No matter what opportunities modern technologies, materials, and brands offer, interior designer Viktorija &Scaron;kapere believes that, as of yet, it is not possible to replace the human element: the ability to listen to a client and understand their desires and dreams. The accent of her professional signature style is interior design that reveals the personality of her customers.

What encouraged you to focus on this profession, in which there's quite a lot of competition and opportunities to use modern technology like AI?
AI really is an interesting tool, which is worth trying out, but typically it offers only one limited perspective. However, a space or home rarely has an ideal form, and in its version, AI does not include the technical details of a room, for example, ventilation, electrical installations, etc. In other words, AI can outline the direction of ideas, but an interior designer is best placed to see the big picture of a project and the emotions required to bring it to fruition. Therefore, at this point in time, it is still too early to say that AI will deprive interior designers of their jobs.
Let's talk about the human factor in the work of an interior designer! Gladly. For example, a customer may take a fancy to some materials.
Well, AI will use them in a certain style, because it has no ability to ask the customer questions, understand their psychology, lifestyle, or how many people live in their household, etc. Modern customers are knowledgeable and demanding, and they want interiors to match their taste, so that they are practical, comfortable, and satisfy a whole range of other requirements.

In the interior designer's profession, certain psychological skills are required&mdash;where do you obtain them?
I've always been interested in psychology, and I must admit that in my previous profession (I used to work as a hairdresser), I honed my communication skills with customers. At the same time, all my conscious life, I've always been interested in architecture. On my travels, my priority is invariably not so much leisure, but devoting as much time as possible to viewing architectural styles from various eras in relation to interiors and cultural heritage. I will go so far as to say that I've visited all the most notable European museums. Likewise, I've visited countries in Asia, including Japan. And I've always been interested in understanding how interiors reflect the lifestyle of each society, and at what point they acquire the status of cultural and historical heritage. Learning the professional basics at the &ldquo;Practical Design School&rdquo; and what we were taught about styles, I've witnessed with my own eyes. I must acknowledge that my teachers, and Natālija &Scaron;umilova in particular, gave me confidence and the belief that I have a distinctive sense of style.

What has been your path to professional recognition?
Initially, these were small projects for friends, individual projects. I worked in tandem with a partner who is a great technical specialist, developing the technical side of interior design, electrical installations, ventilation, etc. I devoted my full attention to creative work and communication with customers. They have varied greatly, from tiny apartments to large rental buildings, and where the owner wanted to offer apartments furnished in advance, and where there was a need to create attractive solutions for small spaces. Of course, I prefer to work on projects where I can let my creative fantasies take flight. Thus, for instance, right now in Jūrmala, I'm creating the interior for a spacious apartment with an interesting concept and corresponding budget.
In your opinion, why did this client choose you?
This customer has several properties, and he is demanding and has his own understanding of taste and requirements in regard to an interior. Before me, other designers had worked on this apartment, with whom he had been unable to reach a consensus. Our cooperation turned out to be positive and interesting creatively.
Can you tell us some more about the background to your work?
My cooperation with customers is characterized by the fact that, parallel to my own vision, I try to integrate their wishes to the maximum possible extent&mdash;the atmosphere and the feelings they desire in their home. I must admit that oftentimes their wishes are contradictory, and it is my task to explain and find a professional solution so that the customer is satisfied.

There's a saying that the customer is always right&mdash;what arguments do you use to persuade them?
I think that if a customer has seen my work and chosen my services, this is the first step towards cooperation. I should add that there is a limit to the extent that I agree with the customer's vision, and there comes a time when I firmly explain why the customer should believe in my proposal.
Is it possible to talk about trends in interior design?
Naturally, there are global trends, but from my experience, I can tell you that people like combinations of several styles. For example, a customer may want a modern style in their living room, whereas they prefer a classical style in their bedroom. My task is to create a harmonious transition so that they complement one another. This is an interesting direction right now.
Do you have any favorite producers or brands that you use in your work?
As one would expect, the Italians are the leaders in the realm of interior design. At the same time though, Chinese producers currently offer a surprisingly high degree of quality when it comes to interior design. I must admit that I don't like to fill rooms with various design items, but for a distinctive accent, I tend to choose something special or something that the customer really cares about and loves.

How would you describe your style?
I tend to be guided by the idea that an interior should reflect a person's personality, even if, as a designer, I see certain deviations from the relevant style. The standard practice is for the customer to choose interior design with the style they prefer and to accept the result. For my part, I try to listen to the customer, even to the most unexpected ideas, where my task is to bring them into harmony with the other elements. That's right: to listen to the customer's wishes to the maximum possible extent, to understand their lifestyle and dreams, and to find a way to transform them into their personal style&mdash;this could be described as my professional signature style.

Discover your exclusive copy of L&rsquo;Officiel Baltic Interior &amp; Design at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/archideco.official" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archideco Design Centre</a>&nbsp;in Riga, Strelnieku 8.

Viktorija Škapare – Interior for Personality

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