The other day, I went to a preview of a newly opened hotel.
This hotel has been designed by many renowned designers from Japan and abroad.
And now it's here in Gunma! I'm so impressed.
Each and every room has been individually designed by a designer, and it's a hotel that makes you want to stay at least one night!
*If you are interested, please click here.
Originally, there was an old-fashioned inn here, and I think it was just a reflection of the times.
It went out of business a few years ago.
The building was left as it was and renovated.
A new hotel has been born.
I believe that one of the things that will become necessary in the coming age is to give new life to old things.
In Europe, rather than building new things such as houses, people tend to renovate the insides of them and use them for generations to prevent the landscape from being damaged.
I believe that making things that make use of old things brings together thoughts of the past and thoughts of the future, creating value that goes beyond the object or form.
Repair business
The company I work for has also started a new renovation business.
We also undertake other projects in addition to renovation work, which is difficult to secure.
It's a repair business.
While many regular furniture stores and interior design shops only repair furniture that was sold in their store, this repair business undertakes repairs for any furniture.
With the start of the repair business and the creation of sales staff in charge of repairs, the company as a whole began to feel more comfortable taking on repairs, which led to a change in how we treated customers.
The response to the start of the business was greater than expected.
The word "one after another" came in so quickly that repair requests were coming in, including furniture that I had purchased at a furniture store a long time ago, a sofa that had been used since my grandfather's time, and items that I wanted to repair but couldn't because there was no store nearby that handled them.
When I read the comments and emails we receive from customers about the furniture they have returned after repairs, I see that they are even more impressed than when they purchased new furniture and are all very happy.
I once again realized that it is important in the future to not let go of things that we have used for many years and are attached to, but to repair and use them instead.
It is often said that we live in an age where things are overflowing, and that is truly the case.
That's why I want to buy things that I think are good, rather than just buying things for the sake of it.
The most common item we receive inquiries about for repairs is sofas.
The majority of repair requests are for reupholstering the upholstery.
You can completely change the interior just by changing the upholstery.
You can even choose a new fabric that wasn't available from the original manufacturer to create a one-of-a-kind sofa!
However, the frame remains the same (and of course, repairs are possible), so it will blend in with your existing interior and you can keep the space as it is, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
That's why it's important to buy a sofa based on quality of construction, not just its appearance.
Recently, I've come up with a new way of thinking: if something looks good in a photograph, that's good enough.
However, I don't think that would create a comfortable, relaxing space that people would want to return to.
The important thing is to choose a sofa that will help you relieve fatigue, give you a moment of relaxation, and become an indispensable part of your life.
I'm sure it will create a comfortable interior space that you'll never want to let go of.
Once you've decided on a sofa, the next step is to find a dining table you'll want to cherish...
The joy of interior design is that it's not something you can easily come across.
That's why I think that even if you don't have as many opportunities to come into contact with interior design as you do with fashion, if you have about one-third of those opportunities, you will be able to create a wonderful interior space.
If it gets a little scratched, will you want to buy a new one?
Would you be willing to repair it and still love using it? It might be fun to choose your interior based on that as a criterion.
(text: Shimazaki)
SHIMAZAKI AYAKO
I loved redecorating and constantly rearranging my room as a child, and before I knew it, 12 years have passed since I started working in interior design. I am the manager of two different interior design shops, and I've recently started working in the e-commerce business. I'm a bundle of curiosity, and although I have a high level of concentration, my persistence is quite low, so I'm secretly worried about writing a blog.