Our interior designers
Good interior design must take account of dimensions and sizes, the specific location of objects within the room, the combination of individual items of furniture, the choice of colours and lighting and many other aspects. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about any of that. That’s what our interior designers are there for. Not only have they completed rigorous professional training – they also regularly attend trend-setting trade fairs and continuously update their knowledge. This means that you have the services of a proper expert at your disposal. With great dedication, expertise, sensitivity and passion, our interior designers find the perfect solution for every living space. Here we introduce you to three of our interior designers:
Vanda Szabo« I regard colour as an important tool for self-expression. This is why, when conducting the needs analysis with my customers, I talk a lot about colours, their impact and how to utilise them to achieve specific effects. »
Working at Pfister since: 2016
Favourite space: Living rooms – these provide the greatest variety of tasks in terms of interior design. The living room is the heart of every home and must meet a whole different range of needs at once: It is the family’s meeting point, be that as an entertainment centre for a shared movie session or gaming nights, or as a stylish reception room for family celebrations. It not least also serves as a quiet space that offers relaxation and a sense of well-being. It is therefore important that the interior design not only takes account of these different functions but also meets a high aesthetic standard as well as the individual ideas and wishes of the home’s inhabitants.
Favourite colour: As Hella Jongerius writes in her book: “I don’t have a favourite colour.” – I love all colours. I have been interested in colour theory for many years now; currently, I like using very finely selected secondary and tertiary colour contrasts. I regard colour as an important tool for self-expression. This is why, when conducting the needs analysis with my customers, I talk a lot about colours, their impact and how to utilise them to achieve specific effects. People decide in fewer than 90 seconds whether or not they like a product or ambience, and 90% of these decisions are based solely on the colours.
Style: There are two styles that I am every fond of personally. I am continually fascinated by the subtlety of Japanese wabi-sabi, the highly evolved culture of the imperfect, the transient and the incomplete, which finds its expression in great freedom of forms, sublime colours and formal simplicity. Yet I am also a modern human who lives in the present, which is why I like recommending the new sensuality of forms and colours that meld together, as well as minimalist functionality with rounded, organic shapes that imbue the furniture with Zen-like calm. Good examples of this include the upholstered furniture by Arper, Paola Lenti, Gallotti&Radice and La Cividina. However, my personal tastes in no way influence my customers’ interior-design projects – this is a fundamental principle.
Which aspects of your work do you particularly enjoy? The variety of the tasks I deal with on a daily basis. You have all these different hats you get to wear: project manager, problem solver-in-chief, colour consultant, coach, designer, accountant, etc. I really enjoy this.
Most impressive project: I particularly enjoyed doing the design – including the interiors – for a restaurant in Spiez. However, to me, the most impressive project remains my first major commission here at Pfister: doing all the interiors of a two-storey villa by Lake Biel, including restoring the floors.
Memorable experiences: I have been working in the interior-design sector for 25 years now, with 10 of those years spent concentrating on furnishings. And for the past 15 years or so, I have been focusing on individual interior-design projects for private customers. My professional education is in the fields of art history and the visual arts; I also have in-depth knowledge of the designer furniture industry, with a focus on Italian furniture. This is the background that allows me to offer consultations where I can demonstrate great sensitivity and tastefully design living spaces on behalf of my customers.
Andreas Buck« It’s especially satisfying when we get customer referrals. This shows great appreciation and gives me the confidence that I am doing the right thing as a Pfister ambassador. »
Working at Pfister since: 2005
Favourite space: Terraces, as I love spending time outside.
Favourite colour: Yellow – like the sun.
Style: Cosy/design
Which aspects of your work do you particularly enjoy? The blend of creativity and concept-based working.
Most impressive project: Like most customers, this particular customer was short on time. After an exhaustive initial consultation, I developed a comprehensive 3-D concept for him. He was so taken with the customised visualisation that he didn’t even want to see the furniture in the real-world setting of our showroom. Instead, he immediately gave me the go-ahead to implement the project. To me, this confirmed the power of our visualisations. The customer didn’t have to worry about a thing and was thrilled with the service he received. It was really great to experience such a positive reaction.
Memorable experiences: Many of our customers work in analytical professions. It is important to get to know the person before talking about a product. By really engaging with the customer, I intuitively find the right style and appropriate product for their individual personality. This makes the collaboration with them very sustainable. It’s especially satisfying when we get customer referrals. This shows great appreciation and gives me the confidence that I am doing the right thing as a Pfister ambassador. In addition to consultations in German, I am also able to offer customers a consultation in English and Spanish. I have learned from experience that this is especially helpful in the greater Zurich metropolitan area, where we have many international customers.
Joseph Bou Chacra« I wanted to place the human at the core of every situation. This approach to my work allowed for bespoke refurbishment of dozens of homes, and to my great pride and even greater joy, it led to this notion of having helped others feel good at home. »
Working at Pfister since: June 1997
Favourite space: The living room is the space in the home where residents truly live their lives – they spend time together and welcome guests on comfortable sofas, around a meal, or even in front of the television. The room should be arranged in such a way that the space feels convivial and comfortable. The living room is the place for discussion, for laughter and for relaxation: in short, it is the place for living.
Favourite colour: The colours that I like and use most often are neutral tones. These colours serve as a base for decoration, all while adding a certain finesse. They can be employed as a sort of backdrop, blending with all decorative styles as, by definition, a neutral colour contains no or little colour. These tones typically bring delicacy and elegance to decoration. Neutral colours are also able to create a calm and relaxing environment, while exuding feelings of comfort and warmth, as well as energy. These palettes of neutral tones, which have rather classic origins, can transcend eras and help create harmonious environments. They adapt to all styles, from the most contemporary to the most classic of designs and are even more effective when used across all the rooms of your home. A neutral colour also has the benefit of blending with almost all other colours without risking bad taste. They can be married with brighter or stronger colours, and indeed, showcase them better through contrast. A neutral colour brings serenity to more colourful decoration.
Style: The interior design is modern, which does not adhere to the limits of defined styles. Respect for contemporary ideas on comfort and convenience is conveyed through the use of accessible materials and the possibility to choose between several trends. The resulting creations in this style are not intended to be the finished work – you can always buy a rug or some accessories that you like.
Which aspects of your work do you particularly enjoy? I like seeing the client’s reaction when they see a project in 3D that they never thought possible. It inspires me to take on new challenges.
Most impressive project: One of the projects that left the greatest impression on me was the interior renovation of a villa on the banks of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, for a Singaporean family who gave me free rein across the whole project, seeing it only when the keys were handed over.
Memorable experiences: What sets this trade apart is that the client who entrusts me with virtualisation of a project often becomes incapable of moving a single piece of furniture without first seeking my opinion. It’s rewarding. Self-taught, I have understood that the essence of design is not learnt at school! At school, we are taught the theory: art history, design, architecture, standards, and so on. But the real essence of it all was learnt while developing my skills with clients, across hundreds of building sites, numerous projects and in my own apartment, while observing how my family went about its day-to-day life. I learnt by taking an interest in all the sciences and arts centred around the study of layout: design, ergonomics, feng shui, the art of tidying up, and above all, the art of listening. I learnt that interior architecture alone – plans, aesthetic decoration – was not enough. Instead, a concept so often omitted from magazines and literature, the client, should be brought back to the heart of the process. I immediately developed an interest for these human beings who arrange their homes and live within them more or less harmoniously. I wanted to place the human at the core of every situation. This approach to my work allowed for bespoke refurbishment of dozens of homes, and to my great pride and even greater joy, it led to this notion of having helped others feel good at home.
