Modern Bedroom Design Tips From Susanna Cots

As an interior-designing firm, we at Mansionly aim at bringing the International flavor to India and include them in our homes. Bedrooms are an integral part of your homes, a place where you can relax, take a good sleep, away from the world with your partner. This week we spoke to Susanna Cots, an international interior designer from Spain who has been associated with both commercial as well as residential projects for more than 20 years. Her offices are physically located in Barcelona, Girona and Hong Kong.

Susanna focuses on color white as a concept, starting point, and lifestyle. She believes in incorporating emotions and the holistic approach to the environment as the core of her projects.

So, here is a little chitchat with Susanna on how to bring her signature look in India and into our beautiful homes.

Thank you so much, Susanna, for doing this. Let’s start with a little about yourself.

You have been in the industry for almost 20+ years. What determined your passion for design? What made you go and explore the world of designing?

I design in an innate way ever since I can remember. When I was a child, I used to design my dollhouses for my baby dolls. I used to create houses inside the trees for the magical creatures in the forest near my home.

Susanna, I would call you the Queen of the color white, who is not afraid of using the color white in her designs, not afraid of getting it stained. Why are you so fascinated with the color white? I so want to know what is the story behind using the color white as your designing philosophy?

I would prefer to say that I feel very comfortable working with white, as I conceive it as a very essential beginning of any creative project. I work with it as a global concept inside the space, because it always calms me and provides me with serenity.

Everyone remembers his or her first kiss, as it is special. What do you remember about your first bedroom that you designed?

All the bedrooms I’ve designed in the past 18 years are special and they are because of the people who live in them.

You have been associated with a number of projects internationally and must have dealt with a number of clients and their needs and requirements. What makes you choose a certain client or a project?

When I feel motivated about the project, the client and space at the same time and usually projects shine and we all work happily.

Bedrooms are the inner sanctuary to one’s soul. What are the five must-haves according to great designer Susanna Cots that one should have in their bedrooms?

My favorite bedroom must have a reading lamp, a bathtub, and a shower, natural textile for the bed, candles and books.

You believe that visual comfort is perceived naturally and seamlessly. Comfort is in simple things. How do you apply this philosophy to designing the bedrooms for your clients? Do you use it in wall treatments or the choice of the furniture?

We do have a concept that in Spanish we call “Ella” and in English its “She”: Stylize, Hide, Integrate. And we love to say: “SHE is always right”. We work space as a whole. The wellness of a person is found between the balance and connection mind-body. The same happens to space and the concepts “distribution-emotion”. That is a space with no barriers, no fashions and a distribution that connects you with yourself. Simplicity is the basis. If you have doubts about something, let it go.

What was the most exciting thing that you did to procure a unique piece for any bedroom? A special themed room or something eccentric, something you had a hard time in executing. You never know who might be looking for ideas for something unique and we can help them in giving them the ideas.

The most exciting thing I always do and I’m proud of it is to listen to the owner. When people express their feelings about what they expect to feel in the room is when we can work our magic and design a bedroom that fills up their souls through a design based on invisible elements.

Despite having so much experience and expertise as an interior designer there must be times when it gets overwhelming. What is the most frustrating aspect of your job as an interior designer? And the most rewarding one?

I feel very grateful for all the knowledge I acquire in my daily work. As in every job, there are good days and not so good days.

We all face challenges irrespective of our expertise in our fields. Even after all these years in the field of interior designing which one of your projects was the most challenging one?

ALL OF THEM. I write it in capital letters because of each and every one of the projects I work with demands the best of me. The thing is not just designing the space, but also understanding the needs of the client.

Everyone talks about the flavor of the month, a color of the month, trends of the season? How much do you follow them while designing a client’s bedroom?  How do you align them with the client’s needs and priorities?

I’m aware of them because they are part of our industry but I don’t work with them (except if the client asks for it). I work with a timeless design that goes well with the different phase of life.

What is the current trends/ flavor of the season that you are incorporating in your existing bedrooms that you are designing?

The constant trend that I apply to all the designs is a good design and distribution concept and high-quality materials.

Susanna, Lets talk about your bedroom. I would like to know what your bedroom looks like? I am so keen to know what design/color theme you are following in your own personal space.  How are you incorporating the holistic approach along with your favorite color white? I would have loved to get hold of the image of your own bedroom but a description would also suffice.

I wake up facing north, with the birdsong out of my window and seeing the sunrise every morning (except if I’m traveling). All the materials in my bedroom are natural: the bed in oak wood, the linen textile… It’s a bedroom to be comfortable and to share in it the pleasure of reading myself and with my children.

You have been associated with this industry since so long and have worked internationally. India is huge and there are other interior designing firms that have been into the business since so long, but what made you choose Mansionly as your launching pad in India

Mansionly, it’s a platform that cares about design and looks after the designers. Details are what make everything important!

“Because this is the white we love”. If someone is thinking of incorporating 50 shades of white into their bedrooms, what vision you would have for their personal space?

It will bring him/her serenity to live a very conscious life.

We’re sure it will. Thank you so much Susanna, that’s all we have to ask today. We would surely come back and explore your ideas into the other facets of the interior designing.

Explore Susanna’s design philosophy and projects on Mansionly.