We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Nikolay Vladykin ("NV").
Originally he came to product design from psychology, studying the features of perception, habits and imagination. From this point of view new interesting design ideas and concepts were found. Self-taught in woodworking and furniture design since 2015. Founder and lead designer of "Kai Ross" design studio since 2018. Currently, his priority interest of design are furniture, lighting and interior accessories.
Nikolay Vladykin Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Nikolay Vladykin.
Nikolay Vladykin Design - Balestra Multifunctional Table
Designer Interview of Nikolay Vladykin:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
NV : My parents noticed my design skills at the age of 13. Since childhood, I have loved to draw, invent and craft something
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
NV : Kai Ross Design Studio was established to realize my creative aspirations. It mainly creates furniture, lamps and accessories, but it also conducts experimental research, for example, in the field of optics and new types of vehicles. The range of studio interests is very wide, but not to the detriment of the quality of each of them.
DI: What is "design" for you?
NV : Design means a lot to me. This is, for example, a way of knowing the world around us. When creating an object, I first delve into the world of ideas and feelings. Then, as we concretize, into the world of matter and technology. Each world has its own characteristics and patterns that need to be learned and taken into account. This way is also "design" for me
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
NV : definitely furniture. the objects that we surround ourselves with in our interiors
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
NV : at the moment, this is a Balestra - a multifunctional lounge table. It managed to realize not only the idea of a new combined lounge furniture, but also the soulful aesthetics of modernity in three main materials - wood, metal and glass
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
NV : It was the logo for machinery corporation in 1997
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
NV : My favorite material, without a doubt, is wood, but I strive to complement it with elements of metal and glass
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
NV : I guess it's not a matter of time or condition. It's a matter of inquiry and concentration. I'm the most creative when I have to be.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
NV : First, it is the depth and quality of the idea. I'm not interested in repeating something that already exists or bringing something into the world that doesn't benefit people.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
NV : undoubtedly joy) the joy of discovering everything new, finding full-fledged and uncompromising solutions
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
NV : Joy and satisfaction
DI: What makes a design successful?
NV : Place, time and people
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
NV : Originality of form and function
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
NV : This is more of a design style field than just a design style - within the boundaries of modernism-minimalism-bionics and hi-tech
DI: How do you work with companies?
NV : I work with some remotely, and I come to some to learn more about their production capabilities in order to better adapt the design to them
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
NV : there are several of them, but the "passion & measure" is probably at the top of the list
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
NV : If we are talking about a sketch, it takes at least 30 seconds, 20 of them to find a pencil and paper) but some ideas have been implemented for years - too complicated or expensive
DI: What was your most important job experience?
NV : It's hard to say. Each experience brings something different, and only time will tell how important it is.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
NV : I want to produce serial furniture in the modernist style and participate in the Milan and Dubai exhibitions
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
NV : I create most of the projects on my own, but if necessary, I form a temporary team of professionals
DI: How can people contact you?
NV : via Direct https://www.instagram.com/kairossdesign/