Interview with Ivana Bukvic

When I design I feel free, like in my own world where everything is possible. Although, when you design for someone, it can be very difficult to meet with your clients wishes and what really is possible and would be the best solution. But what really motivates me is making people happy. After all magic is done, that look on client's face, look that says how happy and satisfied he/she is, is priceless.

Like I said, it has always been my passion. I was lucky to had opportunity to turn my hobby into a job. There is nothing better than enjoying every day of your work, no matter how stressful it can be.

We, at Ivy's design, do all kinds of interiors. Until now we have designed different offices, co-working spaces, apartments, old houses, bars and restaurants. What I truly enjoy designing are private homes, since my specialty is bringing warmth inside the space, in private homes it's all about that.

I don't want to sound like I am repeating myself but what really matter is hard work. Believe in yourself and it will come.

Anyone can be a good designer, there is no bad design. But to be a great designer you need to understand people, their emotions, feelings and needs. There is where your great talent shows up.

Feeling that design makes. My special warmth inside every space I have designed make it good as it is. Without it, it would be just average.

In interior design a lot depends on client's budget. If I see it is needed I always suggest them where to invest more money, what would paid more at the end. But it's not necessary that something cheap can't be great too. If you give a product right purpose and place you can make it good.

You have probably heard about Emily Henderson. She is my idol. She reminds me on myself, her character and personality and her design style as well.

i would probably be a tax advisor or accountant since that was what I have studied.

Design for me is more than just a job. I am emotional person and design allows you to be emotional, what means I can be how I am, and there is no better feeling than that one. Design is made for the people, and when you make other people happy by doing what makes you happy, sounds like a perfect match.

My family at the first place, my husband who believed when opportunity showed up to show my real talent. With a time, how number of projects were increasing, other people recognised my talent as well.

Realising the fact, there is always a solution for every problem and every situation. Believe and don't give up when times are hard and everything seems lost.

I would say in design, probably like in every other profession, if you want to succeed, lifetime learning is a must. Trends are changing, there is always something new coming up and someone who wants to be great in what they do must, not only be up with trends, than be one step ahead.

Nowadays with all that online world behind the screens possibilities are unlimited. Anyone can present their work today on social media and for free. Although if you are a bigger player and want to be recognised by large number of people you should consider investing some money in your marketing at the first place. Opportunity like this one, by applying for design awards is a great example how to show to the world who are you and how great your design is.

Next big project is designing new co-working spaces around USA, starting with Chicago. I am not allowed to say more about it, only that is going to be big. Keep following our social media to be updated. Other project, currently running is refurbishing more than a hundred years old house in Berlin, hat has been challenging due to protection problem since object is national heritage. All in all it is always exciting with us and I am so looking forward to what is coming next.

It connects people. When you are inside some space where you feel welcome and good, you wish to never leave it. Your positive energy is spreading among other people and makes everyone feel better now. Design inside the space is like a weather outside, when sun is shining, world looks like better place.

I am especially excited about moving my team for certain time to USA. It is going to be my first project on the other continent and for that reason also really challenging due to different laws and regulations. But more about it is coming.

Private homes. My specialty is bringing warmth inside the space, in private homes it's all about that.

It depends on the project. A lot of factors including, budget, existing condition of the object, client's wishes etc. play big role in project duration. It could be from 2 months to 6 months and more.

We always start with interviewing our clients, to get to know each other, for me to find out more about them, their personality and character. After that we have a team brainstorming, to exchange ideas and see how we can meet our design solutions with clients wishes.

We use photoshop for creating mood boards, SketchUP for 3D visualisations and ArchiCAD and AutoCAD for drawings and sketches.

All above play big role in design. Material gives expensive or cheap look, colours bring feeling inside the space and ambient is a whole picture of those two.

First reaction is I need to try it. I like to try new products by myself before offering them to my clients, so I can be sure in quality and design of that certain product.

I haven't tried yet. Maybe, one day if opportunity shows up I could try it but for now I am happy how is it going at Ivy's design.

Each space has its own story. For ErnteZeit project my inspiration was my friend, food blogger. Her lifestyle and promoting healthy eating was just what was needed in ErnteZeit restaurant. For some other projects I find inspiration in other people and things I am surrounded with.

By constantly learning new things. Always being up to date with new trends. Reading, exploring, talking with people and listening their preferences, wishes, suggestions and critics.

Like I mentioned, Emily Henderson is my idol designer. If could choose to meet someone it would definitely be her.

I wouldn't say I am famous. This is just a beginning. Ivy's design has much more to achieve in the future u´but I can't be more happy and grateful that beautiful things like this award started to happening.

Since this award is about ErnteZeit project I will say one funny story that had happened. Three days before opening, furniture has disappeared. They told us it was delivered, someone took that delivery but no-one know who is that someone and where the furniture is. It took us several days to solve the mystery, in the meantime opening had happened and neighbour bar borrowed us their chairs for the opening party. Point of this story, it is important to have good relationship with your neighbours. You never know when they are going to save you.

When you are surrounded by great people every day you don't need other motivation. And that is exactly what my team means for me, in professional life. In private life and life in general, every morning when I open my eyes and look at my kids I know what I live for.

Definitely yes! Since early years I was creating something from everything I could have found. That is why I started with my own fashion design studio during school days.

I don't like to think that far. Life is here, in front of us and we should enjoy every moment of it.

After I founded my own design studio, based in Berlin, Germany, we have focused more on other, different projects, like restaurant ErnteZeit that won us A' design award. We have big plans for the future, at the moment we are working, together with rent24, on opening their new locations in USA. That is a big project for us since we rent24 is planing to open more than 10 locations in different, world's most popular cities. In the same time, we have different projects in Germany and Croatia, from offices, restaurants to houses and flats. Ivy's design has 8 employees, currently expanding regarding to increased volume of work. Although we are small team, we have big projects and rely on teamwork.

