Maria Karolidou Interview,Elliniko Spiti Magazine,Christmas 2009.
Extracts...
Maria Karolidou Interview,Elliniko Spiti Magazine,Christmas 2009.
Danos Danielides:With an exuberant designing and multi-leveled personality,Maria Karolidou has signed numerous striking projects. A perfectionist and a sophisticated person,with an eye on communication,she never stops searching for new and progressive elements in her creations.
D:How did your sweet personal "adventure" on design start,having a master degree on civil engineering?What did the Polytechnic school give you and how did the transaction take place?
M:Indeed a very sweet and eternal adventure,starting almost by chance,as about anything in my life. When I started working as an engineer,I decided I never wanted to be a part of the Greek bureaucracy,killing any creativity and good intentions. I decided I will do a creative profession and then I "met" my interior design studies and my first commissions.
D:Which were?
M:My first project was a detached house,belonging to some friends,in the suburbs. I remember having a measuring instrument,measuring everything,just to be sure I won't make any mistakes! It was a classical style residence and I was studying all the history of the classic styles,to do it right! Other,more contemporary projects followed, gradually leading to the part of designing furniture.The evolution of projects is the true fun!Seeing plans becoming reality,it has always been the inspiration and the motive.In fact,the one project that has given a lot of publicity to my name was a neoclassical house in the Retziki area,a grand palace type interior,published much in the media,probably due to the luxurious character of it,becoming a material of dreams.
D:The focal points of your designing philosophy:
M:My whole perspective is based on Love.Love for humans and all beautiful things.I wish to discover and share the beauty.My target has always been upon a space to be a source of joy for its inhabitants.To express their inner selves,to give them a sense of rest.To have new,amusing elements.To reflect a healthy balance.To reveal many,unexpectedly fine points of view.To express life and radiate positive energy.To be discreet,not yelling.I want to know what pleases my clients and shape it for them,with my own,personal way.This is why i almost never deal with public spaces and always do a tough screening before i take over a new project.It is absolutely essential to me: the existence of an alliance between my client and myself.
D:Aesthetics or functionality? How do you combine both?
M:Aesthetic perfection AND functionality are two qualities I try hard to combine,because if I luck one of them,the consequences are very visible,very fast,very unpleasant.In fact,a space generally looks very spectacular in a photo shooting,especially if we use certain impressive designing effects.But we HAVE to have in mind what happens during actual use.We have to consider materials easy in use and maintenance,fully functional simply because a home HAS to become a personal paradise-not a personal prison.
D:Your favorite style.
M:Oh I respect every style.I am aware that every residential space has the unique quality of the DNA,because it grows and evolves through the personal touch of its inhabitants.So I have learned to skate in a world of changing images.My design identity,however,my home’s identity,is post modern,post minimal but not dead.Remaining in light,spacey and free,few but striking color explosions,love for living Art,collectors items,glass and steel,lovely living plants.
D:The procedure of communication with your future client.
M:Oh generally we speak a lot,giving me the chance to figure if they truly want to cooperate seriously,having realistic goals and the will to realize those goals through a harmonious alliance,if they are wise enough to listen to sincere and good-willing pieces of advice,being receptive.Future clients who do not wish to exchange respect,simply do not interest me.I always have the absolute luck to have amazing people in my clientele,growing incredibly good professional and personal relationships,coordinating
D:Do you work on a computer or on hand or both?
M:(big smile)I am a proud Mac Addict!BUT,i always make my plans by hand,having a tremendous easiness on drawing and considering that the living paper is grounding me close to reality,which I appreciate a lot.However,there is constantly a display in front of my eyes,showing me infinite visual material and all new online info from the design front.
D;Your favorite designer?
M:Marcel Wanders!Clever,communicati
D:Your sources of inspiration?
M:Everything existing!All the love of God inside the beauty that surrounds us,a beauty visible only to the ones willing to see!All the time i get surprised by gorgeous sceneries!Visual beauties inspire me and music helps me express myself.
D:Certain things you haven’t and wish to do?
M:Oh yes,I definitely want to write a book proving that the most beautiful places exist due to the force of love.Various levels of love create beauty in the environment.
D:And your last words?
M:Well,it is not by chance that my petit column is called “Design your Life”.Spaces interact with life qualities.I agree that there are not fine projects-there are fine people.Because money can create beauty,up to a certain point-plateau.This is visible every day on the numberless,astonishingly luxurious,yet dead homes.What gives eternal life to a space is the light of existence and love,refined taste for things,inner culture,positive energy,passion,joy and gratitude for the fabulous adventure of creating a place called home.
