Can you briefly describe your own personal design philosophy?
I leave, eat and sleep design is definitely what could be defined as my personal design philosophy. In that sense I’m always looking to evolve with my designs as getting stuck in the regular makes me feel bored. I really want to feel that progress and thus I aim to look for innovation in every project we develop.
What’s your thought process like when you’re incorporating art into a space?
I always start to look for a strategy / identity for the project I will develop. Once I find the identity for the design I start to do a lot of trials in the 3D process we use. It is important to know that we do everything computer-based, but we like to do a lot of trials to find the perfect outcome. Most of our spaces are completely custom-designed by us. In this sense there are a lot of artistic features specially installations that could come from ceilings and walls we develop. Through the strategy it could be defined that we will bring in a sculpture from the ceiling at the beginning of the project, but also sometimes it could just get born organically during the creation process.
Can you tell us about what you look for in artworks?Â
Autenticity is very important, but also the story that is behind the artwork. We are emotional designers and like the artwork to be visually attractive. So it is important that it gots that wow-factor from far away and then afterwards that it is related to a story. The story doesn’t always need to be very profound, the important thing is that there is a story behind it.
How do you get an idea or feel for your client’s tastes and needs when choosing the artwork, furnishings, and accessories for a home?
We always first do some workshops with the clients. When we design a house although they go further than just a few hours of meeting. We go to their new home, but many times also their actual home to understand how they live and who they are. To find a style for a client we really need to know their lifestyle and know them personally. Once we met with the client, we propose a few images with a direction we could take and if the client likes that direction we start to develop the design. In the design itself we always propose a few furniture pieces and artworks. Afterwards we pick the final ones with the client.
Do you collect art or any kind of objects yourself?
As we design a lot of items by ourselves, our home is full of our own creations. There is a very heavy rotation as new pieces are created and we need to make space for the new ones. We like to collect some objects from other artists, but especially when there is a specific meaning behind it. The last few years some people that met us gifted us some of the objects we created. We love to collect them and give them a special place in our studio and house.Â
If you consider purchasing a piece, what kind of things do you look for? How would you describe the kind of art that excites you?
It needs to attract us visually at first sight. We need that wow factor that surprises us every time we see the artwork. On the other side we don’t look for anything specific, if it catches our attention and it fits in our home it is a go for us!
Your best kept secret in design (that you’d be willing to share).
Don’t be scared to do things differently and share it with the world.
Authenticity is very important, but also the story that is behind the artwork. We are emotional designers and like the artwork to be visually attractive.
Autenticity is very important, but also the story that is behind the artwork. We are emotional designers and like the artwork to be visually attractive.
In 2010 Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse founded design studio Masquespacio with the aim to do something different… something that would make us proud and transmit our aim to seek innovation for every project. We have had the luck to work in several countries around the world, discover new cultures and make new friends. Thanks to our innovative approach in search of unique and out of the box experiences for each design, we have been awarded with a lot of relevant international awards. In 2020 we were named ‘Young Talent of The Year’ by Elle Decoration International Magazine, while in 2019 we were awarded ‘Interior Designers of The Year’ by the Spanish edition of The New York Times’ T Magazine. Previously we also have been awarded with the ‘Massimo Dutti New Values’ award by Architectural Digest Spain and the ‘Wave of the Future’ award by Hospitality Design USA, next to a continued international recognition by media specialized in design, fashion and lifestyle trends.
