renovate My Place.[3] Airing from 2005 to 2006, it focused on helping African-American homeowners with renovations.[15][16] Apart from these appearances, Steave-Dickerson has largely avoided television work to focus on her career as a property master.[13]

In 2007, she gave birth to a son and took a seven-year hiatus from her career; although she was approached to help with the props for

NBMBAA-Wells Fargo Entrepreneur Excellence Award. As part of the award, K.I.A. Design and Construction Enterprises was given $5,000.[4] Steave-Dickerson returned to work on the 2015 film Creed, and was an assistant property master for the third season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.[13]

In addition to her career as a property master and designer, she has established transitional housing to help people with drug and alcohol addiction and victims of domestic abuse.[4] Steave-Dickerson founded the West Philadelphia-based WEK House in 1997.[2]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Biography". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Baldino Bonett, Jennifer (December 8, 2003). "Steave-Dickerson happy at 'Trading Spaces'". Philadelphia Business Journal. Archived from the original on April 17, 2004.
  3. ^ a b c d White, Tiffany (March 30, 2017). "See What the Cast of 'Trading Spaces' Is up to Today!". In Touch Weekly. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d "Wells Fargo and the National Black MBA Association Honor Distinguished African American Entrepreneurs". National Black MBA Association. October 8, 2009. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
  5. ^ "Kia Steave-Dickerson". LinkedIn. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  6. ^ Goldsmith, Diane (October 31, 1998). "Beloved embraces historical accuracy". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved July 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  7. ^ Jeff Celentano (director) (1998). Gunshy (Film). Periscope Pictures.
  8. ^ Steve Buscemi (director) (2000). Animal Factory (Film). Franchise Pictures.
  9. ^
    Today. Archived
    from the original on March 28, 2017.
  10. ^ Brooks & Marsh (2009): p. 1419
  11. ^ Sherrod, Pamela (March 23, 2003). "Mining 'Spaces'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  12. ^ a b "Credits". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017.
  13. ^
    E! Online. Archived
    from the original on April 1, 2017.
  14. ^
    Screener
    .
  15. ^ "Renovate My Place". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015.
  16. ^ "Episode Guide". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.

Book sources

  • Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. New York: Random House Publishing Group.
    ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kia_Steave-Dickerson&oldid=1153161184"