Totalook: interview with the designer
We interviewed creative director/interior designer Gabriele Lenikus, who designed The Leo Grand, a strikingly elegant, refined hotel located within a historic building in the heart of Vienna. Designed by the Lenikus Group firm, this luxury hotel recently won the Prestige category of the Emilgroup Project Awards 2024 for its incredible visual impact and its thrilling, original character.
We interviewed Gabriele Lenikus to find out about her approach to design and her experience of using the Emilgroup collections.
It was an obvious choice from the outset: we were looking for a tile that would evoke the look of an antique material. The building we were renovating is a historic one, and we had a natural stone that initially seemed to be perfect. However, it wasn’t suitable for use in a hotel context, especially in a restaurant and on an indoor staircase, where durability and strength were fundamental. In this context, our Emilgroup consultant, Raphael Soukup, did a wonderful job, supplying us with extremely knowledgeable, understanding, useful assistance, which he is still providing even now. Although there are many porcelain stoneware and ceramic producers, it’s the personal relationship that makes all the difference when choosing the right partner.
In the last few years I’ve noticed an evolution in ceramics, which are moving away from imitating natural materials such as wood and marble. Nowadays, the focus is shifting towards more natural, organic motifs and textures. I believe ceramics are destined to be used everywhere, and this material still has a great deal of potential. For example, I can imagine a room entirely created with ceramics, with floor, furniture, walls and light fittings, where ceramics become the dominant factor in the design scheme. Ceramics have evolved immensely in the last few years and there have been a large number of developments that are opening out fresh prospects in architecture and interior design.
28 January 2025
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