ICFF 2008 NY

Who needs a balcony in Seattle?

With all the rain that we get here in the Northwest, we do not get to use our balconies very often, and the balcony space tends to be somewhat of a waste. Over two years ago Dutch architectural company Hofman Dujardin Architecten came up with a clever window design called bloomframe™ that makes windows transform to an open balcony at a push of a button.

Back in 2005 MusaDesign wanted to use bloomframe™ inside a loft interior space to provide privacy upstairs while still allowing it to be opened when privacy is not necessary. Unfortunately, bloomframe™ was still just a concept back then and we could not use it. The good news is that bloomframe™ is getting launched as a product in April 2008. We are looking forward to using it in our projects in Seattle.

The bloomframe™ balcony will be presented at the GEVELtotaal exhibition at the Ahoy Exhibition Centre in Rotterdam from the 23rd until the 25th of January 2008.

http://www.hofmandujardin.nl/pdf/Bloomframe-pressrelease.pdf
http://www.hofmandujardin.nl/index2.html

Seattle's Sensational Seven Interior Designers

Seattle Magazine has named MUSADESIGN one of the “Seattle's Sensational Seven Interior Designers with Northwest Flair”:

"MUSADESIGN (2617 Fifth Ave., 206.448.3301; 425.246.8464; musadesign.net) was founded four and a half years ago by Russian-born sisters Julia Sandetskaya and Polina Zaika. Growing up in a creative environment around their artistic father helped them both realize their love for design after testing different paths in school (Julia earned degrees in classical music, Russian, medicine and design, and Polina has degrees in art history and graphic design). The biggest chunk of their work is residential, taking projects from concept to completion with space planning, custom furniture, storage and lighting design, but their breakthrough work on Café Darclée earned them a Northwest Design Award for Environmentally Responsible Design in 2007. The green element is subtle—they used aluminum scaffolding, coconut plywood and chair seats made of recycled paper. Expert Advice When interviewing prospective designers, Sandetskaya says it’s important to judge them on more than just their style; she recommends posing a design challenge, whether it be a spatial or drafting problem, to test how they think."


http://www.seattlemag.com/BestOfHome2008: Interior Designers

MusaDesign receives Northwest Design Award

The Northwest's top designers were recognized at Seattle Design Center's annual Northwest Design Awards Gala held September 27 2007. The Northwest Design Awards competition recognizes interior design professionals whose work has made a significant contribution to the design industry. Projects are judged on the basis of problem solving, creativity, quality of design and beauty of the space. Awards were presented in fourteen categories: kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom, whole house (more than $200,000), remodel, best of traditional design, best of contemporary design, hospitality, retail, commercial, yacht/jet, outdoor living space, environmentally responsible design and student design. Among those being honored were Polina Zaika and Julia Sandetskaya of MusaDesign Company who won the award for Best of Environmentally Responsible Design.

To see images of MusaDesign award winning design, visit the Projects section of
www.musadesign.net and choose “Cafe Darclee” project.

MusaDesign is an interior design partnership specializing in residential and commercial projects in Seattle and around the world. We work with our clients to express their own ideas in the visual language of design, in an effective and environmentally conscious way.

http://www.musadesign.net/northwest_design_awards_winner_2007.htm

Tom Dixon and MusaDesign

We attended ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York in May, and we were blown away by all the designers, their concepts and ideas. What an amazing opportunity, to see the life of design unfolding before us in the city of life. Through it all though I found myself always returning to one man's work. His name is Tom Dixon and his lamp designs were so influential that when we were faced with the opportunity to meet him back in Seattle we jumped all over it. He met us at San Francisco based Limn's (http://www.limn.com/) newest showroom in Seattle, located on Western Ave. by the waterfront.

I was impressed with Tom before,but after the meeting my impression rose to a whole new level. Our meeting at Limn progressed to a nearby bar where we spent hours discussing design, his influences (he described to us how a chicken becomes a chair [see his drawing below]), and most importantly life.

If you want more information on Tom Dixon's work, I would recommend stopping by his website at http://www.tomdixon.net/

I would also suggest stopping by the Limn showroom located at 639 Western Ave. in Seattle, they have some really amazing peices. Ask for Eric Fassett, he's a really great guy and will help you with all your needs.

MusaDesign
lifechangingdesigninterior design seattle
Tom Dixon
Interior Design

ICFF 2007 New York

Frank Gehry's latest architectural and engineering marvel - IAC Headquarters - it looks weightless and understated!

No, it is not a James Bond movie poster - it is a new brand of wallpaper designed by SOONSALON company from the Netherlands -very imaginative sometimes surreal photographs are expressed in the wallpaper format! http://www.soonsalon.com/

More from Soonsalon...

ONON surface - innovative hangings made from polyester with variety of nature inspired cut patterns by FAF studio -www.oneonsurface.com

Tom Dixon's Famous Mirror Balls!

New metal panels form Interlam, http://www.interlam-design.com/

http://www.qubus.cz/ - Avant guarde design from Prague designers, Lenin never looked so pretty!

Among the variety of design companies presented I was most impressed by the collective of the African contemporary designers under the unity of "Amaridian" company located in NY http://www.amaridianusa.com/

A nice brake -cool beer and design was offered at the ICFF Bar designed by students Alfred Zollinger's classes in the Architecture, Interior Design, and Lighting Design department at Parsons. Four-inch-wide industrial straps - all the same length -wrapped repeatedly throughout the 96-foot-long space. Stapled along the ceiling and floor, the black ribbons form a loose enclosure on two sides of the booth. Inside, they are also fastened to the furniture. The overall feel is something of a hangover without the headache!

