A Conversation with Natasha Obukhova: Interior Designer

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Natasha Obukhova is a talented artist and the head of the design agency "N.o.bureau", as well as the art director of the Shirokov tableware brand. In a conversation with Paul, she shared her views on narrative in design, the interaction between objects, and talked about her creative projects.

Just recently, on August 21st, Natasha completed a new project: the interior design for a new branch of the "5/8" men's barbershop and It-girls beauty salon, located on Zemlyanoy Val Street in Moscow, building 4с3-4. We discussed the work process and touched on interesting, sometimes unexpected, relationships between objects in the interior.

This independent building is located on the Garden Ring. Built in 1900, it was originally used as a warehouse for religious literature, and during the Soviet period, it was used to store brooms and shovels. The condition of the building was extremely unsatisfactory: the ceiling had collapsed, and the floors were severely rotted.

— Where does the inspiration for your projects come from? For example, you're in a certain room...

— The space itself sets the tone: its size, its history... For example, when we were working on the design of a nail salon (It-girls, 9 Sergey Makeyev Street), I discovered that the building is in the constructivist style and was built in the 1930s. This information served as the basis for my interior concept development. I was inspired by the Bauhaus color palette and used its techniques for painting the walls, as well as glass blocks in the decoration.

And here, too, an interesting thought arises. What if we imagine that this house was never actually a warehouse, but always served as a hairdressing salon? Imagine your grandmother getting her hair curled in curlers, and your grandfather getting his mustache trimmed.

There is a desire to preserve the legacy of the past, but at the same time there is a desire to rethink historical events, presenting them in a more optimistic light, as if everything was fine and rosy.

We preserved every possible element: the exposed bricks on the façade, the arched shapes above the windows, and the massive sloping walls. In the pedicure area, I used Mettlach tiles similar to those in the entryway. It is made in three colors, and I arranged it to create a random effect, like in the entrance.

— So, does the presence of a narrative in the interior matter?

— Yes, it's important to have a certain associative chain behind the image. I studied numerous images of old hair salon interiors, as well as public spaces created in the 1930s and 1950s. The color palette, in turn, is largely borrowed from the Bauhaus style. It is also necessary to add an element of mischief and theatricality in those places where it is lacking, because you can figure out how to implement it.

— Do you think the guests of your spaces are able to grasp all these Narratives?

— I'm not sure! Perhaps not. In the end, it doesn't really matter, because this is just my way of approaching my work... The main thing for me is for this story to exist.

— What elements, in your opinion, are essential for creating a harmonious interior?

— Every interior should have some kind of living narrative. Usually, to create such an atmosphere, it is enough to bring a little greenery into a lifeless space, as well as antique or vintage items, books and works of art.

I am a true fan of vintage and antique items. However, this is not my only passion - I have a deep affection for various objects, and they seem to reciprocate. I think a lot about how people interact with things. For example, I can easily express dissatisfaction with a refrigerator if it doesn't work as it should, or, conversely, praise it for doing a good job.

I also notice how objects intersect and interact with each other. Sometimes it resembles visual rhymes. In one recent project, I combined two vases. One is brand new, made of papier-mâché and purchased at a design store, while the other is vintage, made of Murano glass, dating back to the 1970s. These vases were a perfect match not only because of their color but also in philosophy, as if they were kindred spirits.

Or, for example, in this new salon: a party of mirrors.

Sometimes you can see unusual combinations of completely different things: for example, on one of the walls I have my grandfather's ruler next to a vintage English wall vase. I think this can also be called a couple.

Or the combination of metal utensils of different times under the protection of birds.

These magnificent creatures turned out to be very similar.

A mirror found at an Italian flea market is in keeping with the work of Zhenya Vlasova.

I got acquainted with the work of Liza Nevinnaya at the Yauza Place restaurant. Her work features antique shelves, decorative frames and candelabras, as well as artificial eyes housed in jars. She also incorporates photographs of kittens and pieces of dried wood she picked up on the street and painted a soft blue. The result is a unique nook reminiscent of a witch's nest.

In the same restaurant, I created a composition of oval frames. An antique nail, discovered during the restoration of this room, is placed against a soft blue background.

Me It seems that things can also have their own stories, disputes and various relationships. What conclusion about life could I draw, having lived to my age? You shouldn't eat soaked milk mushrooms!

In fact, it all comes down to the fact that the perception of the world shapes a person's lifestyle.

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