Nicoletta Santini

Specialized in Kitchen Furniture Design.

Nicoletta Santini

About Nicoletta Santini

Born in 1993, in July 2015 I graduated in Interior Design at the IED Institute in Milan with excellent results and since September 2015 I am collaborating as Exhibition and Interior Designer with different Architectural and Design Studios and Companies near Milan. Focused on exhibition design, I never forget my passion for the sustainable and innovative interior and furniture design. The research of new materials, technologies and shapes is the basement of my projects and it allows me to propose always new solutions and ideas to the clients.

  • Winner of 2 A' Design Awards.
  • Specialized in Kitchen Furniture Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Kitchen Furniture
  • Interior
Torino Kitchen

Torino Kitchen

Kitchen Furniture Design

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Hello Future Exhibition Stand

Interior Design

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Interview with Nicoletta Santini

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Born in 1993, in July 2015 I graduated in Interior Design at the IED Institute in Milan with excellent results and collaborations and since September 2015 I am collaborating as Exhibition and Interior Designer with different Architecture and Design Studios based near Milan. My passion for design started during the last year of the high school when I decided to focused my studies on the origins of the Italian Design reading the milestone Bruno Munari's book, "Da cosa nasce cosa".
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
BD Expo s.r.l. has been present in the sector of Event Outfitting ever since the 80’s, offering its turn-key services to clients in Italy and abroad.
What is "design" for you?
Design is the perfect union between functionality and aesthetics; it is awareness; it is a necessary practice to create something good, regardless of the sector of application.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
Exhibition stands and interior designs are the works I am more focused on and I also like more.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
The design of an innovative and customized layout of one 65mt Super Yacht called "Stream" was my thesis project and it is still my favorite design. This project was the fruit of six months of researches and experimentations with my colleague, Ludovica Rocca, and its creativity and innovation permitted us to reached excellent results.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
The design of six graphics for German brand of handkerchiefs, Tempo, was the first real project I realized. The aim of it was to show the importance and the presence of the brand which accompanies Italians since ‘60s.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
Innovation and emotions are the basis of all my designs and the technology I use to realize them is the rendering such as the virtual reality.
When do you feel the most creative?
I feel the most creative when my customer leave me free of action, so I can design in completely freedom.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
During designing I am firstly focused on the function of my project that should satisfy the client's needs. After that, I research sustainable materials and innovative lighting system to propose something unique to the client and I never forget to take care about the aesthetical impact of the project.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
I feel my self a bit under pressure because I am focused on all the requests of the client.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
When I am in front of my creation I feel a unique sense of freedom and satisfaction, the reasons why design is my passion in addition to my work.
What makes a design successful?
A design can be considered successful if it responds to the requests of the present and if it can predict the needs of the future.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
The main aspects of a good design are the simple and clear use, the innovative shape and the sustainable materials.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Design is thought, it is cultural anthropology, because it must understand the needs of the world, of cultures and must know how to respond with an ethical conscience, technical knowledge, aesthetic harmony.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
The design sector is quickly evolving considering the global evolution. Because of the climate changes and the high level of pollution, designers pay always more attention to the materials and finishings they select for their projects such as the transports and the energy resources. The theme of sustainability is going to be fundamental for the design process such as new strategies of present projects using innovative technologies. The virtual reality and the 3D printing are becoming the best ways to present new ideas to the clients.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
The last exhibition I participated was Sigep 2020 at Rimini Fair (18-22 January 2020). This was one of the latest exhibitions in Italy of the current year before the beginning of the lock-down for Covid-19. Because of this uncertain and dramatic worldwide sanitary situation, I don't have any idea and expectation about future exhibition we could partecipate but I really hope it will be as soon as possible.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
Because of the variety of my projects I don't have a defined inspiration and I try to be inspired always from different elements which can be animals, views, architecture or arts.
How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
The Minimalism is the style which defines my projects and inspires me more. The simplicity of the shapes, the basic colors and the selected materials in addiction to clear functions are the characteristics of my design such as the minimal style.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
The Italian culture based on the research of beauty and the history of art and design is the base of my education such as the foundation of my design career.
How do you work with companies?
I usually collaborate with companies as a freelancer or employer, it depends on the type of collaboration I am defining.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
I have always considered more important the perseverance and the intelligence to the simple creativity for the selection of a good designer. With such a worldwide competition, companies should search for smart designers to have real success and profits.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
After having analysed the clients requests and the market needs, I firstly make some brainstorming researching keywords as pillars of my design. During this fase I usually come up with same ideas that I sketch on my book, not to forget them. I think about the different ideas and starting points for hours and I usually look for an exchange of views with colleagues or friends about them. When I consider one of this ideas good enough I start with the design of it in 2D and 3D. The presentation of the project to client is for me possible when I am completely satisfy about the project and I have no doubts about it.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
"Arc" Table of Foster and Partners, produced by Molteni&Co "Arco" Lamp of Achille Castiglioni, produced by Flos "Juicy Salif" of Philippe Starck, produced by Alessi "Kettle" produced by Smeg "iMac" produced my Apple (1998)
Can you describe a day in your life?
Before to start my ordinary days and to focus my self on different projects, requests and thoughts I am used to take some minutes for personal reflection. It helps my to remain open-minded and concentrated on the following steps of my life.
Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
Take your time before to conclude and present your creations to the public because the real creativity is never improvised.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
The research of new ideas and comparisons can be sometimes frustrating but the pleasure of seeing your own project realized and the client satisfied are the most important aspects of being a designer.
What is your "golden rule" in design?
There must not be an art detached from life: beautiful things to look at and bad things to use.
What skills are most important for a designer?
The creativity in addition to a good dose of perseverance are the most important skills for a designer because a great design takes always lots of time and energy.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
The softwares I am used to work with are 3Ds Max plug-in V-ray for the 3D models and the renders, Autocad for the 2d drawings and Illustrator and Photoshop for the editing and presentations.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
For each project I am working on I create a time schedule I should try to respect to avoid waste of time. Anyway, for a creative work is impossible to predict the exact timeline.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
From the client briefing to the presentation it takes me almost three weeks.
What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
The usual question I frequently receive is "What inspired you for this project?"
What was your most important job experience?
The exhibition company, BD Expo srl, where I am actually working is the most important job experience of my life because of their original approach to this field and their familiar sign.
Who are some of your clients?
I usually design exhibition stands for international companies while interiors for private clients.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
Designing exhibition stands I can express my complete creativity and intelligence because of the necessity of always new smart solutions and the versatility of each project.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
Because my career is deeply focused on the exhibition design and I have been studying German from two years, I would like to move to Germany, homeland of the most important European Fairs, and have a job experienced there.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
I usually develop my designs by myself but I always request the opinion of my colleagues after the first creations.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
I am collaborating to a new line of wooden furniture that would have unusual shapes, researched materials and charitable purpose.
How can people contact you?
Regarding collaborations or other questions please write me at ncltsantini@gmail.com.

