Decorating the internet with @mariarlez

Spring is just around the corner and to celebrate it we have a new installment of ‘Decorando Internet’, our section of personal interviews to learn more about the interior designers, decobloggers, architects, etc.. that daily inspire us on the network with their ideas about decoration and design.

On this occasion we shared a pleasant meeting with a charming technical architect and interior designer from Seville María Rodríguez (@mariarlez on Twitter), author of the blog Decor&Me.

Aware that ‘low cost’ is not incompatible with obtaining spectacular results, this interior designer has been able to adapt to the times of crisis in her decoration projects. It has also recently launched workshops aimed at people who want to learn more about interior design, a project that will soon be joined by another one related to handmade , which we are already looking forward to learning more about.

decor&me interview
María Rodríguez, architect and interior designer.

-In Decor & Me we can see news, trends in decoration, classics of interior design, as well as interesting curiosities… How was the blog born?

-The blog was born out of the need to share what I like and saw on the net and help, if possible, people who were a little lost with the subject of decoration. Something that started as a simple hobby has become part of my daily life and has given me a lot of satisfaction.

-What has been your career as an interior designer and architect?

-I studied Technical Architecture and worked as a construction manager in several buildings, especially in the field of rehabilitation and restoration of heritage, a job I loved, although I have always had a weakness for interior design. With the crisis in the sector I decided to dedicate myself to interior design and start working on my own. I created the blog and studied a master’s degree in Interior Design, thus completing the knowledge I had acquired in the career in this world. Since then I have done quite a few interior design projects, both residential and business, most of them online.

Decorating the Internet
One of @mariarlez’s interior projects in Jaén.

-Although it is difficult to choose between creations, which of the interior projects you have designed are you particularly proud of?

-There are several, although I think one of my favorites is a project I did for a house in the Pyrenees. It was a comprehensive project, in which I looked for all the furniture and even made custom furniture. To design it, I went to the house for a few days to take measurements and get to know the clients better. The result was spectacular! There are a couple of them that I also have special affection for: an apartment in Alava, for being the first project I did, and one of the last ones, and of which I have not yet shown the result in the blog. It is an apartment in Barcelona that is going to be beautiful!

-What characterizes your interior design projects? What are your maxims when approaching a new project?

-I always try to adapt to the client’s tastes and budget. The result has to be a comfortable and practical home, without sacrificing style and design. Low cost is not incompatible with obtaining spectacular and “magazine” results.

Decorating the Internet
Studio decorated by María Rodríguez in Valladolid.

-What decorative style defines you? What type of architecture do you most identify with?

-Without a doubt, the Nordic style. I am passionate about the color white in decoration and the use of natural elements, such as wood or natural fibers. I also love the pieces that Scandinavian designers often introduce into rooms. If the decoration has a vintage touch with antique or recovered pieces, I think it’s perfect!

-As you know, we are passionate about chill out decoration, what would you highlight about this style?

-I would emphasize, on the one hand, the practicality of this decoration, as well as the versatility that a puff can have, for example, together with the feeling of peace and tranquility that they usually transmit.

Decorating the Internet
Interior design project by @mariarlez in The Pyrenees

-What trends do you think will mark interior design in 2013?

-I think vintage style, recycled pieces and materials and everything that is handmade will continue to be a trend.

-In addition to being an interior designer, you are also a technical architect, so you know this field in depth. To what extent are architecture and interior design two sides of the same coin?

-They are two complementary and necessary fields for the design of a house, since a good architecture is essential to obtain a good interior design and vice versa.

Decorating the Internet
Interior design project by @mariarlez in The Pyrenees

– Octavio Paz used to say that “architecture is the unbribable witness of history, because you cannot speak of a great building without recognizing in it the witness of an era, its culture, its society, its intentions…”, do you think he was right?

-I completely agree, the architecture reflects the era in which it was developed.

-Howdoes the Azul Vintage events adventure start?

-It starts with the idea of transferring what I know about decoration to the world of events and to organize and decorate events adapted to any pocket.

-What is the most surprising event you have organized?

-Well, without a doubt the first one I organized, a civil wedding full of pompoms, always with that vintage touch that characterizes Azul Vintage Eventos.

Decorating the Internet
Interior design project by @mariarlez in The Pyrenees

-What should be taken into account when organizing an event?

-The client’s ideas must be taken into account and must reflect the client’s personality.

Decorating the Internet
Image from Decor & Me blog.

-What do youask for in the new year?

-Apart from health and work for all those I love, of course, in the professional field I ask that my new projects are well received. The first one has just seen the light and it is the organization of Decorating Workshops for Novat@s in which I will teach what I know about decorating and we will decorate a room for each student. The first workshop was held at the end of February in Seville. I do not rule out the idea of organizing it in another city if I am asked to do so. I have in mind to celebrate many more, both on this topic, as well as others, including furniture recycling. The second project will hopefully see the light of day soon. I can only tell you that it is related to handmade and decoration.