Design Pool’s founder, Kristen Dettoni, has a long history with design, and in the past decade has become an expert in digitally printed interior design. As she explains in her recent interview on Thrive in Design, a podcast hosted by Nicole Lashae Ben, Kristen had previously applied her creativity to wovens but saw an opportunity to do even more with the power of digital print.
Kristen started Design Pool in 2019 as an image library that designers can access to order digitally printed custom designs for residential and commercial use. Today, she has connected with select printers throughout the U.S. and has even begun offering a Shop Direct service, allowing clients to choose from more than 1,000 designs, each available in a minimum of five colorways.
Digital printing for design applications
Due to the costs that used to be involved, Kristen said, “In hospitality, customization used to be such a bad word and I’m still finding it’s a word people struggle with.”
These days, she said, “It’s crazy what can be digitally printed – all commercial grade – you could literally customize your entire space from top to bottom. You don’t need to settle anymore – you can get what you want!”
Multiple custom design elements from a single manufacturer
Digital printing can also eliminate another pain point for designers: coordinating the work of many manufacturers for a single project. Kristen noted, “We have solved problems for interior designers. Right now, you have to go to 10 different companies with patterns and colors that coordinate. We allow you to work with as few manufacturers as possible."
Listen to the full episode here.
Customizing a space from top to bottom
To better understand how digital printing can be used for almost every aspect of custom interior designs, we asked Roland DGA’s Business Development DIMENSE and Décor Segment Manager, Kitt Jones, and Product Manager Philip Chu a few follow up questions.
Let’s start at the bottom – can you use digital print for flooring designs?
Kitt Jones: If you’re wondering whether Roland DGA digital printing technology can be used for flooring designs and printing, the answer is a big yes! Digital printing technology has completely transformed the flooring industry, making it possible to create beautiful, custom floors like never before. Today, it’s widely used on vinyl, laminate, ceramic tiles, and even engineered wood, whether for prototyping, sample sheets, or full production.
In vinyl flooring, Roland DGA digital printing technology can create super detailed, high-resolution designs—like natural wood grains, marble textures, or even bold abstract patterns—directly onto sheets or planks then coated for protection. It’s one of the reasons why luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) have become so popular. For laminate flooring, a digitally printed decorative layer sits under a tough lamination, or resin topcoat, offering endless design options that can mimic wood, stone, or unique artistic looks.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles also get a boost from Roland DGA digital printing technology. Thanks to advanced inkjet technology, tile surfaces can be direct-printed with ultra-realistic colors, textures, and designs, making them look just like real wood, marble, or concrete. Some engineered wood floors even use digital printing to add fine details and enhance the natural beauty of the wood, although it’s a little less common.
Digital printing offers major benefits for flooring. You get incredible design flexibility—think custom logos, unique artwork, and one-of-a-kind patterns. Production times are faster, the quality and realism are outstanding, and it’s a cost-effective option even for smaller projects or personalized designs.
The durability of the printed design depends heavily on the quality of the protective layers above it. For high-traffic areas, it’s super important to make sure your floors have a strong wear layer or sealant. At the end of the day, whether it’s for prototyping or full production, digital printing makes it easier (and more exciting) than ever to design floors that are truly your own. Whether you want the look of classic hardwood, elegant stone, or something completely custom, digital printing can bring your vision to life!
What about wall coverings?
Kitt Jones: Yes, digital printing is a popular and powerful method for creating custom wallcoverings for both repeatable designs and on-demand one-offs. With Roland DGA digital printing technology like DIMENSE, UV, eco-solvent, and latex printing, you can produce high-resolution designs on a wide range of materials, including vinyl, fabric, wallpaper, and specialty textured media.
