I have a Master’s degree in architecture, whereas I work in interior design. For 30 years, I have been immersed in the concept of habitat in one way or another. Over the years, I have learned three valuable lessons – they have become the foundation of my work.
I: A home is a way of life.
And a way of life is a combination of our values, desires, and needs. There is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” home – there is only your home and not your home.
To understand what my clients truly need, I apply tools from the humanities. I have studied psychology, explored archetypal strategy diagnostics (as esoteric as that may sound), and researched aesthetics and the psychology of perception.
II: A home is more than what we see.
We also hear it, touch it, and breathe it in. We move through it, feel its temperature, and sense the airflow. Space is multi-sensory.
Sometimes, we select materials with our eyes closed, relying only on touch and scent. I work on the home’s acoustic environment with my husband, who is a sound engineer.
III: Art makes us more human, more tolerant, and kinder – and, therefore, happier.
Science is actively dissecting its effects – measuring blood pressure in museums, tracking various hormone levels in saliva and blood, mapping brain activity in response to art… However, one thing is clear: art affects us on every level, and our individual artistic experience shapes the way we perceive the world.
I study art and draw myself. This helps me design unique interior pieces and select artworks for specific homes and for the specific character of their inhabitants. Sometimes, a particular creation (well known or entirely obscure) – visual, musical, or literary – becomes the conceptual foundation of the entire interior.