"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, Joanna Sędzicka from Sędzicka Architekt studio talks about her approach to design.
Joanna Sędzicka - a designer of interiors, where real life happens later. She tries to draw inspiration from different interior styles and follow the direction, according to the requirements of her clients. In cooperation, she relies on trust, openness and willingness to talk. She enjoys working with people involved in the process of creating an interior - she always says that such energy motivates her doubly!
1 Home for me is...
I think I have a very simple definition, but sometimes this simplicity is not at all easy to achieve. Home for me is a place where I simply feel safe. I think nowadays it's important to have such a haven of one's own, where once you cross the threshold you can be completely yourself, without any imposed mask. It's also a refuge that gives me support in life's daily tasks. Everything is done "my way" here. I enjoy working here, relaxing and spending time with my loved ones.
2 The key to a successful interior design is....
Open, honest communication between the architect and the investor. I believe that without it, it is impossible to carry out a successful implementation. Our ideas are not always hit right away. Sometimes we need to take a step backwards during the design process, only to be able to move forward in a moment. If on the other side we have an investor who is not eager to share his thoughts on our concepts or is not willing to engage in dialogue, it will be very difficult to have a successful interior. I always try to take a very individual approach to each of my clients, so from the beginning of our cooperation we talk a lot and try to get to know each other. I think that the more the investor lets us into his world, the greater the success of the implementation can be.
3 I look for inspiration....
Sometimes I feel like my brain is constantly processing information and can find inspiration literally anywhere! These are often the kind of ideas for the drawer, for the indefinite future. I collect them while traveling, in my free time, walking around the city. Of course, I try to keep up to date with the industry press.
Strictly at work, on the other hand, inspiration comes from client guidelines. From the pictures sent with sample arrangements, to information about how they would like to feel in their interior, to what kind of space and functionality they need. From these guidelines only a picture is born, which is sometimes surprising!
4 In cooperation with the developer the most important thing is....
I think it's the honest and open communication I mentioned earlier, because this allows us to trust each other. Sometimes we manage to establish such a human, friendly bond and this is really great. Then the joint deliberations can be very productive as well as intense. It allows us to get to the bottom of many needs and dreams.
5 My favorite design style is.
I try to draw from a variety of interior design styles and neatly combine them, depending on the needs (and daring) of my investors. I can appreciate a lot of arrangements in a variety of styles for skillful combinations of colors, building some such tension in the interior, and the interest of a refined detail.
I find myself wherever we can be authentic and where we want to build a home for years to come. A place that its future residents care about. The aesthetics are already a result of these various findings.
I don't think I would undertake to design something in the style of typical glamour, or a traditional mountain cottage. While I certainly know successful examples, my interior design heart doesn't necessarily beat in those directions.
The 6th most important item in my home is....
I thought about the answer to this question for a long time. The first thing that came to my mind, of course, was the mattress. On no other I sleep as well as on my own! And sleep and rest are super important in life.
After thinking about it, however, I conclude that the table! I have a rather interesting piece of workbench at my place, which supposedly came from Holland and may be up to 100 years old. I once dug it out at an auction. It is thick and massive, and I personally sanded and oiled it for almost every weekend of the summer. Because of this mix of uniqueness and my own work put into refreshing it, I definitely wouldn't want to move somewhere without it. (And you can easily buy another one of the same mattress).
7 The most common mistake made when doing interior design yourself is.
Thinking about each room separately, instead of all together as a whole. The times when we painted each room a different color are probably gone. Such separate treatment of each room quickly leads to the loss of something that almost everyone cares about - interior consistency. And this, in turn, loses order and harmony and introduces restlessness, through which we are unable to rest properly.
I really like it when there are alluding motifs throughout the house, the color scheme is harmonized and the palette of colors and temperatures is carefully chosen. Then there are the textures and materials that you just want to touch. This image immediately makes me start smiling.
8 My favorite material is....
Definitely wood! Although it can be capricious, needs to be taken care of and sometimes doesn't forgive our mistakes, I like it a lot. (However, it is absolutely not a material for everyone and I always say that. It even happens that I advise my clients against it!)
Wood is wonderful to the touch, it gives a sense of warmth and coziness. When dealing with it, you immediately feel that it is something of quality. It also alludes to nature and the forest, which is also often cited as a space where we rest well. Properly colored wood looks beautiful, and with age and aging it can refine itself. It also improves the acoustics of the interior, and peace and quiet is something we also badly need in our daily lives.
9 A trend that I would like to see pass already is.
Hmm... I don't think I have such thoughts. Fortunately, my investors come with a wide variety of ideas and I haven't managed to get bored with anything yet. Although lately, I don't know why, I'm not at all on my way with gold accessories in the form of fixtures, lighting elements, etc. However, I have a feeling that this has caught up with not only me, and fortunately there are a lot of interesting alternatives.
10 I would like, someday, to live in....
A house with white, rough walls and big windows, near the sea or ocean.
Check out other conversations in the series 10 questions to an interior designer
