Antonieta D’Introno is an interior designer located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; through a series of questions we asked her, she gives us some insight into the day-to-day realities of what it’s like to be an interior designer.

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Antonieta D’Introno was born in Caracas, Venezuelan to an American artist and Italian professor. She grew up surrounded by art, architecture, history and culture, traveling across Europe and North America as a child with her family. Educated in Italy and America, she has lived in Italy, Spain, the United States and has now made her home in British Columbia, Canada.

Contemporist: How do you describe your style?
Antonieta: Pretty contemporary. I also define contemporary and modern differently. I love modern but I think that modern really describes a certain time…contemporary is what’s new and fresh. I like clean, fresh, uncluttered functional spaces. I want design to be accessable and affordable. You can make fantastic things if you’re creative, open-minded and patient.

Contemporist: What is the typical day in the life of an interior designer such as yourself?
Antonieta: Coffee is essential! Then I’m out the door and on my feet most of the day. I do most of the sketching and drafting. I source products, tiles, odd materials, lighting, decor. No one ever tells you in the beginning how strong you have to be to be a designer, carrying tile boards and moving furniture and reaching to measure spaces.. it’s a workout!

I have an intimate relationship with my cell phone! I try and work as closely with my clients and trades as possible so I make sure I can be contacted at any time. It is more important to me that a job be done well than allowing any guessing to come into the process.

I’m a busy bee during the day but I will put everything down for a good coffee and a good chat with my mom, we talk on the phone every day. And I like to wrap up my day with a long walk. Sometimes the best work happens outside the office when your mind is open,clear and creative.

Contemporist: What is the best thing about being an interior designer?
Antonieta: You just get to be creative…have fun…constantly playing. Being a designer is a bit like being an educator, helping people realise their dreams.

Contemporist: What is the worst thing about being an interior designer?
Antonieta: You have to be extremely diplomatic. It’s not that it’s the worst thing. Sometimes it is a bit of a guessing game, sometimes the clients test you.

Contemporist: Who or what are your major influences?
Antonieta: Family is my main influence I really like mid-century design and designers, especially architects from California. I love Californian modern, it is changing all the time but still timeless.

Contemporist: What are some projects that you want to do but haven’t had the chance?
Antonieta: Everything…I would love to be involved in designing a boutique hotel. I am doing a lot of residential but would like to collaborate with an architect to bring interior design and architecture together, to make them as one. I would also really love to work on designing sustainable prefab housing for the Canadian market, specifically British Columbia.

Contemporist: What is the hardest thing about working for yourself?
Antonieta: The inner arguements with myself. My own insecurities, I’m a perfectionist and sometimes I don’t have time to make it perfect. Anyone who says they don’t have insecurities is lying.

Contemporist: Is it difficult to get clients to be more adventurous with the designs?
Antonieta: I find many of my clients are very savvy and they do their research. So when we consider doing something new or different we take the time to look into all the pros and cons. It can be difficult to get a client to try new things but it is an exciting challenge I enjoy.

Contemporist: After consulting with a client, what is the process that you go through to bring the idea to a reality?
Antonieta: I gather as much information as possible for the client. Drawings, renderings, colors, materials and inspirations are all elements that help the client visualize what they want with what I see in my head. Getting the idea across successfully is a huge deal. Next, finding the trades to complete the job is just as, if not the most important part! Your design is only as good as the trades you use. There is a lot of research and time that can go into selecting all kinds of elements, ranging from the windows in a house to the door knobs to the trim details to the extra shelves in the kitchen pantry that a client has always dreamed of having. I work closely with a client to ensure their dreams can be achieved, within their budget and time-line.

Contemporist: What is the most frequent part of a home that people want designed?
Antonieta: Kitchens and bathrooms are the best places to start when remodeling or renovating and that’s where we usually start. There are so many different things you can do when designing a new bathroom or kitchen so it makes for a fun creative selection with the client.

Contemporist: In the photos (see above), there are some concrete fireplaces that are obviously the work of a designer. Is it difficult to convince clients to do custom work that results in more of an impressive interior?
Antonieta: When I work with a client and we are working on a larger scale project where we can have impressive areas, there is no convincing needed. When you have a feature fireplace or accent wall, it’s clear that particular item or area needs the extra punch. Custom work always completes an interior, it gives the space a unique and tailored feel.

Contemporist: How do you promote your work and get clients?
Antonieta: It’s not always easy to promote yourself or be on top of your marketing campaign, but being involved in the community and meeting people is the best way to find new clients. I think it’s important to look at all different kinds of advertising and avenues.

Contemporist: Any advice for young designers out there?
Antonieta: Patience! If you are good at what you do, enthusiastic and motivated good things will come to you. And never let someone tell you you can’t do something because with a little effort and compromise you can achieve anything you set your heart on!

