11 Questions for Designer Irina Krascheninnikova

Irina Krascheninnikova, a philosopher by education, does not just create interiors — she builds an ideal world where everyone gets what they were striving for. That is, good layout, convenient furniture, beautiful decor, and most importantly — happiness to be yourself and feel understood.

Why are you a designer?

I like creating ordered beauty from chaos.

Design: Irina Krascheninnikova
What do you like more in your work — the process or the result?

The result, of course. By result I mean not just a completed interior, but happy faces of clients living in it. Things themselves have no meaning until a person sees them, holds them, touches them, smells them, tastes them. So the value of an interior is only revealed when a person appears in it.

Design: Irina Krascheninnikova
What would you do if a client who bought an apartment in a new building said they could only feel comfortable in classic style?

I would suggest hanging modern art on the walls of a classic interior.

Design: Irina Krascheninnikova
Small apartments for you — a creative challenge or an unpleasant order?

I like working with small apartments because they are built quickly, are often featured in publications, and always receive a strong response from readers. But for a small apartment to be interesting, the client must be open to experimentation and innovation. Only then can fresh and inspiring projects be created.

Are there rules in interior design that must not be broken?

It is important to remember that architecture is primary, it sets proportions and style of the interior. Interior design is a reflection of the lifestyle and thoughts of people living in it. Therefore, even in the same house (in the same architecture) for different people completely different interiors are created (I had such a case in my practice). What is unacceptable to one person makes another happy. So, in my opinion, rules in interior design apply mainly to technologies, engineering, and selecting appropriate equipment for the task and conditions. Everything else should be determined not by rules but by tasks to solve, and by the worldview of the designer and client.

Design: Irina Krascheninnikova
What makes up modern Russian style? Where are its roots — in the palaces of St. Petersburg or in the villages of central Russia?

Modern Russian style is a style whose uniqueness is determined by the specificity of local life, historical and cultural features of our country. It is not an ethnic lubok style, nor a palace style, nor a Soviet style. It's a mix of all the above and many more elements that make up our mentality.

What interior would you call ideal?

I think in life there is nothing perfect, so there is no such thing as a perfect interior. Any evaluation is subjective and depends not only on the person but even on their mood, on which foot they got out of bed in the morning. What seemed ideal yesterday might seem irritatingly optimistic or, on the contrary, unjustifiably gloomy today…

What order would you never accept under any circumstances?

One that does not inspire.

What order do you dream about?

I dream of a boutique hotel interior.

Apartment in Scandinavian style in Moscow
What would you advise beginning designers?

Stock up on patience. Creating an interior is a long process. If you're an impulsive person, focused on quick results, then graphic design might be better for you, for example.

Design: Irina Krascheninnikova
You create optimistic interiors. What helps you stay optimistic?

My interiors are my way of living. Actually, I'm not an optimist at all — I'm a gloomy realist. And if it weren't for my work, which is fundamentally positive — creating harmony from emptiness or chaos — I would have given up long ago (smiles).

Designer Irina Krascheninnikova