"10 Questions to an Interior Designer" is a series of short talks inspired by the series "10 Questions to...".This time our attention is turned to interior architects. In today's episode, Marianna Matuszewska and Zuzanna Stefanowicz of mesa studio talk about their approach to design.
Marianna Matuszewska and Zuzanna Stefanowicz - graduates of the Interior Design Department of the Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts. They create the mesa design studio. They were united by the desire to create original spaces, to seek artistic expression and to bring joy to the recipients of beautiful architecture.
1 Home is for us...
A place of peace, security and complete freedom. A space that harmonizes with personality, does not impose itself, provides respite.
2.The key to a successful interior design is...
Trust of the investor and two-way clear communication.
3.We look for inspiration...
During the course of our studies, we learned that it is worth looking literally everywhere for inspiration - except for other interior design projects, so as not to fall into reproducibility. When we start working on a project, we first look for inspiration closely related to the project. This could be its location and surroundings, or the times from which the building originated. We look for such "sticking points." We like to work ideologically.
4 In cooperation with the investor the most important thing is....
Taking into account not only his needs, but also his personality. It is important to realize that we are creating a project first of all for him. We try to balance our need to create a beautiful interior and the investor's expectations, so that when we combine our visions, we create a space that he will enjoy.
5 Our favorite design style is.
We don't have one. I guess it's mainly because, among other things, what we really like about our work is variety. We try to approach each project individually, not to close ourselves in patterns.
6 The most important object in our homes is....
Marianna Matuszewska: Art, that is, at this moment mainly paintings, prints and ceramics. Some of them are the works of my artist friends, whom I try to support. As a result, I surround myself not only with beautiful and unique things, but they also have sentimental value for me. If I had to point out one item, it would be the painting that is the focal point of my living room, by Lukasz Namiotko.
Zuzanna Stefanowicz: A family heirloom, that is the porcelain from Ćmielów, given to me by my dear grandmother. It reminds me of feasts and time spent together.
7 The most common mistake made when decorating interiors yourself is.
Suggesting other people's opinions usually makes the final result a mixture of many visions, which rarely gives good results. Also common mistakes are those due to lack of technological knowledge. Sometimes a solid contractor can save the situation. However, we happened to see custom built-ins that were completely non-functional or those that could not be opened.
8 Our favorite material is.
It is difficult for us to choose one. At the moment we really like the combination of wood, which is a natural, warm material, with contrasting metal, which is cool in appearance. Naturalness is a great value, but sometimes we like to take a twist on the wide range of possibilities offered by the current market and use innovative, modern materials such as recycled.
9 A trend we wish would pass away already is....
None. It seems to us that the right company for an item can make it less dated. What we are not fond of are drab interiors that have no character.
10 We would like, someday, to live in a...
Marianna Matuszewska: In a one-story house with a large, somewhat wild garden, full of trees. However, for this moment I choose to commune with the city and its charms. We both live in Gdynia and appreciate it very much.
Zuzanna Stefanowicz: In a place located on a hill, so that nothing obscures the sun streaming in, and looking out of the windows, you can feel the space and breath.
Check out other conversations in the series 10 questions to an interior designer
