Boutique studio embraces holistic design

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Sansa Interiors brings its unique ethos to homeowners

When you embark on a home improvement project you might think you know the look you want. But if you take a more holistic view – considering natural elements like light as well as functional flow and your overall well-being in the space – chances are the design will change.

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Because interior design is not just about making everything pretty, cautions Jude Kamal, founder and principal interior designer of Sansa Interiors. It’s about designing harmonious spaces that take into account a user’s needs and energy, and that takes an experienced eye.

“I would say 95 per cent of people actually don’t know what they want and we have to make them realize it,” said Kamal.

Great design, she says, goes beyond aesthetics – it should support your lifestyle, nurture your mind and body, and most importantly, reflect your individual story. A collector should display their collection and a hobbyist should showcase their creation, for example.

When they do their initial site visit at a client’s home, the Sansa Interior team is constantly assessing flow and energy. Their questions range from ‘How do you use this?’ or ‘What do you do here?’ to ‘What’s your favourite room?’ or ‘What room do you hate the most?’

“We very quickly start to see what they’re aiming towards and what they’re talking about the most,” said Kamal. “A lot of times people say they want open concept but … we don’t give it to them unless it actually suits their lifestyle and needs based on how we observe the behavioural notion of the space.”

Taking their cue from the company’s name – sansa is the Sanskrit word for praise, charm and attention to detail – the design team is trained to notice how small changes can have big impact. Perhaps the hardware needs to be raised on the cabinetry or the gable ends should be thicker. If tile abuts stonework around a corner, they’ll be looking to see that the connection detail is deliberate and seamless.

Sometimes doing the right thing holistically means leaving a corner empty to create negative space. Other times it’s about choosing sustainable finishes or products made from recycled stones or resins that can be repurposed, or opening up entrance ways to let natural light in.

Almost always the focus is on organization and reducing clutter, and there’s one element they try to steer clear of altogether.

“I know designers use them to make spaces feel bigger but we try to avoid mirrors within a home because that tends to be one of the biggest energy reflectors and if you’re not reflecting the right thing, it could hinder your flow within the space,” said Kamal.

When they design in the high-end commercial space, such as Blossom Moments Floral Café in Mississauga’s Square One Shopping Centre and Hale Coffee’s fourth Toronto location, the Sansa Interior team focuses on equipment flow at the ‘back of house’ and customer experience at ‘front of house.’

The same techniques can apply to residential spaces, says Kamal. In fact, if they want to experience the end result of an elevated holistic design, she urges people to simply spend time in a café designed by Sansa Interiors.

“A lot of clients now just want ‘Instagrammable’ spaces,” she said. “For commercial we would think about how would we give it that buzzworthy feel, but for residential, it’s how can we make it timeless and how can the finishes we choose last you and keep you on trend for 20 to 30 years.”