Visit the website of D’Introno Interior Design – here.

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Visit the website of Jestico + Whiles – here.

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“Urban street Kitchen” is the motto of the small restaurant in Bremen’s city centre. We transported the asian street kitchen character into a contemporary and clear interior architecture. High fair-faced concrete walls with the artwork presenting a smiling Jackie Su, bright red Asian characters as well as the large suspended acoustic ceilings and unclad air-conditioning ducts emphasise the urban ambience.

Photos by Nikolai Wolff

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Visit Gudmundur Jonsson’s website – here.

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Project Description by Mal Corboy:

The client purchased this penthouse apartment off the plans and has been three years in the making.

The award winning Architect for the apartment project had designed this contemporary complex with very modern simple lines.  There is a high degree of glass and natural stone on the exterior.  He had sourced European Imported Kitchens for all of the apartments, however my client found that the company could not meet the height he wanted in the cabinetry of 2.4 meters’. A client that I have worked with in the past recommended they commission myself to assist them achieve their perfect Kitchen.

As my clients has been involved with the Professional Motor Sport Industry for a number of years, they wanted a very masculine looking space. To achieve this  we eventually chose the  Stat Vein Marble and Stainless Steel, which provided an overall strong mono chromatic look to the Kitchen.  Bench tops were made 150mm high of Stainless Steel with the Stat Marble inserted into the work surface.  I continued the use of the Stainless Steel on the draws, doors and end panel fronts. My clients were particularly fond of Gaggenau appliances and wanted these, to not only match their overall look, but also used extensively within their Kitchen.  This required  sourcing and  importing the Gaggenau fridge/freezer from England as at that time the integrated option wasn’t available in our country. A streamline chromed handle was used on all the cabinetry which were imported from Germany, this gave the Kitchen nice lines and could be used secondary to the Blum electric push release draws. The clients are very design conscious people and coupled with the fact it was twelve months before production began for this Kitchen, I was required to rework the drawings several times as their taste changed as they were exposed to new and different products in the market place. The end result is a very contemporary kitchen which takes peoples breath away when they first see it.  This has become a focal point in this large open plan apartment.

Visit Mal Corboy’s website – here.

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Topline’s existing factory and office in Dongguan – a rather drab Chinese industrial building with attached dormitory – were given an overhaul to give them a more modern branded feel. This was intended to last for the 18 month period while their new premises were under design and construction. A totally remodeled entrance and waiting area were created. Corporate colours and large promotional images were used to add colour and clarity to spaces. Departments were rationalized and a new boardroom with greatly increased seating capacity added. The refectory – the social centre for the staff – was given vivid graphics and lighting, along with the provision of table football and other games for recreational use.

Visit the website of HEAD Architecture and Design – here.

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Full description after the photos….

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Via Venetto Store Interior by Buensalido+Architects

For the first store we designed for Via Venetto, a 30-year old shoe retail store, the brief was to give it a new contemporary image to recapture its market. The dilemna that was initially faced was that it has long established a great reputation in the retail scene, and so veering to far from its original look could alter the market’s perception of it for the worst. We therefore tried to find a balance between maintaining some of its characteristics and infusing them with newer, more contemporary forms.

The word ‘via’ is italian for roadway, path, or walkway. These words are almost synonymous to the characteristic of ‘movement’. Translated physically, the feeling of movement was represented by a series of undulating archs that loom over you as you traverse inside the store. The experience almost becomes ceremonial. These archs were then interconnected with a myriad of beams, forming a diamond shaped faceted web. The parralelism of the diamond represents the store’s standing in the local retail community – in the same way a diamond has developed its sparkle through time, the brand attained the market’s trust thru time as well.

Visit the Buensalido+Architects website – here.

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The Swollen Wall by Paul Coudamy

The client desires to live along with and enjoy his books and films collection in his recently acquired haussmanian apartment. The bookshelf which articulates the different living spaces of the habitation is inserted along the two main load-bearing walls. It goes above walls, through the bedroom’s dressing and can either create a hall area in the entrance, or spread on the corner walls of the office room which accommodates a guest bedding under the elevated desk platform.

From floor to top, the shelf is directed by a 20×20cm squared grid. This grid is defined by the pocket book format and is flexible enough to enlarge for bigger formats or objects. You can therefore find room for speakers, umbrellas, A4 files, vases, etc. Closed storage blocks are extruded from these cells offering a mini bar, a dressing, devices storage and so on.

The bookshelf is either cut either swollen by virtual spheres thanks to digital manipulations.  Its depth variates according to its use but the bookshelf only ‘lives’ when animated by objects.