Design for me is much more than just a job. Through design I express not only my feelings and emotions than emotions of my clients, for whom the space is designed. It is important that design tells story of the people for who you are designing but also people who are going to spend time in that space. Design for me means revive the space according to its purpose and people.

I love challenges, especially those parts in some spaces that are rejected and forgotten. For me they are more interesting because designing that kinds of spaces I show my full potential and made those parts into highlights. I feel than I have freedom to turn boring, godforsaken parts into glowing elements of every space.

Like mentioned above, I first started with refurbishing old apartments. Later, just after my husband started with his business company I was designing offices and co-working spaces. Now Ivy's design covers all kinds of spaces, we have designed everything, from offices, restaurants to houses.

Special attention is always on natural elements. Nature is a big part of my life and my design is recognised especially because of bringing nature in every space. Combining natural elements, plants and wood with gold and copper details is my favourite match.

Working together with my team, exchanging ideas is when I feel most inspired. It is important to be up to trend and follow what I "in" nowadays. I am constantly learning and educating myself, researching and exploring. Talent plays big role in design but hard work is what brings results.

I think there is no such a thing as "bad" design. Any design can't be bad, those are personal preferences. Difference can be make between design that most people like and enjoy and design that several people feel good at. I wouldn't consider design as good or bad, just as how people when they are inside the space. Following their reaction from the first impression to their second and later coming in. If every time when they come in, they feel the same excitement I know I did a good job.

I live in Germany, actually in Berlin, which means totally different than life in other german cities. If you have ever been to Berlin, you know its special charm. Berlin is unique, very international, young, chilling and alternative. There is especially, since years, popular industrial design. It has also very rich history, especially during second world war and you can feel it in the city. Because of all of that, being a designer in Berlin has lot of cons, it is full of inspiration and meeting all those international people makes you feel like you are traveling around the world just by living there. But it is also competitive due to large number of designers in Berlin and Germany in general.

Every project starts with meeting with clients to get to know each other and the space we are going to design. After that is always meeting with my colleagues about exchanging ideas and suggestion to start with design concept.

I am mother of two little kids, 3 and 7 years old. My day always starts with making a breakfast for my family, driving kids to school and heading to the office. I won't lie, working days are always super busy and stressful. Meeting all day with clients, working on currents projects with my colleagues, trying to do my best on all sides. It is not easy to manage it but I kind of like it, that is the reason, I think, why I always manage it successfully.

What I always say to everyone, never give up, hard work pays! if you believe in yourself and work hard, opportunity will come. My beginning was going in completely direction, but deeply inside I have always felt that design in my way to. 10 years ago I couldn't image what my life will be today, but somehow I believed I will find my way to do what I love.

Nothing is perfect, but when you do what you love, you are close to that. For me being a designer is like a dream come true and although there were and will be a lot of sleepless nights, trying to manage being a mom, wife and successful designer is not an easy job, but what good in life is easy?! Being a designer is a passion above the job and if you don't feel it, it won't be that much satisfying as it should be.

Like I mentioned before, except talent, you must work hard. Without hard work nothing will happen. Other, for me important skill to have is passion for design, your emotions are what make your design good as it is.

Well know is that internet is endless source of informations, so Pinterest is a place where I found a lot of inspirations. But besides internet you must talk to the people, you must get to know your clients, their personality and what they want to achieve with that space, what people are going to be in that space etc.. My design team covers most of design programs, such as ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, SketchUp... We want to give our clients best service as possible, from moodboards to 3D visualisations.

If I don't like what I do as much as I do, I probably wouldn't manage it successfully. But with support that I have from my team and not sleeping that much I as should, it works.

It depends on a lot of facts and factors. From size of the space, existing condition, budget and wishes from clients. It could take from 2 to 6 month and more.

It is definitely "how much is it going to cost?". People's most important thing to know are the costs, although our wishes are unlimited, unfortunately budget is.

Well, the greatest experience was building up rent24 corporate identity, setting up design concept base for all future spaces. Since company had tendency to grow really fast, I had to be fast with quick and effective solutions to meet the deadlines. Each location was on its own way specific and challenging and now I can really say it was until now by my most important experience where I learned a lot.

My biggest client is definitely rent24 company, that has more than 10 opened co-working spaces and now co-living around Europe and expanding their business now on US market. Besides them there is one big avio company that wanted to stay in secret.

Staging is for sure my favourite part. That is where my magic is actually happening. Finishing the space with all details to bring that special warmth and "feels like home" feeling for me plays the biggest role. I always put emphasis on feeling inside the space that is why this last part of designing is something special.

Future plans are big and I am so looking forward to it. The future / present plan is designing rent24 co-working spaces around USA. Can't tell you more before we start but stay tuned and keep following our social media pages. I can tell you for sure it is going to be big surprising.

I am more team player. Two heads are smarter than one. I always listen ideas from my colleague and accept their solutions if they fit better, but first inspiration mostly comes from my side since it represents my brand.

In progress is now, among other projects, refurbishing more than 100 years old house with backyard. It is really challenging and exciting, since object is national heritage and it is protected so to do anything there was needed to have valid permissions that are not easy to get. It is getting close to its end so I am excited to see it done and share it with the world.

People can contact me on all my social media channels, via phone or email or even come directly to my office in Berlin. I can write it down here:mail:ivana@ivysdesign.deaddress: Potsdamer Straße 188, 10783 Berlin, Germanyphone: +4915140007657

I think you asked most of the important questions. At the end I would just like to say how happy and grateful I am to do what I love and be surrounded with best team who support each other truly.