The Kandinsky Sofa: Oksana Butman’s Journey to an Award-Winning Design

I decided to pursue furniture design because I’m passionate about creating unique, innovative pieces and enjoy bringing unconventional ideas to life. I love the process of seeing my designs come to fruition quickly, transforming concepts into tangible results.

I am a freelance designer, and my work has been featured in renowned publications such as '25 Beautiful Homes', 'Tatler', and 'Interior + Design'.

Design is not only a feast for the mind and senses, engaging both intellect and emotion, but also a balance of function and practicality.

Dieter Rams' '10 Principles of Good Design' are fundamental to my creative philosophy. While studying at the University for the Creative Arts, I expanded on his ideas and wrote a manifesto, '11 Principles of Home Paradise,' inspired by both his work and Henry Matisse’s painting The Pink Studio.

These principles continue to shape and guide my interior and furniture designs, blending functionality with artistic inspiration.

1. Home Paradise is visually pleasing, comfortable and welcoming.

2. Home Paradise is filled with light.

3. Home Paradise is colorful and harmonious.

4. Home Paradise is perfectly ordered and variably scaled.

5. Home Paradise is characterized by curved and straight lines.

6. Home Paradise is tactile and textured.

7. Home Paradise is glossy and matte, glass and mirrored, wood and brass.

8. Home Paradise is patterned.

9. Home Paradise is filled with elements of nature.

10. Home Paradise is filled with art.

11. Home Paradise is timeless.

My design style is functional and thoughtful, drawing inspiration from art, architecture, and travel. I aim to infuse history and narrative into every design I create.

I've observed that many of my ideas and solutions to problems arise during hypnagogia – the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep. This same technique was famously harnessed by artist Salvador Dalí and inventor Thomas Edison. Hypnagogia is characterized by a softening of consciousness as one drifts into sleep, often leading to a flood of creativity and unexpected insights.

So, I begin developing the idea, sketching or creating an object in SketchUp. I search for similar concepts or primary sources, carefully analyzing and synthesizing the information to refine my design.

Yes, absolutely! Lately, my designs have been heavily influenced by my study of Ancient Egypt. My diploma project, 'Egyptian Narrative,' completed at the University for the Creative Arts, became a finalist in an international creative competition in 2021.

I hope this award will help me connect with a furniture company to produce and market 'The Kandinsky Sofa', enabling me to meet customers' needs for diverse functionality in this unique piece of furniture.

I chose to enter The Kandinsky Sofa because it goes beyond its main function, which makes it innovative and unique all over the world. The Kandinsky Sofa is a multifunctional piece of furniture. It features a built-in console that easily transforms into a table, making it ideal for work, study, or dining.

This compact "3-in-1" solution caters to a range of users: adults working from home will appreciate the additional workspace, while children can use it as a homework desk under parental supervision. The Kandinsky Sofa is particularly space-efficient, making it ideal for small rooms and providing better accessibility for wheelchair users. The sofa can serve as an additional sleeping place. Due to its diverse functionality, can be an excellent solution for rented apartments and hotels.

The biggest challenge with this project was finding a reliable mechanism for securing the folding top of the console.

The advancement of materials and artificial intelligence is set to profoundly transform the design industry over next couple years.

I recommend applying the principles of the academic process in your design work, particularly focusing on information gathering, thorough analysis, and a critical approach.

At times, I incorporate Colorstrology into my interior designs, tailoring color choices based on my clients' birthdays. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Pantone system, Colorstrology blends astrology, numerology, and color theory to create 366 unique 'birthday colors,' each paired with a personality profile.

This approach helps me align design elements with deeper personal meanings, offering a more bespoke and meaningful experience.

Andrey Bartenev, the visionary artist, sculptor, and experimentalist, not only has inspired me with his fearless self-expression and boundless creativity in interactive installations and performances but also with his remarkable human qualities. His support and guidance have been invaluable to me as both a conceptual artist and a designer.

Do what needs to be done, and let the rest unfold as it will.

After completing my diploma project 'Egyptian Narrative' at the University for the Creative Arts, I traveled to Cairo to see the Egyptian pyramids and sail along the Nile to explore the ancient architectural monuments and artifacts that had long fascinated me and inspired the minimalist furniture collection I developed for my diploma.

To my amazement, I found myself the sole passenger aboard The Oberoi, accompanied by 70 attentive staff members. It felt as though the universe was rewarding me for my work on the subject of Ancient Egypt. This unique experience became the catalyst for turning my Nefertiti mirror design into a reality—bringing it to life through production.