The shelf creates some sort of a second swollen wall within the apartment where the bumps contrast with the massive angular closed storage. By deforming its edges, the dilated wall creates strange perspectives that appears as a mutation in the classic dwelling. Instead of being an addition, this hybrid element dialogues and interacts with the objects it welcomes and the inhabitants.

Project : fitting of an apartment with bookshelf design
Location : rue Sainte-Beuve, 75006 Paris
Design : Paul Coudamy
Date : 01/2010
Surface : 100m²
Photo courtesy Benjamin Boccas

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“We want you to create an interior design that people either love or hate and that nobody is indifferent to!” was the conditions given to us by the owner Michael Toutoungi when we started working with Café Foam. We began searching for extremes where passion and hate were equally present. Our entrance to the project became the complexity around bull fighting as a phenomenon. We were fascinated by the bull and bullfighter´s mutual movements and the directions in the battle. This struggle along with the materials and colours at the stadium were the inspiration when designing the new Café Foam. We allowed the Spanish temperament to meet the Scandinavian coolness and the inspiration from the bullfighter´s movements across the arena led us to create a design that is reminiscent of Baertling´s lines. There were also two other important factors while creating the design. The first was to keep certain well-known elements from the previous interior to make regulars feel right at home and the second was creating a vivid environment that made meetings easier, protected the integrity of its costumers and enhanced the eating experience. A place for everybody.

Photography by Stefano Barozzi

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Full description after the photos….

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The Circus Bar & Restaurant Interior by Tom Dixon

Taking its cue from the Surrealist art movement, the style of Circus is certainly one of its most memorable aspects, a refreshing and exciting design encompassing the entrance and foyer, main dining area, lounge, bar and WC’s. As one would expect from Tom Dixon, much of the furniture in the space has been created specifically for Circus, these pieces are combined with design classics – from Dixon’s studio as well as other iconic 20th Century names. On the kitchen pass for example, Dixon has utilised the Artek ‘Golen Bell’ lightshade, the main dining table is surrounded by Dixon ‘tall chairs’, there is a Verner Panton ‘Shell’ chandelier and even a bespoke dancer’s pole in the lounge!

The entertainment on offer at Circus lies at the very heart of the venture. Described as inviting, surprising, obscure, strange and beautiful, the acts are guaranteed to entertain. Drinkers and diners can gradually and naturally be involved in the performance should they wish, and those seated at the especially commissioned wide main table will find their dining space transformed into a stage once they have completed dinner.

Visit the Circus website – here.

Visit the Tom Dixon website – here.

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From the designers:

Located in the centre of Istanbul’s classiest shopping district, a striking angular entrance welcomes visitors to browse designer pieces by top brands from all over the world. A large angular column reaches up and past a mezzanine floor, creating an impressive space at the entrance to the store, while a gridlike wall of lightbulbs down the side of the store provides a powerful banner for slogans which can be modified as desired.

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The Elise Island Project by Dan Pearlman

The patients of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the ‘Evangelisches Konigin Elisabeth Krankenhaus’ Hospital (KEH) in Berlin will never feel alone again. In addition to doctors and nurses the youngsters are, since October 2009, hosted by Princess Elise. She is the protagonist of the story told to the children when they arrive at the institution: when she was young, Princess Elise invented her own island, with golden sand, palm trees, rocks that kiss the waves and shelters where she could rest when she needed to. Here she was always safe. Now as a grown-up lady, Elise does no longer need to live on the island and therefore dedicated it to her young patients in the hospital.

The legend was created and transferred to reality by German creative agency Dan Pearlman, who worked closely with the hospital’s psychiatrists and doctors to develop a holistic approach to a new communication and spatial concept. The ‘Isle of Elise’ is based on a concept where design and architecture play a central role, thus forming a completely new approach to child and adolescent psychiatry.

Each room in the hospital was designed in terms of shape, colour, materials and light with the aim of promoting a positive atmosphere, empowering children’s imagination and positive emotions. The new concept meets the demands of young patients and therapeutical staff at the same time. The obligations of therapeutic professionals and the emotional needs of young patients are now balanced.

Visit the Dan Pearlman website – here.

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Photography by Bruce Damonte

Visit the Zack|de Vito Architecture website – here.

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Description from the designers:

SFU have used Poncho No.8’s distinctive brand identity to inspire the restaurants floor. A unique multicoloured herringbone pattern that is the restaurant’s signature feature. The oversized parquet flooring is complimented by clean, white service and eating areas.

Poncho No.8 serves hearty Cali-Mex style burritos, made to order. This distinction from generic lunchtime eateries is reflected in the bespoke flooring and illustration. The restaurant’s vibrant, fresh atmosphere is synonymous with the healthy, colourful food on offer.

Predominantly a lunchtime venue for the city of London, it is important that both the interior and exterior stands out from the crowd. Attracting new customers with the inviting and vibrant look. SFU has developed an easily maintained, durable space with clean lines and straight edges ensuring Poncho No.8 will look just as fresh and exciting for years to come.

