Amaro Sánchez de Moya
The artistic sensibility of Sevillian designer Amaro Sánchez de Moya is more than evident in his interior design projects. With studies in architecture from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Sevilla (Spain), The Istituto Universitario Di Arquitettura Di Venezia (Italy), and the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris Val-de-Seine,(France) you can imagine that any architectural aspects of his projects are immaculate. With such a strong foundation as a multidisciplinary designer, Sánchez de Moya went for a Masters in Set Design and also has many years as a muralist under his belt. With his background, you can imagine how profound and unique his approach to design is.
By 2007 Sánchez de Moya was already running his successful design studio and working world wide in cities like Paris, Saint-Tropez, Venice, Lisbon, Madrid and Seville amongst other European cities, leaving his characteristic and beautiful designs at each one.
From a Baroque palace to a pied-à-terre his approach is always the same: architecture that is well informed, vibrant spaces with an elegant and memorable decor that create a visual impression for years to come. Every residence, every project he designs has its own approach, an with the linking element that confirms that having a beautiful envelope will enable the development of a great interior space.
Sánchez de Moya is not afraid of colour, texture or pattern, his understanding of this, makes beautifully bold statements that are truly memorable.
Iván Meade – What was your first experience with design?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Since I was a child I had a passion for drawing and for classical architecture. My earliest memory is that I drew the facade of an Neo-Egyptian palace when I was 8 years old. My first professional work was to design a mural for a friend’s residence when I was 20 years old.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – You said that your signature style is based on precision. How do you achieve this precision in your projects?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – I don’t have a style per say, I have more of an evolving taste. My personal taste has always identified with quality as a base. I like any decorative style if it is well done. The precision in my case, is a reference to the quality of the design, and the understanding of itself, and as a result of that, the quality of the project and end result of the space.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – Your projects are all at once sophisticated and modern. I believe this is because you are a master of constraint, but also, due to the respect to the architecture of the space. How do you achieve this while maintaining your signature style?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Harmony is a very delicate element in design, and sometimes it’s equilibrium is untestable and this is something you cannot approach with a scientific sense. It is important to follow certain rules, I agree, but in design sometimes when you use solutions that are not common, you can achieve great results. This is quite difficult to explain as it is in this moment that every designer hides their own approach to design.
That unexpected moment creates memorability for the space. Those decisions are where creativity lies. In my interiors I always try to have a strong architectural sense, this allows you to have a great envelope to layer the decoration aspect of the project. This approach gives flexibility and a unique connection of oneself with the design and the end result. Creativity lies in many things, but for me, these are the reasons why I do what I do.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – Many of our readers are design students – What would be the best advice you can give to someone who is starting a career in design?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Be authentic and follow your own instincts.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – You have a multidisciplinary background mixing different practices like architecture, the arts, and set design. How do you think that these disciplines have helped you in your life as a designer?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Being an architect gives me knowledge and exactitude, being a painter helps me understand composition and the correct use of colour, and being a set designer helps me understand that the spaces can not be static or permanent. The mix of the 3 disciplines is very complementary in my life as a designer
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – What is it you like and don’t like about being a designer?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – The process, I love the creative and transformative process behind design. On the other hand, I don’t like when someone cuts my creative wings.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – You have had projects in various locations around the world from Paris, Saint-Tropez, Venecia, Lisbon and of course, Spain. When designing for international clients what are some of the differences in culture or possibly climate that you had to be mindful of?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – I always take the characteristics of the local architecture, the way of living, and the habits of the people in that region of the world, and of course how the client lives into consideration . These aspects tend to change from city to city or even from one country to the next. Every project is a “Tabula Rasa”(latin for blank slate) -It is not always the case that what you have learned in the last project will help you for the next one.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – Is there an interior space that you can’t stop thinking about?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Venice! I lived there for a year when I was a student. It is the most fascinating city in the world.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – What is your favourite furniture piece and why?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Chairs, they are a piece of furniture that become a man’s appendix. And they look more like a man with legs, back and arms. Chairs have the quality to be an incredible exercise in design.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – Another aspect that I find very interesting in your projects is the fact that the art and sculptures in your projects are extremely well selected. Do you work around the clients’s collections or you suggest specific art to your clients?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – Both ways. Sometimes my clients own art collections, and sometimes they don’t have any art. In the first case it can really affect the whole decorative scheme, in the second case I try to guide them so they can understand their own taste, and where to purchase that particular art.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – What has been your favourite project so far, and what would be your dream project?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – All my projects I had the fortune to work on are like my kids, I love them all. I have some projects I like more (I have to be honest about that), like the ones in which I have been able to express my creative ideas with more freedom. My ideal project would be the one in which the client will trust my guidance, understanding that the success of their project is in my best interest.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – What is next for Amaro Sánchez de Moya?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – This is a very auspicious moment in my career. I am currently working on some shops, hotels and residences. I am very focused on my work at the moment. The next item on my list is to design textiles.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
Iván Meade – Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles. What would you like your legacy to be?
Amaro Sánchez de Moya – I would love to become one of those classic designers that people use as a reference, and have the ability to provide guidance to the future designers. Past designers really inspire me to do my work better every time, and If I approach this in my own designs I know I am giving my best in every design I work on.
Interiors by Amaro Sánchez de Moya
I invite you to vist Amaro Sánchez de Moya’s incredible body of work at his website:
Comments