Interview with Jacqueline Mengi

I always wanted to be a designer,after launching my Interior Design company I decided to start designing furniture.My design motivation is the deep desire to create things.

I chose to become a designer.

I design unique,made to order,luxury furniture.My collection includes living,dining and bedroom pieces.

Young designers must start by having the passion for design,be prepared to work hard,dedication and perseverance.

A good designer creates what is expected while a great designer does the unexpected,goes above and beyond what everyone else can imagine.

A really good design is aesthetically pleasing,it's functional,exciting and thought provoking.Its the kind of design that has everything a good design should have and then some more.

A good design's value is timeless,everyone should invest in good design because by possessing it you are not only making a statement but you are investing in something that you know is of value.

I would love to design for kids,I think it would be fun to create something that kids can love and enjoy.

I would like to learn how to do jewerly design.

My secret is a positive attitude and creativity.

Some of the legends that inspire me include Jo Baer and Tadao Ando.

I love minimalistic designs,I admire how one can create something so simple and yet so profoundly beautiful.One of the designs I like is by Lucas Machnik.

I think that I have yet to make my best design,I believe that my best is yet to come.

The best way for improvement is to continue learning,keeping up with new trends,materials and technology in the industry.

I would have been a painter.

My husband has been my biggest supporter,he's my biggest fan and his belief in me has encouraged me quite a lot.

I believe it's the courage to be different and to try out new ideas.

Im obsessed with perfection so often I've had to design something and discard it because I felt that it wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to be.

I think it really depends on the design itself,presentation itself is a form of art and it should be complementary to the design.

My next project is a luxurious limited edition furniture collection encrusted with precious stones.

I want to be amongst the most recognizable icons of designs in my lifetime.

They should expect creativity,originality and more exciting new designs.

Design can help society when a designer creates not only beautiful things but also offers solutions to some challenges in the society.

I'm working on a luxurious limited edition furniture collection.

I get satisfaction every time my clients receive their furniture and they are happy with it.

There's always room for improvement so what I would like to see is more innovations and solutions that will benefit designers internationally.

It really depends on the project,it can be anything from a month to a couple of months.

I start by looking for inspiration,I take notes and photos of everything that I think I can use for inspiration.

It can be done,even if it's never been done.

I think design sets the trends.

I would say technology plays 60% role in my designs.

I use cad and basic woodwork machines.

I think color,materials and ambience are all very important in design.They can be used to enhance a design if chosen carefully.

Whenever I see a new great design I get very excited because as a designer I have great respect for innovation and creativity.

My ideal design partner is someone who's very creative,fearless and ambitious.

I think books and magazines have had the biggest influence on my designs.

There's no particular book that I can pinpoint,I pickup different things from many different resources.

I read a lot to keep up with all the trends,materials and technology.

I'm very excited and happy about the awards and recognition,I enjoy being famous and the awards are great for my business.

My favorite color is white,my favorite place is a village in Kilimanjaro Tanzania called Machame very close to Mount Kilimanjaro,favorite season is spring,I love animals and I've twelve dogs.

A great day for me is when I see my new design come to life.Success is my motivation,I want to be successful and inspire the young Tanzanians to believe in their dreams.

When I was a little child I loved music and painting,i knew I wanted to do something artistic when I grew up.

A thousand years from now I think people will be so advanced that machines will be running their daily lives.

I'm passionate about animals and I'm an Ambassador of Wildaid an organization that focuses on campaigns focusing on the conservation and protection of wildlife.