Identity for Poncho No.8 by Telegramme

Interior design by Something from Us

The store, located in the Nisantasi quarter of Istanbul, Turkey; is filled with luxurious materials and customised seating throughout its five floors. Inspired by the swirling Vakko logo, Autoban designed a lamp with a similarly curved lampshade specially for the project, while sleek and simple embedded patterns were introduced along the internal surfaces, adding to the luxurious element of the overall experience.

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Photography by Ali Bekman

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Full description after the photos….

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ROBERT unveils for its clientele an expansive view of Columbus Circle, Central Park, Broadway and Central Park West, hidden for decades since the closure of Huntington Hartford’s museum. Celebratory, sexy and romantic, designed to allow for conversation, patrons may dine sitting on sofas in the central lounge area, or be seated at the windows to enjoy the views.

Lighting is designed by San Francisco based architect Johanna Grawunder. Grawunder’s two installations are Cherry Blossom; a mobile-like chandelier installation of LED lit lucite panels and Tangerines; a series of suspended orange lucite boxes along the windowed perimeter. Sculptural steel cocktail tables, host stands and  a 15 foot communal table bisected by a 6 foot high “sound wave” were created for the space by London based architect Philip Michael Wolfson. Upholstered pieces were designed by modernist master Vladimir Kagan. A new video art piece entitled “Orbit 2” was created by artist Jennifer Steinkamp and is the first of her work to be displayed on a 103” plasma screen. Project architects were Schefer Design.

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Full description after the photos….

Photography by Jan Bitter and Joao Morgado

Hotel Zenden by Wiel Arets Architects

The Hotel and Sport School Zenden is located within three monumental town houses near the river Maas in Maastricht, the Netherlands.  The hotel’s history begins in the late sixties, and originally contained only a pool for swimming lessons. Over the years other functions such as hotel rooms and a Judo school were implemented into the program. Upon the facilities reaching spatial limits, a renovation and reorganisation of the program was needed.

During the renovation, the scattered program was re-crystallized into an iconographical and integrated whole. Newly created openings in the hotel’s walls allow for views between all areas of the new program, as well to as the exterior. The renovation led to an abstraction of the structure in both plan and section, not least because all ceilings heights were kept to a maximum. The resulting interior sculpture is completely clad in white, while the exterior inversions are painted anthracite. New program elements were placed if and where necessary.

Upon entering the hotel, a relaxing lounge welcomes guests- and invites them to have a drink, admire the hotel’s pool or simply enjoy the red Japanese maple on the patio- that highly contrasts the hotel’s white interior. From the lounge, guests can pace past the glass-clad wall in the entrance area and descend to the basement, where one finds the sapphire blue waters of the pool, which retains its original medieval vault. Oppositely, ascending the stairs, nine hotel rooms await their guests, each room unique.

Inside the four new guest rooms, services such as showers, toilets and cupboards have been condensed to blocks; enabling more living space. Corian inlays and night-stands have been integrated into the walls, washing tables placed on floating shelves, TV’s hidden behind reflecting glass and bathroom doors also serve as mirrors. Within this playground of guest rooms’ dark-maroon beds, armchairs and ottomans tempt hotel visitors to call the their room a temporary home. Allowing comfortable contemplation of the sights and scenery of the culturally rich city of Maastricht.

Visit the website of Wiel Arets Architects – here.

Visit the Hotel Zenden’s website – here.

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The design features a number of pieces made from salvaged and reclaimed materials, including salvaged pizza ovens, street signs, and wood from old crates, a barn and a church.

Photography by Lincoln Barbour

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Full description after the photos….

Photography by: Xavier Lucas

Flat #1 by Ecole

Facing the Eglise Saint-Gervais on one side and the Hôtel de Ville de Paris on the other, this 95 sqm apartment occupies the whole of the the two top floors of an 18th century building. The project comprised a full restructuration of the existing space and the conception of some design elements. The first floor, formerly consisting of  a long corridor and four rooms has been largely cut open. Thus, the entrance, the living room and the kitchen form one single continuity. The guest space (a bedroom and a bathroom) has been built on the same floor. A steel staircase links the living room to the owner’sv private space underneath the roof.

Visit Ecole’s website – here.

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Marc Jacobs in San Francisco, 2005-2006
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Marc Jacobs in San Francisco, 1999-2000
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Svenson Loft in New York, 2003-2005

Svenson Loft in New York, 2003-2005
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Marc Jacobs in Los Angeles, 2003-2005
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The Duffy House in Provincetown, Massachusetts, 2004-2007
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Marc Jacobs in Tokyo, 2006-2007
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Read more about the book on Amazon.com – here.

The book is published by ORO Editions

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