We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Assel Baimakhan ("AB").
Assel Baimakhan is an award-winning designer that helps make the World a better place with their original and innovative creations and advanced design works.
Assel Baimakhan Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Assel Baimakhan.
Designer Interview of Assel Baimakhan:
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?
AB : I am an architect by training, but at the moment I am fully focused on interior and furniture design. The road to this was not fast. Worked as an assistant to the head of the construction organization. Once I completed one of my projects for a customer, and he, looking at the result, offered to do the interior in a house built earlier. I agreed. I liked the selection of finishing materials, furniture and accessories so much that it gradually turned into the main craft. Thus began my career as an interior designer.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
AB : “Casa Azzurra's philosophy considers the interests of people in considering the parameters of the living environment, which are approaches to choosing a request and compiling a list of a person” - this quote describes the general meaning of the designer's activity well. the philosophy of my company is this: it is important to listen to the customer and allocate from his resources to make the premises comfortable, functional and as aesthetic as possible, whether it is residential, office or commercial
DI: What is "design" for you?
AB : “Design is about connecting culture with an idea and making interesting things out of them. Designers do it unconsciously. They work with the intention of spreading ideas. And the guys are good at it. Empathy helps them. Designers go beyond their own consciousness and create something that can really interest others.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
AB : I love the work of world designers. I can sit for hours and look at the work of such designers as: Bella Manchini, Alberto Pinto. Fabio Novembre.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
AB : My favorite project is the Mountain House, I created it from scratch, emphasizing the natural landscape and panoramic views in the architecture of the house and in the interior design.This project began with the reconstruction of an existing building, but in order to implement the new wishes of the customer, it was easier to rebuild the house. The beauty of the site, located in the mountains surrounded by trees, was emphasized by the modern architecture of the new building and the materials for its decoration - shell stone and wood.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
AB : My first design experience was in a boutique. It was very exciting and very scary for one. But I trusted myself and my team. The boutique was designed to sell furniture, I learned a lot about both furniture and design. The customer was satisfied, the boutique was designed with love and good design. I really love my first project and always remember it
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
AB : I love AD/ Archdaily/ Elle doceration/pinterest/instagram
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
AB : We all find our source of inspiration for creativity in different ways. Someone needs a diary and a clear plan for productive work, someone needs freedom and sleepless nights. I very often see future designs in my dreams, or when I look at the designs of world designers. I get inspired and feel ready to design.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
AB : My motto is to create a space that will surprise, always feel new, yet comfortable and functional. A space that charges a person with positive emotions.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
AB : I am truly happy when I create, when I can create what I feel and see. I am very glad that the wonderful profession of a designer makes this world not only more beautiful but also better in many senses of the word.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
AB : It is very important for every designer to make his idea come true. This is an indescribable feeling and delight when what he created came to life. I feel truly happy
DI: What makes a design successful?
AB : In interior design, it's not the functionality that strikes, it's the art; it is here that passions rage, and it is this that turns the interior into a transcendent experience.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
AB : When developing interior design, first of all, the convenience and interests of the residents of the house should be. Aesthetics is not a top priority. It is much more important to equip the house in such a way that each element of the interior is comfortable and functional. This applies to both furniture and decor.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
AB : It's hard to deny that an interior designer's job is to improve the quality of a client's life. The environment around us has a huge impact on how we behave and feel. And the role of an interior designer during quarantine is more important than ever.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
AB : Of course, there has been a shift in the focus of interest towards online communications. There are many new digital formats that brands use to connect with their audience. Exhibitions, conferences, festivals quickly adapted to online. The digital environment in which brands exist has become highly competitive. This led to bold experiments in design in a general sense, as well as the search for new ways to interact with the audience and customers. I think that design is an integral part of life and it definitely has a bright future.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
AB : I have not yet had personal exhibitions, but I myself really like to visit exhibitions, furniture exhibitions, museums
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
AB : As I said earlier, I am inspired by other designers. I want my design to carry not only beauty and practicality, but also history. I am truly inspired by designers whose work becomes timeless, and whose work we cite as an example.
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?
