We continue to add to our new column "Opinions" interesting materials, and today we are visiting the famous Russian designer, charming Valeria Dankovskoy. And we talk about quality design and current trends.
- Valeria, you are in the area of design that brings you here?
- Since my childhood I was a creative child, loved to draw, and she went to art school and now, at the end of ninth grade, has selected specialized education. This architectural class and in that time I decided that my specialty is design and architecture. Well, after I entered university, I finished it and now I continue to work in their specialty.
- At that moment, when you're after study came to work, if such moments are when you are faced with what you have not been taught in high school?
- When I finished university, I realized that I got completely "green", because education is given greater sense of color, understanding of the composition, conceptual. But the technical aspects, of course, the university does not. Advice many young designers from me - if you come out of university, you do not have any experience in the design, in a construction site, it is better to go into any company where there are engineers, foremen have to help out, give instructions, see error. I believe that to train on someone else's apartment is not worth it.
- your first project? What was he like? What style has been issued?
- I Was in a modern style. Now, of course, I had a little bit so I remember with a smile. It was the first project. My taste has not yet been formed. trendsPerhaps, too, not all caught, even it was while studying at university. And honestly, it is not proud. That is, now it's really interesting projects in previous years it has been interesting. But the first draft after all this "green", "very green". But it was interesting, it was interesting to plunge into it all.
- There is a difference yet between the design project apartment and design projects at home?
- Of course, there is. Has its good points, there are difficulties. On the example of the apartment you can see. There are difficulties, for example, redevelopmentThat it It was lawful, The rules need to know, which then can be adapted apartment. In the house, for example, there are no such restrictions. We can do the kitchen in size, that we want. Same bathrooms increase-decrease, that is a plus in this house. And I can tell you about the difficulties that we are being finished for designers and architects in homes. We had a case... It was townhouseAnd not a house, but in principle the type of the same building and the stairs were not there, I did not even overlap. That is, we had to do overlapPut right ladder. Initially, the project architect did. And the architect seems as if the experience of already aged, but he put ladder so that people, if they climbed the stairs they would simply rested on the lowest part of the roof. That is, go to the top floor and could not seem he had not figured out the height of the steps. I do not know what the problem was, as might have been so wrong, but I can say that customers have lost a considerable amount on this, because overlap They had already been built, the staircase also already started to build and eventually dismantle it and the new assembly. We reworked the project, counted the stairsThat is, here are the gross errors, which then cost money to the customer ...
— You position yourself as a small design studio. There are no any plans to expand and why initially chose a direction, such as a small studio, where just a few designers work?
- Well, a very important result for us. And we're not stamping projects. For us, punching is not important. For us the main thing - is to realize the project, implemented as it was originally conceived. And it's very hard work. I can say that, even leading some projects I'm torn, I do not have the time, I think, why only 24 hours in our day. In order to truly realize the beautiful, high-quality, ergonomic design for this you need a lot of time, effort, and it is impossible to check all, if you will have many projects. For us, quality is important. And in general, I believe crime, when some designers use the same design in their several projects. That is, it is important to come up with something new for us. So that the customer was looking - "Wow."
— What is the most interesting project? It may be a project where you have decided to implement the most unusual ideas such customer?
- In fact, when we come to each project, each project it is interesting in its own way. Well, we, too, do not take all of the projects. We do not have that take any project from a man who called us. There is no such. We still treat selectively, since we are artists in some sense, it is very important to us. That is, each project is very interesting and highlight a project I can not. Especially, if customers will look, and I have not identified their project.
— How much longer do you design?
- My personal experience design is about 7 years old, probably about 8 already.
— What is now new trends in design?
- The word "trends", followed by the chase is not worth it, but there are certain norms that make better use of that will always be relevant. I think it is more correct, is the use of natural materials, be sure to wood, metal, glass, stone, or any analogues. Look for more cheap - a wood veneer. That is better to use natural materials. Another very important - it is the light. That is, the light is very urgent, it is beautiful chandeliersOr built fixtures or spots. Light it is very, very important in the design.
— What's on your mind today prevails in the interior market? Creativity and design or materials and manufacturability?
- These two concepts are inseparable all together. Creativity and design must always be present everywhere and in everything. You can even record a slogan. As for manufacturability, we live in the modern world, we are working very hard, we get tired and we want to return to our home, which is equipped with and which will save our time on herself. There are several ways to do it. It can be as small household appliances, which saves us time, but also some more intelligent systems - "smart House". customer recently installed a system of "smart home". It was, of course, very interesting.
— Tell us more about this project, which put the "smart home". Because now "smart home" - is a trend and more and more customers are drawn and are interested in this system. You how often these systems are put into their projects?
- We do not often put a system. Here I had a single order. It was recently. Indeed, this trend began because people save their time, their strength, and want to live in comfort. We have established a system in the apartment. It was lightingPlus a home theater, blinds and Child protection and from leaks. I mean that's all the basic functions that are in the "smart house" we put. Of course the customer is very happy that he is established, he said that he could not imagine his life without this system.
— We had some difficulty integrating "smart home" in an existing interior design?
- any difficulties were not, because engineers are very well cope with its function. We sat together, with thought through, there were not any complications. The only thing - the installation. It's complicated. In this you need to sit down and deal. there are no complications. I think that's great when you come home from work, you had a bad day, let's negotiate, or something else, you lie down on the bed, watching TV and then you do not need to get up, turn off the light, get up and close the curtains, turn off the TV set. You still can do it in the complex. Plus more can you worry that it is not turned off plateThat is all it can be turned off, lying on bed and you can sleep without getting up, not running anywhere, without closing.
— What can you say about the "feng shui"? Are you using this technology in their projects?
