Home & Garden Awards 2021

20 BUILD Home & Garden Awards 2021 Jan21284 ccording to Mariola Mialkowska, Founder of MM Interior Design, every life is centred in our homes. Our private lives, family lives, and public lives all begin and end each day in our homes and as such, those spaces and the way they look should be carefully considered and cherished. They should fit around our varied lifestyles and be places in which we feel comfortable, happy, and secure. “Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose,” states Mariola. The interior design firm that Mariola has created in Cork, Ireland is driven by that very philosophy. A full-service interiors agency that employs a team of qualified and devoted designers, architects and craftsmen, MM goes above and beyond to realise the dream homes or envisioned hospitality or commercial spaces of its clients. The firm carries out complete structural renovations, crafts bespoke furniture, lays down floors and tiling, sources soft furnishings and so much more, all to create interiors that surpass all expectations and hopes of its clients. Mariola, who has been in the interior design industry for eighteen years, pulls together the skills and tastes she has acquired through roles working for the best designers in epicentres of world fashion, such as Italy and the Emirates. When combined with her ardent passion and creativity, Mariola’s design experience culminates in daring projects that are innovative yet timeless, striking the balance between the trends of right now and an elegant classicism that will never go out of style. The spaces she creates are entirely functional as well as beautiful, keeping up with the busy lifestyles of her clients while retaining a sense of calm and necessary stability. One of MM’s most recent projects was completed with this ethos in mind. The project saw Mariola and her team working on the popular restaurant, Jacobs on Mall in the city of Cork to completely renovate the interior set up and decoration. Despite working with tight timescales, Mariola was determined that this project would benefit from the same meticulous attention to detail as all MM projects. “I put my whole heart into this project so as to positively surprise the owners and clients with a complete transformation,” says Mariola. As she does in every project, Mariola learnt a lot from her work on Jacobs on Mall, and took new knowledge and skills away that she will integrate into the development of herself and her team as designers and architects. “My mission is to gain knowledge in the field of design,” she asserts. “I am constantly Utilising almost two decades of interior design experience that has been acquired through travels across the globe, Mariola Mialkowska of MM Interior Design has made her mark on the interior and architectural design industry of Ireland. We speak to Mariola, who tell us more about MM and the importance of making a house a home. A improving my qualifications by learning about new trends and implementing that knowledge into my projects.” “I’m not afraid of a challenge,” Mariola continues. “It is a new client every day, and a new and unique interior that reflects the differences of every person.” Her vast experience has equipped Mariola to answer each and every one of the diverse needs of her clients, handling every element of a project, even the minutest details like the textures of the pillows or the energy efficiency of the lightbulbs. It is Mariola’s devotion to customer satisfaction that has affirmed her position at the forefront of her industry, and is why she is now fully booked for projects until the end of 2021. Her busy schedule owes a great deal to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to Mariola. While the pandemic has been terrible in so many ways, it has also presented the opportunity to revaluate the way we live now, and consider how we can live better from here on out. “[Before the pandemic,] we were living in a rush, from holidays to holidays,” says Mariola. “Now, spending more time at home, we have noticed that it needs our attention, it needs renovation.” As the world spends more time at home, relying on these spaces for more than just a place to sleep, but a place to work, relax, socialise and more, the MM team is seeing demand for its skills increase, with more people making the decision to transform their houses into homes. Despite this promising rise in business activity, Mariola is trying not to look too far into the future. “It is very hard to predict what the future can bring in such uncertain times. I live day by day, happy with what I have. I don’t want to look much ahead but I hope my work will continue to be secure and stable.” Mariola concludes with her key piece of advice for creating happy homes: “we must remember that we need to be surrounded by beautiful things, and clean, warm colours and interiors, in order to lead positive and satisfied lives.” Contact: Mariola Mialkowska Company: MM INTERIOR DESIGN MARIOLA MIALKOWSKA Web Address: www.mminteriordesign.ie Worldwide Design in Ireland Home Stage Company of the Year - the Republic of Ireland