Sunday Ehigiator reports that the Creative Director of Five28 Interior, Funto Ibuoye is championing interior designing as a tool for healing and productivity
The Creative Director of Five28 Interior, Funto Ibuoye has revealed that interior design is more than space beautification but also a tool to improve self or productivity, and a tool for healing of the mind.
She made these remarks while speaking to journalists at the five years anniversary ceremony of Five28 Interior, recently held at Ikeja area of Lagos State.
According to her, interior design is so important because it elevates how people live, and helps improve productivity and how they work.
“One thing most people do not know is that your space affects how you think. If you work or live in a scattered space, the truth is, your mind would be scattered.
“If it’s an office, your space affects how you work, how you think and your productivity. We have had testimonies from some clients whereby after we conclude work on their offices, their staff becomes more productive. It might just be a change in colour, a change in mode of sitting etc. And that causes a whole lot of improvement in the workspace.”
“Interior design is also a tool for healing the mind. About three years ago, we did a project for a single lady who owns a studio apartment.
“When we were discussing her needs, we didn’t talk about having a mirror in her living room for instance, but along the line, as we were executing the project, it occurred to me to put a mirror in her living room. So we did that and we left. We finished the project, she was happy and she loved the space.
“About a week after, she sent me this long message about how she initially felt uncomfortable seeing a mirror in her living room, since we didn’t prior discuss that, but what we didn’t know was that about five years before that time, she was ganged raped and had been unable to look at herself in the mirror since that incident.
“However, upon seeing that mirror in the living room, made her start looking at herself once again in the mirror, and that started a healing process for her.
“This is one major testimony I can never forget. It reminds me that this job isn’t all about designing spaces or bringing furniture together, but more about touching the lives of the people we are designing space for.
“And today, the lady has fully been healed, she has moved on to get married, and she is currently living happily with her family.”
Speaking on how the government could help the industry grow, she asked for government funding in the professional training of artisans in the industry.
According to her, “One of the major complaints we interior designers in Nigeria have in common is that Nigerian Artisans are known for lack of excellence in their service deliveries.
“So I think the government can help in this space by providing funds to train all artisans in this space, furniture makers, electricians, plumbers etc, because at the end of the day, if we don’t use good artisans, we cannot deliver good projects.”
On the future plans of the company in the next five years, she said, “Five years from now, I see us gaining ground outside Nigeria. I see us having a New York office and taking over the US market.”
