ABOUT US
KATHERINE MAGALLON (Principal)
Atmosphere Design is a vibrant up and coming commercial and residential design
firm in San Diego. It was started by its talented and innovative creator
Katherine Magallon. She graduated among the top of her class at San Diego State
and earned a dual Bachelor degree in Interior Design. Katherine Magallon was
quick to impress her instructors and distinguish herself among her peers. In
fact, her first employment in the architectural firm of Milford Wayne Donaldson,
was made possible largely due to a recommendation made by one of her professors.
The next 7 years of intense design growth were spent at Hogue and Associates,
Inc. Here once again Katherine Magallon distinguished herself and due to her
talent, drive and dedication became lead designer of her firm within 2 years.
Her design projects were primarily in downtown San Diego in the historic and
upscale Gaslamp Quarter. These were high profile and recognizable sites that
ranged from restaurants to night clubs and included many on 5th Avenue. Please
refer to the Projects link on the home page for a complete job history.
Katherine Magallon also has extensive design experience in hotels. She was the
principal designer in three large luxury hotels that included additions and
renovations in Baja California, Mexico. She transformed these dull and aging
hotels into exclusive and stylishly inviting spaces. Katherine Magallon’s
successful design creations are achieved by understanding the unique
requirements of her clients and then effortlessly infusing those requirements
into outstanding conceptual designs culminating in beautiful spaces that are in
perfect harmony with the surrounding environments.
Katherine Magallon left Hogue and Associates, Inc. for a prestigious office
design firm in La Jolla. She broadened her design skills and areas of expertise.
However, her intense desire to start her own design firm only grew stronger and
was the only logical next step for this proven and talented designer. Out of
this ambitious desire, Atmosphere Design was born and launched in the year 2000,
with the help of her business partner and husband Omar Magallon.
OMAR MAGALLON (Principal)
The second principal that compromises Atmosphere Design is Omar Magallon. His
maternal side of the family has been involved in construction, property
management, and restaurants for over 30 years. In the 1970’s and first half of
the 80’s his grandfather was one of the largest distributors of construction
materials in Baja California, Mexico. He also owned three restaurants and
numerous properties and businesses throughout Mexico. Mr. Magallon frequented
and worked summers at the construction distribution center from an early age
which over the years gave him extensive knowledge of building materials and the
construction process. In addition to construction expertise, he began his career
in property management. He effectively has been managing several commercial and
residential properties for the past 13 years. Mr. Magallon rose through the
ranks of the family business with hard work and unparalleled dedication and
ambition to co-director of the property management company. Furthermore, he
succeeded in graduating from San Diego State University with a dual Bachelor
Degree. The first degree earned was in Psychology with an emphasis in industrial
and organizational psychology, and the second was in Philosophy with an emphasis
in legal and political philosophy. After graduating, Mr. Magallon split his time
between his property management duties and being employed as a social worker by
New Alternatives, Inc. He later joined forces with his wife, Katherine, and
helped launch Atmosphere Design in 2000. Mr. Magallon brings to this firm
extensive knowledge in the area of building and developing and business
management. Over the past five years, Mr. Magallon has sharpened his skills
significantly in residential and commercial design. He has personally been
involved in all of the projects taken on by Atmosphere Design. His background in
psychology and eight year term as a social worker, servicing clients with a
range of emotional issues, has given Mr. Magallon extensive skills and insights
in working with a variety of people from various social, ethnic and diverse
backgrounds. Mr. Magallon has applied these experiences and directly used them
with the firm’s clients in order to build clear communication, positive
interactions and business relationships. He has a particularly strong ability in
assessing a client’s needs and project requirements. Then, with his partner,
they are translated into exceptional and powerful conceptual designs. Mr.
Magallon’s main goal for Atmosphere Design is to create outstanding environments
with unique design that are on time and on budget.
PROJECTS AND HISTORY
Since the inception of Atmosphere Design, this dynamic duo has worked on a wide
range and variety of commercial and residential projects. The projects have
ranged from 1800 to 11, 500 sq feet and have ranged from remodels to renovations
to new construction.
Atmosphere Design remains strongly rooted in hospitality design. The firm
recently completed, The Lime, a chic nouveau tequila bar and restaurant on 5th
Ave in the Gaslamp Quarter. In addition, we designed and are proud to announce
the wildly successful opening of the 6000sq ft VIP expansion to On Broadway
Event Center, which is one of the premiere night clubs in San Diego. Lastly,
Atmosphere Design completed the upscale friendly Villa Capri 2 restaurant in
Carmel Valley. Several of these projects have been published and recognized in
magazines and journals.
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