Party night - every night, 3 days in the row - we really needed a brake from the information overload - fortunatelly we were not along!

ICFF!

MusaDesign
lifechangingdesigninterior design seattle
Interior Design

Back in the blogspace! Almost 2 year ago - Polina and Igor found the dream space - an urban zen - 2700 sq. feet loft in the famous "Millennium Tower" in the historical center of Seattle - Pioneer square. Thus, the story begun...

Jean-Marie Massaud at 100% Design Tokyo

MusaDesign at the entrance to the "Visiting Human Nature time & style existence" opening by Jean-Marie Massaud at 100% Design Tokyo.

interior design seattle
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MusaDesign at 100% Design Tokyo

MusaDesign at 100% Design Tokyo

MusaDesign
lifechangingdesign

You are leaving the digitized road network

"You are leaving the digitized road network"- paintings, photography, and sculpture of Russian born Seattle artist Natalya Nyrkova opened at MusaDesign (http://www.musadesign.net/) gallery on July 7th 2005.
interior design seattle
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Natalya and Julia

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
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Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
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Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
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Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
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Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
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Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
Yammy!!!

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005
The Artist

The Artist

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

"Decadence" photo triptych
Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

"Russian Novel" photo essay
Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Musadesign Gallery
Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

Felt chess set from the chess sets collection
Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

"You are leaving the digitized road network"- paintings, photography and sculpture of Russian born Seattle artist Natalya Nyrkova were presented in our gallery during the opening July 7th 2005

05-05-2005 it finally happened! We could not choose a better numeric combination, as such it proved to work. About 300 people came to our design studio and gallery opening. The combination of art by the new rising star Nicole DeMent, electronic music by Dj Deep Maude, Champagne, good weather and overall excitement created the real feel of the Happening!

There will be more parties, art, music and fashion, so
Thank you all who came, and keep your calendars open!

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

DJ Maud Deep

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio opening 5-5-2005

MusaDesign studio is ready

MusaDesign studio is finally ready, the only thing that we still need to do is a big party.

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musadesign

Ceiling art

Who said that ceiling cannot be art? Julia's office in MusaDesign studio.

Brainstorm... 

Deconstruction. 

Energy corner. 

Art gallery downstairs. 

You can guess what this is. 

Stairs and PanaLite wall

Everything is almost finished. This is a view from the basement on our new cool staircase and PanaLite wall.

MusaDesign studio is taking shape

MusaDesign studio is taking shape. Internal space is now partitioned and walls are painted. The two major parts of the project that still need to be completed are PaneLite installation and metal staircase construction.

PanelLite honeycomb panels have already shipped and metal supports for them are going to be built next week.

We've spent this weekend working on an architectural installation that will be suspended in the front window of our studio. It took two days of cutting and gluing, but, our sculpture ended up looking clean beautiful.

MusaDesign studio, work in progress:


Art work for the MusaDesign studio. It took two days to build this sculpture this weekend. It will be painted next week and will be suspended behind the front window of our studio.


PanelLite honeycomb panels will be used to build complex shaped wall separating office on the left from the rest of the space. Right in front of the office on the left, you can see (if you pay attention) a big hole that leads to the downstairs space. Metal staircase and a small "bridge" leading to the office over the downstairs opening is going to be built next week as well:


interior design seattle
musadesign

MUSADESIGN: About Us

On us…

Musadesign was founded by Polina Zaika and Julia Sandetskaya (sisters) in 2003.

Polina Zaika
- Degree- Art History from the Academy of Art - Sank-Petersburg, Russia
- Degree- Graphic design- The school of Visual Concept - Seattle, USA
- Among us - the visionary with a constant desire to invent-the "composer"

Julia Sandetskaya

- Degree- Interior design - Cornish College of the Arts (drop out)- Seattle, USA
- Degree- Diagnostic Ultrasound - Seattle University, USA
- Degree- Piano performance- Music College- Kishinev, Moldavia
- Among us- the "conductor" striving to achieve harmony

Elena Prokhorenko

-Degree- Architecture- Moscow Architectural Institute - Moscow, USA
-Among us- the first "violin" translating the abstract concept to music of visual perfection

Eve Duhovskaya

-Degree- Graphic design- Seattle International College-Seattle, USA
-Among us- the graphic savvy, the artist, the industrial designer

interior design seattle
musadesign

On design process...

In our dualist word we tend to prioritize the matter over spirit or vise versa wich translate to function and concept in the design word.

In our veiw both emerge approximattely at the same time in the beginning of the design process and progressively infuence one another ultimatelly shaping all the ellements of design like a frame of a swing- up and down we go but ultimatelly come back.

On style...

Our style is not concerned with a question of what but how, the approach rather than the thing in itself. The process of ellimination of irrelavant, of choosing only things that we beleive are great in themselves and in the content without making any compromises.

It is confident, it is style with essense.

It is what it is.
You are what you it.
There are no mistakes.
-- Tom Robbins

We are what we do, we do what we are. You have seen what we do or you can by going to www.musadesign.net. Now, who we are we will uncover in this blog. We called this blog life changing design because we believe design can do that.

Reading a new copy of Salon (July 2003). It seems like the Russian designers are competing for squeezing in more staff into a sq. meter of space. What a wild mosaic of colors, shapes, and patterns!!! The techno-style and especially techno-lighting is still ruling the design scene despite the fact that it left the Western world about 20 year ago. Even Classical interiors get a share of metallic lights. Such delayed excessiveness after all was always part of Russian taste...
--Julia