Silvia Ceñal studied Technical Engineering at the University of the Basque Country, before continuing her education in Groningen (Netherlands) and Florence (Italy). After a brief period working for different studios in San Sebastian, she took a specialty course in furniture design at the IED in Madrid and joined the studio Stone Designs to continue her career.
In 2015, she created her own design studio in San Sebastian. Since then she has been collaborating with different national and international companies in the world of furniture and lighting, designing new products inspired by the warmth and simplicity of the materials and the joy of their colors. She is also a co-founder of the Ohi Design Project, which focuses on re-imagining traditional Basque furniture.
We chatted with Silvia, who talked about her career, her designs, her working materials and the projects she is currently working on.
Interiors from Spain: You are trained as an engineer... How did you end up in the design world?
Silvia Ceñal: Since I was a child, I've been attracted to "beautiful things", their colors, their shapes, their materials... but as design wasn’t a viable career in Donostia [San Sebastian] at that time, I studied technical engineering and mechanics, which over time has come in handy. But it wasn't until after my degree that I started to move towards design, studying in Florence and Madrid.
Interiors from Spain: You have studied and lived in Spain, Holland and Italy. How have these multicultural experiences contributed to your way of designing?
Silvia Ceñal: Above all, they've given me a breadth of vision. Living away from home at a young age is an unimaginable experience, it makes you open up to new cultures and traditions that are different from your own, and different ways of thinking. And in the end you apply all this to the way you design and work.
Interiors from Spain: Your first experience in a design studio was working with Stone Design. What was that like and what did you learn from working with Cutu and Eva?
Silvia Ceñal: It was like doing a master's degree, I learned everything from them. I started there as a trainee, knowing it was the right place, and I was very sad to leave four and a half years later. But I wanted to go back to Donostia.
It’s impossible to describe how much you can learn, the good friends you can make and all the experiences you can have in a studio like Cutu and Eva's.
Interiors from Spain: How would you define your designs? What is your inspiration?
Silvia Ceñal: With my designs I try to seek out the simplicity and functionality of the piece. But I like to emphasize the details that make the difference. That might mean working with color, the shape of the material or textures. And of course I try to ensure that my designs take into account the needs of the person for whom each piece is intended.
As far as inspiration is concerned, I look for it in everyday details, in nature, in places I discover while traveling, in other objects, in manufacturing techniques, it’s a very broad spectrum. The point is to always keep your eyes open and be curious.
Interiors from Spain: Who are your biggest influences in the design world?
Silvia Ceñal: First of all, I don’t have one specific influence. I'm driven more by my concerns in the moment. It changes with the seasons. Lately I've been looking at the work of designers like Scholten & Baijings, Andreu Carulla, Inma Bermudez and Andreas Engesvik, among others. Those are a few references I keep in mind.
Interiors from Spain: What are your favorite materials to work with and why? Would you like to experiment with other new materials? If so, which?
Silvia Ceñal: I have a weakness for wood. It's a living, natural, versatile material with a wide range of finishes and textures. And if you try, you can do almost anything with wood.
I also love working with upholstery, there are so many wonderful options, it's always difficult to choose just one. And what’s more, there's been so much innovation in recent years...
But yes, I like to try other materials. I'd like to work more with ceramics. And to experiment with the world of wickerwork. Not to mention the world of 3D printing, which I've already worked with a bit, but it's left me itching for more.
Interiors from Spain: How important is sustainability in your designs? How do you apply it to them?
Silvia Ceñal: I feel that seeking sustainability in my designs is essential. Especially now, when climate change is the order of the day. Whenever I can, I try to apply the concept of "working locally for a global world", meaning using materials from close to the manufacturing company and designing parts that take up as little space as possible when packed. And, above all, I try to make durable and timeless designs.
Interiors from Spain: Together with other Basque designers and design studios, you've worked on the "Ohi Design Project", which seeks to take a more contemporary approach to Basque furniture. Tell us about this project and its results, now that two collections have been presented.
Silvia Ceñal: This is a project directed by Naia Querejeta from LupaLab and myself. Our goal was to create a platform where we could rethink the heritage of Basque furniture from a more contemporary perspective. To this end, we collaborated with Basque designers, artisans and manufacturers to create a collection of 11 pieces. We also organized a couple of workshops where we had Basque designers, students and people interested in the world of design come create several more pieces.
Honestly it was a very interesting and enriching experience. And it has given us the momentum to keep working on it. And in the coming months we will create the Ohi Workshops.
Interiors from Spain: And as a Basque person, what are your thoughts on the wide range of design studios and producers of designer furniture and lighting in the Basque Country?
Silvia Ceñal: Honestly, we are surrounded by some very high-end producers of furniture and lighting. And it is a pleasure to work with them.
As far as design studios are concerned, there are not as many of us as there are in Valencia or Catalonia, but even so, I think we are at a good level.
Interiors from Spain: How has your international experience been? What companies have you collaborated with, and from which countries? How have these projects enriched your way of designing?
Silvia Ceñal: Since I created the studio in 2015, I have been working international companies. First with the Portuguese company Two Six, then with Emko from Lithuania and Bosc from France. And this last year, Woud from Denmark. It's always been simple and easy. The important thing is that there is communication and trust on both sides.
Working with such varied companies, both foreign and local, has meant that I have learned something from each collaboration, from ways of working, to new design programs and new materials, to improving my English or learning French.
Interiors from Spain: What projects are you working on right now?
Silvia Ceñal: At the moment I have several projects underway, which will be revealed in the coming months. For example, a dining table with Treku and a new piece with Emko, which has nothing to do with the Macaron collection. We are also finalizing the details of a new design for Lufe.