AB : I believe that every style has its own beauty and its own rules. But I don't really like rules) so I can say that in design I don't use a certain style, but I mix several styles, with this technique I make the design complex and unconventional. I want to look at such designs and find some reminiscences of different styles.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
AB : Looking at the ornamental motifs, I feel an extraordinary power. And at the same time, in Kazakh ornaments, there are unique features inherent only to our people. I consider this a feature of the Kazakh ornament. The nomadic lifestyle determined the style of the Kazakh interior. The furniture was versatile and built into both minimalist and neoclassical interiors, but carried a deep meaning. I would like our compositions to be known abroad, and the Kazakhstanis themselves would appreciate the physical heritage more.
DI: How do you work with companies?
AB : I am always open to cooperation with other companies, in any case it is always a great experience
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
AB : I always set up a live meeting, I think it's very important. During the meeting, in fact, you can learn a lot about a person, about his experience, opinion, about how he likes to work, what he likes or not. In any case, you always need to give a person a chance to work, then it will be seen for sure
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
AB : In total, there are 3 main stages for creating an interior design, as well as 3 parts directly in the design. Stage 1. First of all, it is necessary to collect the initial data on the basis of which the design will be carried out. Stage 2. One of the most creative parts of the work, the main task of which is to find the optimal layout in terms of functionality and ease of use. Stage 3. Construction and repair. The final part is the implementation of the interior design.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
AB : I love the right light, furniture, carpets, art objects, and fittings
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
AB : my day starts with yoga at 5 am)) then I cook breakfast for my family (I am a mother of three children). After I go to work and then go to the construction site) my day is always busy. As soon as I decide my business, I'm going home to cook dinner))
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
AB : I believe that a designer should have his own style and view of things, be original. Be sure to have an artistic taste, which allows you to create an image of future work in your imagination. And also patience, as interior designers often have to deal with small setbacks and big failures.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
AB : The advantages of the profession of a designer include the creativity of work, the possibility of embodying creative potential, income, the use of knowledge in everyday life for yourself and your family. The disadvantages of the profession of a designer include, first of all, the problems of evaluating the results of creative work, which can cause disagreements with the customer, objections and whims.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
AB : The main design laws are based on the principles of harmony, "golden section", integrity, competent combination of colors, practicality, environmental friendliness of finishing materials
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
AB : In order to become an interior designer you need to know the theory of color and composition; understand architectural styles, ergonomics, types of decor and principles of lighting; be able to draw and work in graphic editors. And, of course, a good designer understands how the repair process goes: he distinguishes well between the types of finishing materials and can tell the client about a variety of construction technologies.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
AB : When developing design projects, most often we use Photoshop graphics programs, as well as AutoCAD and Revit programs. I always have with me, probably the most important book of the Architect and designer "Architects' Data" by Ernst Neufert
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
AB : Yes, that's right, but I always do important and urgent things first, then I start things that do not have a deadline. But I always remind myself that my family and I are more important, so I try to be as close to my family as possible.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
AB : depends on the complexity of the object, and on the design. On average, about a year
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
AB : How to find a client, and how to become a successful designer))) and I always answer that everything has its time, the main thing is to go towards your goal and believe in yourself
DI: What was your most important job experience?
AB : The most important experience is working with people, being able to communicate with them, as interior design involves a large number of specialists. I am very grateful to everyone I met on my way, because it is from people that you learn a lot))
DI: Who are some of your clients?
AB : my clients are all different people, someone is a businessman or a business woman, someone is a fashion designer, entrepreneur or public figure, there were also show business stars, there are no specific clients. On the one hand, this is cool, since there is communication with different people and each of them is special in his own way.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
AB : I love being a designer project manager)) I come up with a design, and I unite specialists around me with whom we will bring the design to life)
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
AB : I want to become a designer who will be remembered with a smile) I want to be the one who inspires
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
AB : Yes, I have a team, I develop the design myself from start to finish, but in my team there are specialists as a draftsman and 3d visualizer of projects with whom we together bring the design to life
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
AB : Yes, such projects are unfinished, there were reasons for everything, so I don’t even know what to tell about them
DI: How can people contact you?
AB : you can write me on instagram)) I'm always open to communication https://www.instagram.com/interiordesigners/