How did you come up with the
idea for Carmen Santana Interiors?
My partner and I set up a
construction company a few years ago. I needed to study interior design because
clients were increasingly asking for turnkey projects. As this was an area I
loved, I decided to invest in training. And I’ve been getting a lot of work. By
doing the interior design work, we are able to give our clients a much
more customised response. We create 3D projects and sell the project, from
construction to the interior design and decoration.
What is your style?
An interior designer usually
adapts to the client. Depending on the budget, we create the idea. Of course,
if we can let our imagination run wild, we can create distinctive projects.
What importance does the
product have when thinking up a project for the client?
I always try to design something
new for the client. To design different furniture. In fact, the pieces now come
with the Carmen Santana Interiors design signature. These are pieces that you
can’t find anywhere else, because they are created specifically for that
client. I try to adapt my designs to the space. I recently designed the
interiors of a clinic, for example, and what I had in mind was a space with
panels, little houses for the children to play in, trees... in short, I thought
I’d give a world to that place so that the children would feel at ease. Now it
doesn’t even feel like a clinic. It’s like stepping into a space where children
are enchanted by its beauty. I adapted the furniture to the spaces and brought
the walls to life.
What’s the process behind
your work?
Firstly, I try to get to know
the client and absorb their lifestyle. If I know that the client doesn’t like
books, I won’t put books in their home (even though I love books). We have to
have this sensitivity. Then we prepare the project – we choose the colours for
the walls, the materials for the floors, the finishes, the fabrics and the
furniture that will shape and fill the space. Next, we present the project and
adapt it to the client’s requirements. Once everything has been approved, we
move on to the execution.
Is there a type of design
that you favour and instil in your projects?
I really like a contemporary
style. The less cluttered a space is, the more life it reveals. We have to
understand whether the client uses the kitchen, the living room or another
space the most in a house, and we have to work out the design accordingly. Then
there has to be comfort, and everything has to fit in with the client’s
lifestyle. I like to leave a piece of my soul in my projects. I’m going to be a
child for all my life (
she laughs), so I try to leave a bit of that side
of me in every project. I leave the dream.
"We adapt
to the client’s requirements”
What is
the hardest thing an interior designer can be faced with?
Essentially,
finding a builder to carry out the work, and in that area, we are doing fine,
because we do the building (we own Prisma Genuíno). We design the project and
have someone to build it. That’s our greatest asset.
How does Carmen Santana Interiors differ from other studios?
I think
that in every profession, such as the legal profession for example, there are
specialities that they focus on. In interior design we can do that too. For
example, I love to design children’s spaces, I like to write children’s books,
I love children, this is an area that fascinates me. So, I’d like to become an
interior designer specialising in projects for children. I enjoy designing
spaces for children, such as bedrooms, playrooms and social spaces.
What will
the next trends be?
The next
trends will continue to be wallpaper and panelling. The use of panels that
depict landscapes, places is really in at the moment. As for colours, this year’s
colour is peach.
Who is
Carmen Santana?
I’ve
worked in different sectors. As well as writing children’s books and having a
brand for underwear, children’s bed linen and toys featuring the characters
from my books (Rafa & Kiko), I’ve been an entrepreneur for several years
and now I’m an interior designer.
What are
the brand’s prospects?
My goal
is to open a showroom. I want to have a well-designed space so that the client
can come in and get a sense of my world and then want that world in their home.