DIMENSE technology adds a unique touch by combining eco-friendly media and water-based inks to create a one of a kind texturing technology, allowing you to create both color and raised patterns in a single pass – perfect for luxurious, tactile wall designs. Roland DGA’s UV printing technology uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure the ink, making it ideal for vibrant, durable prints on a variety of surfaces that are ready to install instantly from the printer. Solvent and eco-solvent printers are commonly used for wallcoverings because they produce rich, long-lasting colors on flexible materials like vinyl. Roland DGA latex printing technology offers an eco-friendly option with excellent color quality, especially for indoor environments where low emissions are important.
Digital printing for wallcoverings offers incredible design flexibility, fast production times, and cost-effective options for both small custom projects and large commercial installations. Whether you're designing a feature wall for a home or branding a large corporate space, digital printing makes it easy to create custom designs with stunning results.
How about ceiling designs?
Kitt Jones: Roland DGA digital printing technology is transforming how interior spaces look and feel—extending creativity beyond walls to include ceilings. Using the DIMENSE, UV, eco-solvent, and latex printer technologies, designers can produce high-resolution, custom graphics on flexible materials like stretch fabrics, vinyl films, or specialty ceiling wraps. These printed materials can then be applied to ceilings to create dramatic skies, abstract art, branded designs, or immersive environments. Recently, Roland DGA partnered with well-known interior designer Nikki Levy and Yofee Design on a project for the Kips Bay Showhouse to produce a custom textured pattern that was installed on the ceiling, which was the hit of the event.
The precision and color vibrancy of Roland DGA printers allow for stunning visuals that enhance the mood and atmosphere of any space—whether it’s a luxury hotel, corporate office, retail store, or residential setting. UV printers, in particular, are ideal because they can print directly onto rigid or flexible substrates and produce durable, fade-resistant results. Custom-printed ceilings are becoming a popular design trend, offering a unique way to elevate interiors, create memorable experiences, and maximize the visual impact of a space.
Can digital printers be used to produce wall art and canvases?
Kitt Jones: Yes, Roland DGA digital printers are perfect for producing high-quality wall art and canvases whether it is UV, eco-solvent, or latex inks, but I think we really excel when using DIMENSE technology. DIMENSE stands out by combining digital printing with 3D texturing, allowing you to create artwork that is not only visually stunning but also tactile. With DIMENSE, you can print vibrant, high-resolution images while simultaneously embossing custom textures into the material, giving wall art and canvas prints a unique, dimensional effect.
This technology is ideal for creating premium art pieces, decorative panels, and custom canvases for both residential and commercial spaces. Unlike traditional flat printing, DIMENSE brings artwork to life by adding depth and texture, making each piece feel more dynamic and luxurious.
Whether you’re designing fine art reproductions, bespoke installations, or large-scale decorative projects, Roland DGA and DIMENSE technology offer the flexibility, color brilliance, and creative freedom to make your vision a reality.
What other design elements can be customized with digital print?
Philip Chu: Roland DG digital printing technology makes it easy to customize nearly every surface in your home. With vibrant colors and 3D textures made possible by DIMENSE technology, you can create stunning wall art and canvases that add depth and character to any room or surface. Furniture surfaces like tables, cabinets, and countertops can be wrapped or printed directly for a fresh, personalized look. Doors and windows can be enhanced with frosted, clear, or colorful printed designs, while floors can feature printed vinyl designs, custom mats, or eye-catching floor decals.
Roland UV technology allows for custom-printed wall panels made of acrylic, wood, metal, or composite materials that can be printed with decorative patterns, adding a modern, artistic flair to any space. Even lighting fixtures, such as lampshades and light panels, or electrical outlet covers can be customized with unique printed designs to tie the entire room together.
For kitchens, custom-printed tile backsplashes offer stylish, easy-to-clean surfaces that stand out. Closets and cabinetry can also be wrapped or printed with personalized finishes, making every detail of your home truly one of a kind. Powered by Roland DG’s UV, solvent, latex, and DIMENSE printing technologies, the possibilities for transforming your home into a personalized work of art are endless.
Where can readers get more information about digital printing for interior design applications?
Kitt Jones: We have more information available on our website: Roland DG Professionals/Interiors.
