Omar Zaater, DSA, RIDQC, Allied ASID
Associate, Designer, and Projects Director
Omar Zaater joined kYd in 2015 as a designer and has evolved to project director spearheading design and management of some of the firm’s most notable projects. A patient listener, Omar has an uncanny ability to understand and interpret client preferences and to creatively bring their ideas to life. His design skills, coupled with his behind-the-scenes management expertise, ensure projects transition effortlessly from concept to completion.
Within the studio, Omar is the glue that holds the studio together, invaluable to the collaborative process both with Kevin and with kYd clients and partners. He continually refines the kYd creative process to ensure excellent client service and clear communication with all project teammates. A skilled space planner, Omar’s talents shine when it comes to artfully integrating function and beauty. He is adept at 3d modeling, generating realistic renderings, and manipulating working models in real time during design meetings to help clients visualize kYd design concepts.
Omar began his career working with regional kitchen and bath design-build firms, informing his understanding of custom cabinetry, appreciation for fine craftsmanship, and ability to effectively budget and manage construction. His interest in design traces to childhood when he would frequently rearrange his bedroom furniture; a home renovation project enabled a teen Omar to work directly with a contractor to realize his creative vision for the first time. The early exposure led him toward interior design, and he’s been confidently expanding his skills and portfolio ever since.
Omar holds a Bachelor of Science from the Art Institute of Philadelphia’s CIDA-accredited interior design program where his student work earned recognition in the National Kitchen + Bath Association student awards program. Omar is a member of the Designer Society of America (DSA) through which he earned the Residential Interior Design Qualifying Certification (RIDQC). He is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers and active with the ASID Pennsylvania East Chapter, for which he serves as the Philadelphia Liaison.
Omar lives in Fishtown with his wife and young daughter. He appreciates design not only as a career but also as a hobby, and the family regularly travels to see the world and its architecture. He enjoys writing and playing music – a process not unlike design, as well as playing tennis and biking.
