Can you guess what’s unique about Decork? Specializing in sustainability, its founders Irini Mitta and Marina Papamichali believe that sustainability is possible without compromising function or form. Decork Design Studio, with its core pillars of creativity, innovation, and design for all, is an applied arts studio specializing in Interior and Exterior Architecture, Decoration, and Industrial Product Design.
Irini and Marina’s love for the applied arts is reflected in their designs. Finished residential and hospitality projects take into account the conditions of the time, respect for the environment, and modern living. The team constantly keeps up to date with new materials and technologies in order to evolve their designs.
Irini and Marina’s aim is to create a functional and usable space, with high aesthetics, based on the needs of each project, so that each work is unique and special for the given client.
Interview with Decork Founding Team
What is Unique About Decork?
“Every client comes with their own unique needs, even including how they fold their clothes, how often they read, and how they like to store their shoes. In a series of conversations with the client, it is important to understand how they live, because the design should reflect this.”
As Irini notes, “The client becomes a part of the team in the creative process. We want not just a place that looks aesthetically pleasing, but also which is effective at storing the things which the client cares about.”
“It’s not as simple as saying, ‘I like Scandinavian or Boho design, please make the house like that’. The process is more nuanced, and we focus on creating a private space which is both sustainable, which stands the test of time, and which matches the client’s unique needs.”
What is Your Hope for the Future of Decork?
Irini reflected on both her and Marina’s goals: “We want to do more residential projects, and to become known as a studio for our combination of sustainability, functionality, and ergonomic design. When people hear about us, they should know that sustainable design does not compromise or exclude the other two factors.”
“We also hope that at a societal level, people building or designing in Greece adopt this way of thinking – that sustainability goes hand in hand with functional design. This idea is slowly growing, but many people still think they are sacrificing with sustainable design.”
What are Your Expectations for the Future of Design in Greece?
“In the tourism industry, we think more sustainable design will be adopted. This will at first only be possible for large companies who can pay more often for renovations, but will eventually be found in smaller businesses.”
“In residential spaces, the thinking is different: ‘Do it once, and do it right.’ So, it is more common to see individuals who want to invest in a sustainable home (as opposed to a villa rental company, who may renovate many times).”
“It’s also a matter of sustainability becoming a trend. When it becomes a trend, people will know about it, and will want to follow. It’s important to keep in mind that Greece still lives on tourism, and some establishments will think first about what looks best to the customer when designing their spaces. Sustainability may be a secondary concern. Economic factors also play a role in Greece.”
Decork Projects
Carob Villas, Lasithi
Carob Villas are three prefabricated tourist villas next to a grove of carob trees, in the settlement “Pyrgos”, in the area of Sisi in Lasithi, Crete.
On the ground floor is the bathroom, a double bedroom, the kitchen and the living room. Between the kitchen and the living room is the staircase leading to the loft, for an additional double bed. The number of people each house can accommodate is 1-6 people. A neutral colour palette dominates the whole space, with the use of natural materials such as wood and matting.
The structural elements (walls, flooring, loft frame) have been chosen in off-white colours, which, with the right lighting, create soft shadows in the space.
The kitchen, the partitions and the beds are entirely custom-made for these villas, in order to create a “bond” between traditional and modern elements. The aim in the design was to make the spaces fully functional to the modern needs of those who will be staying in the villas, but also to not to be completely separate from the surrounding environment.
Melissia
The maisonette is located in Melissia and consists of four levels. On the ground floor, we find the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. In the basement, there are the areas for an office, a 2nd living room – playroom and all the auxiliary areas (bathroom, storage room, laundry).
The house was built for a modern family of four. The aim was to be fully functional for all family members, expressing them and giving them the opportunity to relax from the fast pace of everyday life. For materials, wood was chosen in several parts of the house, both in the flooring and in several pieces of furniture to offer the space a warm visual appeal.
The wood element was combined with marble cladding and some black details to give the whole home an elegant character. In the office, darker tones help with work, and in the master bedroom, lighter tones allow for rest and relaxation, while in the living room there is a balance of all materials and tones.