Maria Karolidou Interview,Elliniko Spiti Magazine,Christmas 2009.
Danos Danielides:With an exuberant designing and multi-leveled personality,Maria Karolidou has signed numerous striking projects. A perfectionist and a sophisticated person,with an eye on communication,she never stops searching for new and progressive elements in her creations.
D:How did your sweet personal "adventure" on design start,having a master degree on civil engineering?What did the Polytechnic school give you and how did the transaction take place?
M:Indeed a very sweet and eternal adventure,starting almost by chance,as about anything in my life. When I started working as an engineer,I decided I never wanted to be a part of the Greek bureaucracy,killing any creativity and good intentions. I decided I will do a creative profession and then I "met" my interior design studies and my first commissions.
D:Which were?
M:My first project was a detached house,belonging to some friends,in the suburbs. I remember having a measuring instrument,measuring everything,just to be sure I won't make any mistakes! It was a classical style residence and I was studying all the history of the classic styles,to do it right! Other,more contemporary projects followed, gradually leading to the part of designing furniture.The evolution of projects is the true fun!Seeing plans becoming reality,it has always been the inspiration and the motive.In fact,the one project that has given a lot of publicity to my name was a neoclassical house in the Retziki area,a grand palace type interior,published much in the media,probably due to the luxurious character of it,becoming a material of dreams.
D:The focal points of your designing philosophy:
M:My whole perspective is based on Love.Love for humans and all beautiful things.I wish to discover and share the beauty.My target has always been upon a space to be a source of joy for its inhabitants.To express their inner selves,to give them a sense of rest.To have new,amusing elements.To reflect a healthy balance.To reveal many,unexpectedly fine points of view.To express life and radiate positive energy.To be discreet,not yelling.I want to know what pleases my clients and shape it for them,with my own,personal way.This is why i almost never deal with public spaces and always do a tough screening before i take over a new project.It is absolutely essential to me: the existence of an alliance between my client and myself.
D:Aesthetics or functionality? How do you combine both?
M:Aesthetic perfection AND functionality are two qualities I try hard to combine,because if I luck one of them,the consequences are very visible,very fast,very unpleasant.In fact,a space generally looks very spectacular in a photo shooting,especially if we use certain impressive designing effects.But we HAVE to have in mind what happens during actual use.We have to consider materials easy in use and maintenance,fully functional simply because a home HAS to become a personal paradise-not a personal prison.
D:Your favorite style.
M:Oh I respect every style.I am aware that every residential space has the unique quality of the DNA,because it grows and evolves through the personal touch of its inhabitants.So I have learned to skate in a world of changing images.My design identity,however,my home’s identity,is post modern,post minimal but not dead.Remaining in light,spacey and free,few but striking color explosions,love for living Art,collectors items,glass and steel,lovely living plants.
D:The procedure of communication with your future client.
M:Oh generally we speak a lot,giving me the chance to figure if they truly want to cooperate seriously,having realistic goals and the will to realize those goals through a harmonious alliance,if they are wise enough to listen to sincere and good-willing pieces of advice,being receptive.Future clients who do not wish to exchange respect,simply do not interest me.I always have the absolute luck to have amazing people in my clientele,growing incredibly good professional and personal relationships,coordinating
D:Do you work on a computer or on hand or both?
M:(big smile)I am a proud Mac Addict!BUT,i always make my plans by hand,having a tremendous easiness on drawing and considering that the living paper is grounding me close to reality,which I appreciate a lot.However,there is constantly a display in front of my eyes,showing me infinite visual material and all new online info from the design front.
D;Your favorite designer?
M:Marcel Wanders!Clever,communicati
D:Your sources of inspiration?
M:Everything existing!All the love of God inside the beauty that surrounds us,a beauty visible only to the ones willing to see!All the time i get surprised by gorgeous sceneries!Visual beauties inspire me and music helps me express myself.
D:Certain things you haven’t and wish to do?
M:Oh yes,I definitely want to write a book proving that the most beautiful places exist due to the force of love.Various levels of love create beauty in the environment.
D:And your last words?
M:Well,it is not by chance that my petit column is called “Design your Life”.Spaces interact with life qualities.I agree that there are not fine projects-there are fine people.Because money can create beauty,up to a certain point-plateau.This is visible every day on the numberless,astonishingly luxurious,yet dead homes.What gives eternal life to a space is the light of existence and love,refined taste for things,inner culture,positive energy,passion,joy and gratitude for the fabulous adventure of creating a place called home.