Interview

In the interview conducted by blogger Nazaret Barreto, interior designer Maite Bravo shares her advice for those interested in entering the field of decoration and interior design, basing her suggestions on her extensive professional experience in this field.

Who is Maite Bravo?

She is a decorator and interior designer who, in 1999, founded her own studio in Barcelona: "Cubí 80. Renovation of spaces." She works in a close and personalized way with her clients with the goal of designing homes according to each individual's style and needs.

What personal experience made you decide to dedicate your career to interior design?

The surprise and curiosity I felt during my adolescence when I saw how different the interiors of apartments in the same building could be, despite being similar in size, but so diverse in decoration. I found it very interesting to observe the very different sensations that could be perceived by changing layouts and furniture styles, wall colors, curtains, lamps, lighting types, etc., all depending on the personality and family type.

What recommendation or instructions would you give to someone starting out?

A recommendation I would give is to continue with education. School shapes you and is where interests and curiosities are cultivated and awakened, so that later each of us can develop it individually. Therefore, continuing to learn through additional courses is always good, but it should also be done alongside other professionals; working with them, observing, listening, and absorbing as many aspects as possible, not only those related to sketching components of the project, but also learning to manage and solve any type of problem... which always exist.

Although, the best way to know yourself is to give yourself time, what has remained in your design approach over the years?

Working on and carrying out the project to the point of being able to see and verify that the result obtained from the commission is appropriate. On one hand, reviewing and checking that it complies with the previous briefing, and on the other hand, feeling that the client is happy with their new space according to their understanding of comfort, habits, and tastes.

Do you have a distinct style, or do you prefer to go with the flow in each project?

I design and develop each decoration and interior design project according to the assignment and client. Still, I am sure there is a common factor in my designs that characterizes me, for which my clients probably choose me and feel comfortable and identified with the way I work. It is inevitable; even if we do it unconsciously, all interior designers have a distinction that sets us apart.

Is this your starting point for creating a space?

My starting point is to analyze the space to be changed along with the client's basic and specific needs. Then, I work on the aesthetics. A room, no matter how beautiful it may be, if it is ultimately uncomfortable in its daily use, it becomes an unappealing space or it's simply not used... turning it into a bad design.

Where do you find inspiration?

We constantly live surrounded by interesting stimuli: looking, observing, walking, exploring, touching, listening, reading, traveling (even in the city itself)... We have many interesting places around us that we don't pay enough attention to and, in turn, have a lot to offer us. We receive daily information that complements our training as interior designers, although any design specialty nourishes the rest, including all disciplines of art.

How do you capture what the client wants? And if they don't know what they want, how do you guide them?

Initially, through communication. Secondly, visiting their current home to capture their style and asking them questions to understand their way of living and their scale of priorities in terms of daily and occasional use. We analyze together each of the rooms in their home, both in function and aesthetics, with the goal of helping them improve it, whether in the same house or in a different one they intend to move to.

Can you define what decoration is for you?

Decoration is the art of turning an unattractive and/or uncomfortable space into a comfortable, pleasant, and beautiful one, especially for people who will use it daily.