Name: Oleg Klodt

        Company: Oleg Klodt Architecture Bureau

        Position within company: Founder & CEO

        Website: www.olegklodt.com

. Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)

Actually I became a designer and architect almost coincidentally. They were ideas which had fascinated me when I was a student, and after I graduated from the Moscow Architectural Institute I leapt straight into my career – without even thinking of any other kind of profession at all. Originally it was architecture which interested me – but the economic climate in the early 2000s in Russia prompted me to start working on interior design.

. How would you describe your personal interior design style?

I create interiors in many different styles – it all depends on what the client asks for. Even so, all of the projects we work on reflect the mainstream traditions of European and American interiors. I suppose my style is closest to New Classic – I aim for a consistent and understated style.

. Where does your design inspiration come from?

My direct inspiration in what I design is from what I see – complete examples of architecture, for example. London is a great inspiration for me – London adapts to contemporary life in its architecture, design, in a very particular way. It’s the same way that I try to adapt my interiors to people, to the existing space, and to the spirit of modernity.

.In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

Design is always advancing in spirals – it periodically returns to particular periods of time and the style that was, at that time, popular and fashionable. It all happens due to very clear links with history. I’d say that this was a process which began in the late-C19th, with a classical style that was widely loved and valued. That was followed by art-nouveau, Americana of the 1940s and -50s, and then on into the 60s.

At every turn something new occurs, especially in what we design – images get plucked from times whose style is relevant, but with the use of modern technologies and materials, the resulting items become more modern. Technology opens a wide spectrum of possibilities. Yet on the other hand, technology marches onwards whilst human hands lose out along the way. Today there are very few craftsmen left who could create a piece of stained glass, or make a mosaic panel by hand. These are techniques which are really missing in modern design.

In Russia in the 1990s – when the idea of interior design first became a realistic proposition, this love of styles went around in circles a bit. Even so, what I notice is that people almost always come back to the classics.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2014 and beyond.

Simplicity

Harmony

Atmosphere

Unobtrusiveness

Originality

. If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to interior design schemes, what would it be?

Give your fullest ear to the client – but still manage to be original in your ideas.

. How important are The International Design and Architecture Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?

We strongly believe that participating in ID&A helps us gather feedback from professionals and clients. Such events enable us to meet business leaders and share experience – they are a source of potential growth for us.

. What projects are you currently working on?

There’s a large number of private residences, homes and apartments.

One of the most unusual projects I am working on at the moment is a house interior realised in the Soviet Constructivist style of the early C20th.

. What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

I really want to concentrate on doing more high-quality work.

I am also involved in launching my own range of designer furniture.

. Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself

Your favourite holiday destination? London, Rome, the Alps…

Your favourite hotel / restaurant / bar? Le Mani in Pasta

Your favourite book / film / song? Forrest Gump, anything by the Beatles

Your favourite food and drink? A pasta dish and a glass of red wine

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?  Playing Bridge with my friends

If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? I can’t imagine being anything else.