Designer of the Day Interview with Nicoletta Santini

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
After my graduation in Interior Design at IED - International Institute of Design of Milan in the July 2015, I started my collaborations as Exhibition and Interior Designer with several Architectural and Design Studios, like Studio di Architettura FM, Studio di Architettura Barbara Pizzi and Forfun Design Studio, and Companies, like BD Expo s.r.l.. Thanks to this collaborations I had the possibily to design and realize projects for well-known clients (Caffarel, Pavoni Italia, Telcom, Bottaro, Koelnmesse, Sicam) and to improve my professional skills.
How did you become a designer?
I have always considered designers as supporters of the world progress and the idea of be potentially part of this change motived me to become a designer.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
During designing I am firstly focused on the function of my project that should satisfy the client's needs. After that, I research sustainable materials and innovative lighting system to propose something unique to the client and I never forget to take care about the aesthetical impact of the project. Innovation and emotions are the basis of all my designs and the technology I use to realize them is the rendering such as the virtual reality.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
During the designing time I feel my self a bit under pressure because I am focused on all the requests of the client and to the way I should satisfy all of them but when I am in front of my creations I feel a unique sense of freedom. This is the reason why design is my passion in addition to my work.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
During my last year of the classical high-school I discovered my interest for the design world. I was researching about its origins when I realize that I would have liked to become a designer of the future.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
My passion for the design world is wide but I focused my work on the interior and exhibition fields. I wish to take part soon of a furniture design process.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
The constant research of uniqueness is the fundamental ingredient of the design process to create always something "out of the box". Problems, failures and difficulties are part of the creative times but it is foundamental to be aware of our abilities and keep on working and designing without fears.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
I suggest young designers to be adaptable specialists, possessing the attitude and confidence to move out from their comfort zones and work with whatever method and prototyping tools are appropriate to communicate and realize their ideas. In addition to that, simplicity and clearness permit the designer to make his works understandable and valuable by the public but he should never forget to create a bit of suspension to let the clients desire their creations.
What is your day to day look like?
Before to start my ordinary days and to focus my self on different projects, requests and thoughts I am used to take some minutes for personal reflection. It helps my to remain open-minded and concentrated on the following steps of my life.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
Because of the variety of my projects I don't have a defined inspiration and I try to be inspired always from different elements which can be latest design trends but also nature, architecture or arts. More than the latest design trends, I am more focused on new technics and sustainable materials.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
The value of good design is characterized by ethic and moral function in addition to the traditional aspect of a well-done design like the functionality and the aesthetics. Because the good design takes care to its impact on the future and the society, all the companies and the buyers should prefer this type of production.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
The main aspects of a complete and good design are the simple and clear use, the innovative shape and the sustainable materials. The constant research of uniqueness is the fundamental ingredient of design process ti create always something "out of the box".
What is your biggest design work?
The project I developed for my thesis called "Stream", a 65 mt superyacht where sustainability, elegance and research were melt to satisfy to needs of an hypothetical foreign client.
Who is your favourite designer?
Bruno Munari was the first designer I studied and the one who inspired me most. Because of his versatility and openmind, this versatile artist and designer has the ability to define and distinguish the role of the designer to the artist one. His creativity and positivity are the main reasons why I would like to meet him, if I was given a chance.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
The Italian culture based on the research of beauty and the history of art and design is the base of my education such as the foundation of my design career. The Minimalism is the style which defines my projects and inspires me more. The simplicity of the shapes, the basic colors and the selected materials in addiction to clear functions are the characteristics of my design such as the minimal style.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
I usually collaborate with companies as a freelancer or employer, it depends on the type of collaboration I am defining. During designing I am firstly focused on the function of my project that should satisfy the client's needs. After that, I research sustainable materials and innovative lighting system to propose something unique to the client and I never forget to take care about the aesthetical impact of the project.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
Design is thought, it is cultural anthropology, because it must understand the needs of the world, of cultures and must know how to respond with an ethical conscience, technical knowledge, aesthetic harmony. The main aspects of a good design are the simple and clear use, the innovative shape and the sustainable materials.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
When I decided to attend the A' Design Award I was unsure about my victory. The partecipation to this wellknown competition permitted me to prove my design and communication skills, to make me visible internationally and to live a unique experience in this particular year.

