Romy and Ilya: Life is about adding colors
Studio ROOF was created in Amsterdam 17 years ago by Romy (53) and Ilya (54). They design wall art and objects that spark the imagination. Their art is made from recycled cardboard and printed with plant based inks. The creative duo loves art, nature and philosophy.
During the pandemic, I found myself wanting to purchase more colorful items for our apartment. Suddenly, our sober and plain interior started to fade for me as fast as the world immersed into the long lockdown months. I felt like because I could not express myself in the outer world my craving for expression between our four walls grew. I longed to experience the pure joy from being surrounded by colors — to please my eyes, my soul and to feel better.
It is well known that colors in interiors have a huge power over one's mood. Interiors are our insides, too. So I listened to me inner self, while keeping my eyes open. That was the moment I met a colorful design piece from Studio ROOF in a Leuven flower studio. There he was sitting, that blue-green-violet-pink-red majestic paradise bird, which I imagined right away living in my green oasis of philodendrons under the stairs. He went home with me and from a chair in my jungle later on I wrote Romy, the creative director, curious about their story.
“Our three children are very much at the base of our company. ”
Studio ROOF was founded by Ilya and Romy 17 years ago. At the beginning of their story, there was a large white cardboard playhouse for their three children. “The idea was to make a design object that left room for the imagination of our children — so that they could be the boss of their own house and decorate it the way they want to. Whereas parents usually can not wait to clean the room by stuffing all the loose toys quickly into the house in the evening, we wanted to embrace the space,” laughs Romy, when remembering how it all started. From the first days until today, their children are very much at the base of their company.
“Life is about adding colors for me,” thinks Romy when asked what fascinates her about colors in art and interiors. She is very sensitive to colors in general and can't explain why. “It’s just a fact,“ she adds.
“I don’t believe playfulness ends when growing up.”
“I don’t believe in separating in terms of age and I don’t believe playfulness ends when growing up,” says Romy when I ask her if imagination should have its place as well in adult life. It's true, I see it clearly with myself, how my paradise bird made me think about my apartment suddenly as an adventurous jungle.
Nature is a big inspiration for this creative duo. “We have a shed in the south of France that is really isolated and has no running water nor electricity. We regularly go there to recharge and find new inspiration. Also, our children have grown up with this concept: having to light a candle for some light, having to make a fire to cook or to get water from a well. I find this a very enriching experience, “ explains Romy.
“Social enterprise is important to us since the company is a very personal project and I can only make it work when it’s in line with our personal beliefs.”
As I browse their creative designs, I see it all: flowers, butterflies, beetles and a Christmas tree, which might be the perfect sustainable tree for our family since we don’t like to buy “the real one.” How is sustainability actually incorporated into their work? Very much says Romy.
"The cardboard we use is recycled, with only the top layer paper being new. We print with plant based ink. We plant trees — for every design, one tree is planted every year via a Dutch foundation and we give 5% of your Christmas profits to an Indian charity. Social enterprise is important to us since the company is a very personal project and I can only make it work when it’s in line with our personal beliefs.”
I am wondering if we can see their designs in some public places? “I do know that sometimes our products are found as decor in for instance a bank. I hope our new label, Atelier TOIT, which focuses on unique and handmade wooden pieces, will end up in hotels, restaurants and hospitals. These pieces are true statements.”
“Success means freedom.”
At the end of our interview, I asked Romy the question we love to ask at NIKA the most: “What does success mean to you?” I was moved by her sincere answer:
"Success means freedom. I can say I feel very blessed to be able to do what we do. To create, to work with inspiring people, to be connected to different generations, to make designs that are appreciated and find their way into people's homes and that we can make a living out of it. That's a huge freedom and I am very conscious of it.”
All photos ©Studio ROOF