CODEWORD: INTERIOR

We all have established ideas on what the ideal interior should be. Some are after cosiness and utilitarianism, others tend towards extravagance, a third group is all about modern trends, yet others are deep into minimalism. What unites all of these people is that if they are not professionally involved in interior design, architecture, furniture, they usually are completely at a loss on how to materialise their dreams and ideas.

Creating the interior of our dream, of course, is absolutely possible, when certain rules are followed and we have the honesty to admit to ourselves that we need professional help. When we choose the new look of our home or office, we have to have in mind not only the modern trends, but also functionality, and we should seek solutions that reflect our habits.

"On the one hand, often some of the modern trends can be hardly applied in the home and even if this is achievable and the clients like them, they are incompatible with their habits," explains Desislava Ananieva, manager of She Decor interior design studio (www.shedecorcenter.info, FB: SHE DECOR, www.stylebuild.net). "On the other hand, modern trends change much more often than the clients' potential to renew their homes. That is why we advice our clients to prefer solutions that will create for them the cosiness and functionality they desire, instead of choosing ultra modern interiors that are not comfortable for them. However, the combination between actual trends and functionality of the home is the best practice."

In order to be sure in the result, it is best to work with a specialist in interior design.

"The creation of a new interior is first and foremost a big responsibility that someone should take," says Engineer Milena Mladenova, owner of MM Art atelier for interior design (Sofia, 125 Arsenalski Blvd, block 1, phone: +359 888 307 896, m.m.art@abv.bg). "This responsibility begins with the choice, goes through the realisation and ends only with the full effect of the new environment. In it, our clients should be more successful and healthy, more creative and, of course, happier! Our job is like an art that blends a lot of engineering sciences. It is preferable that the person creating the interior is theoretically prepared, has large practice and successful experience, and most importantly, works with a smile."

"Happily, our clients have more and more trust in our experience and vision," says Nikoleta Krasteva from EXTRAVAGANCE design studio (www.extravagancedesign.com). "This is the best approach producing the best results. Of course, there are clients who insist on particular things and we take into consideration their wishes, but without compromising with our vision and understanding for aesthetics. We discuss each detail with the client, exposing all the pros and cons of both our and his suggestions. As a company with already rich portfolio, we have experienced a lot of problems and different clients. We easily win the 'battle' now with presenting an example of an already finished project."

"The profession of interior designer asks from the person who practices it an ability to create new shapes and volumes, and to be able to select well colours and textures," says Stoyan Pashov from the specialised studio Synergy Design (Sofia, Vitosha, 19 Angel Karaliychev St, FB: Synergy Design Group). "The most important reward for my work is a happy feeling for new life, that the clients experience a new dimension of beauty. This is where I find my inspiration."

DA architects (Sofia, 15 Kozyak Str., www.daarchitects.eu) is studio for contemporary architecture and design with constantly growing portfolio of impressive, stylish and recognisable realisation in office, public and home interior. Their projects are selected and published on one of the most prominent international websites, specialised in quality design, such as Archello, Architizer and DIVISARE. Studio's comprehensive approach and attention on detail is leading philosophy in creating buildings, interior spaces and products of any type. Design through understanding, based on experience and multidisciplinary knowledge, is the key to the company's successful projects, focused on the balance between client's programme, specifics of the site and the environment, functionality, materials and details.

Achieving the interior of our dreams is a complex task where matter not only the designer's concepts and ideas, but also the furniture, the materials, the objects of art and the all the other details.

Furniture and objects of art are not enough for achieving individuality and character of a contemporary home or office; the materials used for the floors and the walls are also important. Knowing well both contemporary requirements towards interior design and the different materials and their characteristics, the Greek company KOURASANIT (Sofia, 79-81 GS Rakovski St, www.kourasanit.com) offers innovative coatings, paints and hydrophobic mortars for walls and floors. The products of KOURASANIT are made of natural, artificial or recycled materials in a variety of colours and textures – from earth to mosaics to pebbles. They are a true discovery for everyone who is searching for modern style and individuality, contact with nature and eco-friendly solutions. With the products of KOURASANIT you will easily transform any interior into a unique space of harmony and aesthetics.

Gala Collezione (www.gala.bg) is a Bulgarian company that represents the high-class sofa brand of the same name from Poland. The company has 14 years of experience in producing quality sofas on demand. Aside from Gala Collezione, the company has also launched a couple of powerful brands: Meblik, high quality furniture for kids and teenagers; and Massivo, solid wood furniture of the finest quality. Over the past years Gala Collezione has established itself on the Bulgarian market as a stable and reliable partner that has already opened 3 independent showrooms in Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas. The company prides itself on its product and service quality that include transportation and installation as well as a free consultation with an inhouse interior designer.