Extended Interview with Nicoletta Santini

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
During my last year of the classical high-school I discovered my interest for the design world. I was researching about its origins when I realize that I would have liked to become a designer of the future. The next year I started my studies of Interior Design at the European Institute of Design in Milan, a three years course in which I had the opportunity to learn different sectors of the design and to improve my software and creative skills. After the unforgettable exchange program at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and the graduation project in yacht design, in the July 2015 I concluded my studies at IED Milan and, finally, my passion become my job.
How did you become a designer?
I have always considered designers as supporters of the world progress and the idea of be potentially part of this change motived me to become a designer.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
I was lucky to choose this amazing profession thanks to my open-minded family which permits me to follow my dreams.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
My passion for the design world is wide but I focused my work on the interior and exhibition fields. I wish to take part soon of a furniture design process.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I have never considered myself a legend, I am still a young designer and I need to improve my skills and experience too. Anyway, I suggest young designers to be adaptable specialists, possessing the attitude and confidence to move out from their comfort zones and work with whatever method and prototyping tools are appropriate to communicate and realize their ideas.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
While a good designer is able to satisfy the client's following the traditional design rules, a great designer is able to predict the future desires, to create new trends and develop innovative ideas using new materials and methods, like a pioneer.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
The difference between a good design and a really good one is the impact it has not only for the present but also for the future market.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
The value of good design is characterized by ethic and moral function in addition to the traditional aspect of a well-done design like the functionality and the aesthetics. Because the good design takes care to its impact on the future and the society, all the companies and the buyers should prefer this type of production.
What is your day to day look like?
If I had time I would like to design a new concept yacht and I would like to try a collaboration with an Italian yacht producer company.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
My dream project I still haven't time to dedicate myself is my future house, which I would like to design and realize by my own with all my creativity and fantasy.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
The constant research of uniqueness is the fundamental ingredient of design process ti create always something "out of the box".
How do you decide if your design is ready?
I have always admired the creations and methods of legendary designers such as Bruno Munari, Achille Castiglioni, Charles Eames and Patricia Urquiola.
What is your biggest design work?
It is really difficult to name a few because I should mention icon designs such as innovative and unknown creations. What associates them is their combination between beauty, function and innovation.
Who is your favourite designer?
The project I developed for my thesis called "Stream", a 65 mt superyacht where sustainability, elegance and research were melt to satisfy to needs of an hypothetical foreign client.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
The research of new technics and of sustainable materials in addition to the study of the design legends and history are fundamental to become everyday better designers.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
To satisfy my instinctive sense of duty, I am quite sure I would have tried to become a doctor or an engineer, an active actress for the common progress.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
The perfect union between functionality and aesthetic define the term "design".
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
My family and in particular my mother have always supported my passion for design. In addiction I have the big fortune to have lots of friends with the same interest of mine for design so I have also their helps.

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