- Yes. On "Feng Shui", to be honest, there was no such needs with customers, but I can say this, that, and so a lot of restrictions that you can not build, we can not expand. And if we even arranged the furniture on the "Feng Shui" we just do not parting in this apartment. We use such things as functionality, ie, the customer should be easy. For example, should the TV, the sofa at a certain distance has to be a person to get around the bed, quietly sit down on armchair or table. But in "Feng Shui" no. Because so very many limitations. If we still use the "feng shui", the design project is unlikely to close.
— And what are the most common mistakes made by people who do not resort to being able to work with specialists, for example, the design studio?
- I can tell you a case from his practice. I've had some customers may be a year or two ago. First, they decided to do a design project themselves. Well, not to design the project, and create their own housing, equip. They are even on graph paper to plot his apartment, all measurements, to plot, it turned out, by the way, with dignity. We have corrected this little plan, but they are great. But they decided to start with the fact that they went and looked chose the kitchenThey liked. And the Congress chose floorboard and where it paid. Wooden boards cost more than the design project. They paid for it and then they are faced with the fact that they can not find anything to this floor. They turned to me, and I also watched. Parquet board was very beautiful, she was such a reddish low tide, but kitchen already there do not fit into the rest of the furniture too. If you're starting to do a design project itself, there still need to be taken into account, at least to take samples and put together. Simply can not meet the composition eventually. Well, that such cases happen. What's the biggest mistake? The fact that people start to choose on trifles. So, I like the color of the wood flooring and all. We buy it, and then we will pick up everything. A pick up is not obtained.
— Do not look at the big picture?
- Yes. And plus more functionality. We are so accustomed to, maybe it went from earlier times. I mean the apartments of the same type, in which we used to live that arrange all the furniture in the corners and walls. It is important nevertheless to contact the experts, even if the budget is not enough to make a complete design project, but to make the balance furniture with the designer, who will put the correct and functional furniture.
— Most often, you use a European manufacturer or a Russian manufacturer or have some kind of trend is already toward the Russian manufacturers of materials?
- Yes, that's the way a good question. In fact, now in Russia we are developing, we are fine. We have developed the design, we have developed the studio, and the studio is not only design, but also the furniture. We began to appear creative guys who create interesting furniture, Interesting decor, but still there is the predominance of European brands, mainly Italy, Spain, Denmark as well, as Slovenia is. There is such an inexpensive furniture.
— Most often made of materials, here parquet, stone, something else that it is the Russian manufacturer laid everywhere, there is?
- Stone no. Basically and granite and we are taking the stone from Europe.
— Here are the Caucasian rock I know there is.
- Caucasian stone we do not use. But take note.
— What are the components in your opinion develops sophisticated design?
- Exquisite design - it is a loose concept. There are different styles, well, that's basically - it is natural materials. Of course they ennoble your design 100%. Beautiful furnitureFurniture can be custom-made, inexpensive, but nevertheless it should be neat, stylish and noble.
— Is there one thing that can completely transform the entire interior? Maybe it's the light, or decoration item or furniture?
- I think no. This is the same if you buy a "Zhiguli" and want to make "Zhiguli" "Mercedes". This is about the same. If you even change the upholstery in a "Zhiguli" they remain "Lada". Even if you buy a very beautiful chandelier, but the entire interior is made incorrectly, incorrectly configured and selected, then you looking at the chandelier will receive an aesthetic pleasure to translate his view on some other interior items and upset. That is better to think of design still from scratch, all in harmony with him and carefully looked.
— What are your milestones with the customer? Let's say I'm a customer, I come to you. What do I need to bring? What do I need to? What you give out to me? Which documents and how this whole process is going on?
- Firstly, it is necessary to come with a positive attitude, because sometimes, unfortunately, the customers come after the sad experience. And apparently, the unfortunate experience was with freelance people who have completed some courses and then decided to create a design. What is required from the customer - is to show some counterparts that are popular in interiorFor them we will focus, of course, and to offer their own, more interesting and beautiful. But initially we have to understand the customer's tastes, plus provide access to the apartment. That is, it is all that is required from the customer. On our side, we have engaged in the design, that is, first there is a stage of the design and selection. That is, we choose the first, not the fact that we made a pretty picture, handed over to the customer, he said - "Wow," and then it turns out that this dresser is worth a million. Do I need a budget for the customer to understand how much he is willing to spend on your repairs. We adapt the design for the customer completely.
— Best of all, when a customer comes in and has clearly understands what his budget is, and what budget you have to invest.
- But very often we do not call budgets, that is to say that we will look at the situation. And then we are with them we go to salons. For example, tile. Tile for 3000 rubles for you? No. And now, slowly and gradually we settling.
— The most expensive and the budget project that you do?
- It's a difficult question. Who does not remember the exact amount. Very low cost we do not accept, but once to implement these projects, but, probably, up to 3 million repairs were such projects.
— This "turnkey"? And repair and the project? The furniture is included?
- Yes, the furniture is included. It was a long time ago, when I started my way, and, in principle, I would not trust no one apartment premium. That, as the most expensive project, probably, it was about 30-35 million.
— Unlike expensive and budget of the project in what?
- There are huge differences.
— In the materials?
- Yes, in the materials. Materials used in more natural, beautiful. The same as under the granite stone, tile can be wall-mounted with bad press, and you come and see what is printed on the tile goes, or expensive porcelain that imitates marble. Of course, the differences are very, very strong.
— There is a project, a dream? In a global sense, I would like to do this?
- The project is a dream. You can say whatever I want to implement the project in the near future. There is a project for which I would like to take in the near future - is a project of a large office some very interesting things with interesting materials.
— If this office is automated, with "smart home" system?
- Yes, that it would do very well. I think the home would be like no one left.
— Valery, thank you very much for the interesting interview.
- And you for your interesting questions. We are waiting for you behind the house of your dreams.