"Crystal chandeliers create so much opportunities in interior," says Yuliana Dimitrova from Bohemialux (Sofia, 81 B Bulgaria Blvd, Store 10, www.bohemialux.com), official representative of the Czech company for crystal products Preciosa. "In the dining room, in the entrance hall, in the bedroom or even in the bathroom, the crystal chandelier brings in elegance and irreplaceable atmosphere. It successfully becomes a part of any style and looks not only glorious and elegant, but also complementing and contrasting, as a time machine that runs both to the past and to the future." In the past, crystal chandeliers were a symbol of high class, but now they are more affordable. The stereotype that they belong to long-gone interior styles is also changing. "Young architects, artists and designers increasingly use them in modern and even minimalist interiors. And with such success!," says Yuliana Dimitrova. "Crystals have the ability to reflect all light, so a chandelier with hundreds sparkling crystals grabs the attention with its amazing beauty, inevitably becoming the centrepiece of the interior. Crystal chandeliers are for the interior what jewellery is for the fashion. You cannot reveal the full glory of an expensive dress without proper jewellery."

Many solutions for the contemporary interior rely on innovation and the lasting impression they leave on the viewer and the inhabitant.

"In the past year the interest in Decolight Stone, a translucent technical stone, is getting more significant," says engineer Elena Ivanova from CoDesign Center (Sofia, 160 GS Rakovski St, www.codesign.bg), a studio for innovative interior solutions. "The material is very impressive and is suitable for the interior of shopping spaces, but is being increasingly applied in residential rooms, too. Combined with hidden lightning, Decolight Stone creates a decorative nuance of class and elegance."

The change of the interior doesn't mean that you should part with all of your old, and beloved, pieces of furniture. Modern technologies and professionals
allow easy and efficient renovation or change of the furniture you want to preserve.

"Each piece of furniture can be brought back to life, even one from artificial materials like MDF. The main thing to consider here is the selection of the furniture's new 'face'," says Georgi Georgiev (www.gogata-bg.com), owner of a company for refreshment and manufacture of furniture. "After refreshment, furniture achieves new look, thanks to modern products like matt colour, gloss polishing, oils, polishings. Different techniques for refreshment are used. The application of lacquers or paints on a different ground results in a cracked effect in two colours. Old furniture of massive wood is refreshed with changes in details, puttying up, etching, hand sanding, lacquering. There are many options for refreshment and they should be co-ordinated with the place and function of the given furniture. On the other hand, new pieces of furniture can be artificially aged." One of Georgi Georgiev's specialities is MDF furniture. "Many modern pieces of furniture are made of wood fibres of medium density, the so-called MDF. Their advantages include smooth surface and high solidity, elasticity and bending strength, endless opportunities for shapes, capability for numerous refreshments, and many others. MDF furniture shines and is easily maintained with soft cloth, without any chemicals," explains Georgi Georgiev.

We should not forget, too, the elements that separate the home and the office from the outside world. The new technologies in doors, windows and facade systems reveal immense opportunities in architecture.

"The new generation of glazing systems is being actively developed towards improvement of both thermoinsulation capabilities and design, which reduces the area of visible profiles while increasing the glass area," says engineer Todor Dimitrov, technical projects consultant at the Alu Koenig Stahl company (www.alukoenigstahl.bg). "Thus, the improved thermo comfort is combined with an access of more daylight in the rooms. Also, actively are being developed options for realisation of openable large-scale windows that are becoming increasingly popular in current architecture. The design of the new systems allows for a part of the casing to remain hidden, invisibly integrated into the profiles. This is particularly relevant for door hinges and self-closing machines. Thus the only element remaining visible are the doorknobs, which are offered in elegant variants in a number of attractive colours. The profiles are increasingly becoming an outline that underlines the glazing, instead of a separate construction. Combined with well-selected sunscreening mechanisms, the windows are turning to an important functional and architectural element in modern construction."

Even the most impeccably designed and constructed interior, however, would not look finished without objects of art.

"Art is the finishing touch in any interior," says Delyana Nyagolova, an artist and an interior designer practicing in Frankfurt am Main (FB: Delyana Nyagolova – Künstlerin). "Every person is different and has his own feel for the surrounding environment. The appropriate painting should be chosen in accordance with the style of the furnishing. Usually, in office buildings with modernistic design are preferred brighter, abstract drawings and paintings with landscapes of the city's business district. They inspire more dynamic and active work. For the home, in accordance with the lifestyle, are preferred landscapes with nature and traditional Bulgarian architecture, and portraits. They create the warmth, the tranquility and the relaxation that everyone expects to feel when entering his home."