Exclusive Interview With Areen Design – The experience of self-awareness to find in every day a new challenge is something real in Areen Design world. Covetedition shares this exclusive interview to Areen, through which you will find inspiring notes from someone who has an authentic and passionate vision on design creative process that also reflects his vision of the cultural experience of life. Areen revealed the genius inside its personal taste for things capable of creating new ones from zero, like the experience of travelling and cooking. Get inside the inspiring work and philosophy of Areen Design in an intimate talk he conceived to Coveted Magazine.

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Coveted Magazine (CM): What do you love about your work?

Areen Design (AD): It sounds unreal but I love everything about my work; even the difficult client. Perhaps I was just lucky in picking a career which gives me the opportunity to travel the world, something I always wanted to do and still enjoy. To experience changing environments and different cultures is incredibly rewarding on a personal as well as professional level.  Alongside the travelling, I also love the opportunity to work with so many talented visionaries, be they talented designers on the supplier side, or project managers on the client side. I’m faced with new and different challenges on a daily basis: never the same and never boring.

CM: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

AD: Nothing inspires me more than travel. New experiences stimulate new emotions as well as reigniting ones from the past. I come from a family of chefs where culinary creativity and entertainment have been at the heart of our way of life. It may sound bizarre, but the similarities between design and cooking are very close. My obsession with detail is on a par with my love for Japanese food which presents itself in the finest way.

I’m also inspired by the progressive advancements in technology and the way we can manipulate new materials to break boundaries and set new goals. All this said, I do like the spaces I design to have a sense of place with the subtlest of cultural reference…. unless the project is in Las Vegas.

Read also: What To Expect During Boutique Design New York 2017

CM: What is your philosophy on work and life?

AD: I work to live! The effort needed to achieve your work goals is immense, but you need to know when to switch off, energise and live life to the full.

CM: If you could be an object, which one would you be?

AD: A mobile phone, mine’s got my whole world in it! It would, of course, have to be the latest model with more memory than an elephant and more beautifully designed than the Taj Mahal. Just imagine the potential!

CM: Describe yourself in three words.

AD: Particular – Passionate – Inquisitive

Projects

CM: What do you love in a room?

AD: Natural daylight is top of my list, but for me, it’s not always about what’s in a room but what’s outside it. The relationship between our interiors and what is happening on the outside is crucial. And whether designing interiors in the city or the countryside, natural daylight counts for so much in creating interiors that can embrace and entice, enhance and excite. Quite simply, it can be the single most important factor in the design process.

CM: How would you describe your style? Do you have a signature touch?

AD: We would never go down the design route of ‘one size fits all’. Each and every client is different and we have a responsibility to inspire and expand their thinking, to open their eyes to what is possible. The result will reflect how well we’ve achieved this goal. But one aspect of design which I am obsessed with is an attention to detail. Perhaps a signature, if it exists, might be the most beautiful detailing and the most satisfied client.

CM: What are your favourite materials to work?

AD: Glass and metal. Whether used together or apart the potential is limitless. They can be used in so many ways and in so many forms. From enclosing or fitting out a space, glass and metal offer creative interpretation and styling, ranging from the industrial to the romantic. Anything is possible. We often design custom light fittings for private installations, which can include hand blown glass elements. We recently installed a three storey drop (18m) acrylic sculpture, which gives the feel of glass, but with greater durability, down through the centre of a spiral staircase. The sculpture occupies a circular space, but was actually made up of two curved clusters of suspended acrylic blocks, leaving a path through the suspension wires on ground level, allowing users to walk ‘through’ the piece and feel enclosed in the light and reflections. By choosing to light only particular blocks scattered throughout the drop, and concentrate the volume of blocks at the base of the drop, we were able to create a very effective atmosphere.

CM: Do you have any guilty pleasures like certain steps you don’t let go off on your creative process?

AD: Guilt is a relative term. I’d simply say, in admission of any guilt, that I do always want to be in total control of the full creative response. From the first rough concept sketch to handing the completed project over to the client. I find any departure from this approach runs the risk of diluting the integrity of your offer and can lead to frustration on both sides. I like to form a bond with my clients to ensure the creative journey reflects a meeting of minds and the passion needed to exceed expectations.

CM: Is there anything exciting that you are working on at the moment that you can tell me about? Any new projects?

AD: Sadly, all our projects are governed by strict non-disclosure agreements so I can’t give specifics, but I’m really enjoying working on a family villa in Jordan at the moment with plenty of amazing views. The design style is very contemporary and the challenge is to follow this route but incorporate local culture and heritage within it. Never easy but by adopting an inclusive approach, local craft skills and materials can be used which reflect the place and the past, but with a modern twist.

Related questions

CM: Which professionals do you admire, in the design and architecture world?

AD: Phillipe Starck for his signature style and originality

CM: Which brands do you love?

AD: Rugiano ~ www.rugiano.com

Pont Des Arts Furniture ~ www.pontdesarts.biz

Tom Kirk Lighting ~ www.tomkirk.com

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