Interior Designer
Growing up in the Soviet Union, I was exposed to a vision that I did not fully understand. Like many others, I believed that our country was the best in the world, and that it was normal for a family of three or four to live in a one-bedroom apartment. That's why, as a child, I made it my mission to figure out how to make small spaces more comfortable for people. I remember moving furniture from one corner to another in our home, as well as in the homes of my friends and family. Without knowing the fancy term 'staging,' I was essentially doing just that.
I remember the stores with empty shelves, and I recall making decorative pieces from the materials I found in nature or from my father's closet, where he kept old items that were carefully preserved for the occasion of using, reusing, or updating one day. So, yes, you can call me a DIYer - DIY projects are second nature to me.
Lillian Derevitsky
From my childhood, I was interested in art. Luckily, my grandparents' home had a great library, and it was at my full disposal. I read about artists, art, designers, and their work. Fortunately, the Soviet Union was a big country with a long, amazing history and architecture. Despite the fact that we could not move freely around the world, we could still travel inside the country, and my parents liked to visit various places. Of course, I traveled with them, and to say that there was a lot to see and learn is an understatement. Inspiration came from everywhere, from the kingdom of Georgia, which was first unified under the Bagrationi dynasty in the early 11th century, to the shores of Odessa, founded by Italians in 1794. From the Baltic Republics with centuries of European history to Armenia, where Asia begins.
I loved visiting museums, art galleries, old mansions, and palaces. The architecture and design were traditional, intelligent, and sophisticated. Nevertheless, I was always trying to invent my own style. It was a struggle, a creative quest that was sometimes painful. I was constantly striving and thinking about how to make rooms unusual and beautiful, like something people had never seen before. Every interior I ever stepped into was dissected and remodeled in my head, but I was nervous to share my visions. Then something strange happened, something clicked, and the fear of failure disappeared. I decided to make Interior Design my career.
When I start working on a project, I ask unusual questions to get clients talking. I always want to know how they see themselves in the house, how they want to live, and how they want to feel! With my experience in the field, I've learned that my job isn't only to create beautiful interiors but to create something bigger and better. I believe that people can only truly feel happy in spaces they love, and my job as a designer is to help create those spaces. Interiors where my clients feel comfortable, confident, and unique. I believe my job is to help my clients create mise-en-scènes for their amazing lives!