ELENIUM

the way emotional design by Elena Khryashcheva turns furniture items into objects of art

—I wanted to study architecture and did not think about object design. Although I was interested in designing furniture, lighting and small architectural forms during my studies, I did not connect it with my future career. I loved the English education system, and thanks to the teachers and workshops I felt my horizons and imagination expanding. We did a lot of things with our hands on our own in the carpentry workshop, from sketches to prototypes. Practical work with different materials and ways of assembling them gave me the skills to understand how to realise this or that idea. My interest in furniture design intensified after the training - at that time I created many sketches of furniture with a metal education, found a 3D visualiser for high-quality renders and for the first time took part in the Prototype competition organised by Premier Group. Winning the ‘Audience Choice Award’ nomination set me up for serious development as an object designer. My objects have been taken into mass production by the company and have taken part in international exhibitions in Cologne, Stockholm, Poland and a museum in Budapest.

— The key parameters of my furniture are ‘visual lightness’ and a spectacular and memorable look with laconic forms and graphic lines. The key aspect, besides form, ergonomics and functionality, is the emotional trigger. ‘Emotional design’ is about how a person perceives an object through the response of feelings and their associations. For example, many people don't remember the name of the Curve series chair, but show it as joined palms, which evokes feelings of emotional and physical closeness, contact, warmth, and comfort. Objects from the Link collection are associated with caramels from serene childhood, evoke the desire to touch their matte translucent surface. And the Bubble collection armchair with a pink base is associated with a gum bubble, which everyone used to blow with great pleasure when they were children.

— I distinguish between two lines of my furniture: collectibles and serial design, and they have different proportions of these parameters. In collectibles, the aesthetics, the philosophy of the piece and the uniqueness of the material can prevail over functionality. However, in mass production, functionality is as important as aesthetics, as these pieces will be used by many people, it is important to consider the balance. If aesthetics is compromised at the expense of functionality when designing an object - for example, if I need to add technical details to increase stiffness and this affects the shape of the object - then I will abandon further development of that object and move on to the next one. Otherwise the balance will be disturbed and I won't get the inner satisfaction of the look of the object. I often rely on this internal response when designing furniture: if the ‘internal toggle switch’ clicks, then the piece is finished. If not, then it is necessary to continue the design or abandon it. Otherwise, the item will not resonate with customers, and it will be difficult to promote it.

— I think it's the Reindeer console because of the touching shape of the object and the lightness of its idea. I was getting ready for bed, and then the image appeared in my head. I usually dismiss such ‘quick’ ideas as the first ideas are usually the most obvious. The teacher always said, ‘such ideas are in the air, and if they came to you, they've come to dozens of other people too.’ But I felt that this image and idea were the exception to the rule. ‘The tumbler clicked.’ Subsequently, it was ‘Reindeer’ that gave me the opportunity to participate in an exhibition in Italy as a finalist in the competition of one of the most famous galleries in the world, Rossana Orlandi, and received a special mark from the international jury. And it is still dear to me to this day.

— The first time I felt it was when Architecture Digest magazine published an article about me in the ‘Talent’ section, which meant a lot to me, encouraged me and gave me confidence as a professional. The second time I felt it was after my friends cheered, ‘Wow, my friend is a RedDot winner!’. It sounded like ‘Wow, my friend is a celebrity!’. The support of my friends is invaluable in difficult and especially happy moments, because a close social circle is so important to success. The third time was when I stood on the stage in Milan to award the RoPlastic Prize nominees. In parallel, all of this was supported by publications and invitations as an expert, jury and speaker, which is important for credibility in the world of design and building a personal brand.

— Sustainable design is becoming more and more embedded in daily life. Although object designers have been developing new products with this characteristic for a long time, it has not yet emerged as an important component of furniture items and value in everyday life among the masses. Gradually, this trend will only become stronger. In my opinion, the emphasis on individuality is also important. There are so many visually similar objects in the world of design that sometimes you wonder why the author ‘invents’ almost the same, for example, ‘table’, what is the value of the author's contribution to the development of his own creativity and design in general? I am fascinated by famous designers from the 50s and 60s of the last century, whose objects are still in production and look much more modern than most of the current collections. I think this is the point of the design profession: what does the author bring to the world?

— Currently, the collectibles are presented in the Tirage 1/1 gallery and on the Teo Cosmoscow platform. Serial furniture can be seen in dealer showrooms in Moscow, on the Manner&Matter online platform and in the Roommate space.

— I enjoy experimenting with materials in collectibles. Now I want to take an inexpensive, familiar material and try to give it a new function. I am curious, because you never know if you will get an interesting result and how the material will behave later on. Every creative idea is always a search for the best solution and a puzzle game, you have to try many variants to make it fit together. Because I prefer to create visually light furniture, sometimes the actual furniture is structurally complex. This shaping is one of the factors in my success. At the moment, I am focusing on simpler and easier to execute forms, especially for series furniture.

— Winning competitions confirms that my design is cutting-edge, as it is evaluated and recognised by international independent experts. It means that the path I have chosen for realisation is the right one. Exhibitions give more recognition to the items and the brand and allow immediate feedback from the buyers. Exhibitions also show the rise of the industry, which is good. For me, design is first and foremost a reflection of my perception of the world, and it is important for me not to lose this value, but to develop it, regardless of external factors.

— This year I plan to develop serial design, to build a team, to approach it not only as a creative endeavour but also as a business. I want to do a solo exhibition of furniture and works in a cool space or at a well-known venue. I would also like to try my hand at collection design as an artist, of course, bringing a touch of object design into this field as well.

What inspired you to choose a career in furniture design and how did your education at the University of Hertfordshire influence your creativity?

What aspects do you take into account when designing a furniture collection?

What is your approach to the process of blending functionality and aesthetics in your work?

Tell us about the most memorable project.

You have an individual style that transcends the borders of our country, recognised by design industry experts and awarded with international prizes. At what point did you yourself experience success?

What are the most promising trends in furniture design right now?

Where can we see your items?

What materials and techniques do you prefer to use in your projects?

How do exhibitions and competitions influence your design vision?

What are your future plans?

— To be purposeful. Coming up with a ‘chair’ is half a job. But realising it and making it known to the general public requires a lot of effort and time. That is why it is important to be consistent, ambitious, proactive, constantly learning, trying new things, looking for your own handwriting, surrounding yourself with like-minded people, staying the course and asking the question ‘What do I bring to the world?’. And if you feel that this is your best path, then it will definitely become the Best.

What advice would you give to young aspiring designers?