The impact of decoration on everyday life Aire, Part 2: Déco Meeting #16

Here's the second part of Roman's interview. They detail their white paper project and where their decorating and storage inspiration comes from.

When people ask you what you do for a living, what do you say?

Pax - I say I make Pegboards and I pitch. People ask, “What’s a Pegboard?” I slyly reply, “Don’t you know what a Pegboard is? It’s a flat, vertical surface with lots of holes where you can put accessories to store while decorating.” Then I try to sell a Pegboard *laughs*.

Roman - I usually say I make wooden furniture because I don't want to pitch. But, I'm always asked what kind of furniture I work on. I talk about pegboards and I end up selling pegboards too *laughs*.

So, to summarize, Pegboards are modular decorative furniture. Can you tell us more about this modularity principle?

Roman - Thanks to modular systems, the customer defines its use, in decoration, in storage, they also define its design and form. It's a tool, the customer creates their world with it. They create their layout, the storage they need and that suits them. It's a tool that adapts to all design needs.

Pax - During the first lockdown, we realized we were in a world that was going to change rapidly, and constantly. Therefore, modular furniture is perfect for constantly adapting to changes in daily life and decorating tastes.

Do you have a project or dream that you want to achieve one day?

Roman - I would like to create a school where learning would be more about doing than talking. Aire could share its means of production, create natural spaces, etc.

I heard you're working on a white paper. How does this white paper explain how interior design can lead to well-being?

Pax - When I entered the furniture industry with Aire, I began to question the need for furniture. But I realized, while talking to people around me or professionals in the sector, that everyone was talking about underlying well-being. During lockdown, everyone was going a little crazy at home. Many people embarked on interior design changes to recreate an environment that was more pleasant for them.

Decorating is a powerful tool for feeling good every day. Of course, feeling good involves many things; decorating isn't the solution. It reflects our state of mind and our way of thinking about things, for example. The rigor we impose on ourselves every day, our way of tidying up, our lifestyle—all of this reveals our vision of the world.

The goal of this white paper is to share with as many people as possible the idea that decorating is accessible and doesn't require particularly in-depth knowledge. Decorating will transcend our daily lives. That is to say, by choosing the placement of objects in our home, we organize our daily lives and our lives. But by asking ourselves a series of simple questions, we will be able to transcend our interiors and improve its quality of life through this series of questions.

Roman - "I think everyone has experienced walking into a place that is well lit and well decorated with plants. When I walk into a florist and when I walk into an appliance store, I don't feel the same things. Everyone can experience it. For example, our environment influences our state of mind, our mood, and much more than we think. Perhaps the search for an environment that makes us feel good should be taught in school. When we are not well, we go to the doctor. We are told to take antidepressants, but we are never asked, "Do you have enough light at home? Did you buy a houseplant?"

When you think about it, it's obvious that there are places where we feel really good. Even smells have a huge impact, the temperature, the presence of certain lights or plants for example. Everyone has experienced it, but we only think about it at certain times when we should be thinking about it every day.

Pax - We can't deny the impact our environment has on who we are. Not questioning the quality of your lighting when you spend your day at a desk with poor lighting is an aberration.

Roman - For example, today we talk a lot about eating well. It makes sense, but it's not something we talked about 50 years ago. Maybe in 50 years, we'll talk a lot more about surrounding ourselves well and organizing our space well.

What are your sources of inspiration?

Pax - I really like listening to music; I find many sources of inspiration in it. I listen to all the bands that were part of my youth. Then, I listen to podcasts. So I find that it's a way to see new worlds and discover people that we wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet. I would like to say that Roman is a big YouTuber. He's a big name in this field! *laughs*

Roman - Regarding my inspirations, it's a bit 50/50. On the one hand, industry. All the shapes we find there are generally very utilitarian. That's why at Aire, we use ground steel pins that come from industry, rather than wooden pins. I'm quite fascinated by the world of industry and its hyperfunctionality. Yet, it's very refined. In industry, all objects are functional; the notion of making something pretty doesn't exist. So I'm quite obsessed with anything related to industrial systems; that was my original training. On the other hand, something that is profoundly antithetical: nature. I'm a fan and lover of nature. Everything we can find in nature will be a source of inspiration for me. It's from the duality between these two fields that I draw my inspiration.

So that's the end of our interview, I hope you enjoyed it. To continue Pierre-Axel's passion for podcasts, a podcast in partnership with Podcastersmedia will soon be released on all platforms!

Interview by Clara Didier

Formatted by Coralie Mottu