Thank you all who took part in our Instagram Giveaway .
I would like to tell you that the winners are :
Congratulations.
Please contact us at info@rafa-kids.com so we can quickly sent you a little present.
It was so nice to receive all the questions from you. I hope I didn’t forget any of them!
1/ sorbet.interiors - Have you always dreamed of being a furniture designer or was there another occupation you wanted to be in?
If you had told me few years ago, that I would be a furniture designer, I will not believe you! I have a very artistic background. I finished 5 years art school and then 5 years architecture studies. When I was younger I wanted to be a painter. Architecture was fascinating too and I think I will come back to it one day. I like the furniture design a lot, but running own company is definitely a dream coming true for me.
2/ Linda H - abirdwithafrenchfry_ Where do you continue to get inspiration for your designs?
There is so many ways and levels, we get our inspiration from. It is not so easy to answer that question. First one, will be of course our own kids. Watching them grow and realising what they need, is a big input for our design. Aesthetically, together with Arek we admire simplicity of Japanese culture and never get enough of it. Classic design pieces, Danish design and so much more that we find interesting. Of course I like to watch interior design magazines, study children rooms around the world, it is so fascinating. You can find me on Pinterest here where I collect all what inspires me.
3/ metmar - As a born and raised inhabitant of Rotterdam-Bergpolder I'm proud that such a beautiful brand is situated in my town. What's your reason to situate your studio in Rotterdam.
We came to Rotterdam 15 years ago, as an architect students from Poland. We felt the energy of a young city which is brave to experiment and attract people from around the world. We knew it was a place for us!
4/ air_lorane Are you both architects ? Did you ever work as architects before? And where are you from? I've seen you speak Czech or Polish?
Yes, we are both architects. We started our architecture practise in 2001. We worked more than 10 years in our field before we started Rafa. We are born in Poland and we speak Polish.
5/ harpatheo - Did your children inspire you to start designing for kid rooms ?
Yes, definitely they did. We would not start Rafa brand if not for kids. The first designs were made for our sons.
6/ urfenogel - Did you start your business because the inner child in yourself. To make it more understandable, would you make these products if you didn’t have children?
I’m afraid that if we had not have children we would not design furniture for kids. I think we would still work in architecture or real estate. Most likely we would travel a lot and probably already live in another country or continent…..
7 / lourev - Who/what would you say is your greatest inspiration when you design a new piece of furniture?
I think it is very difficult to point a person or what exactly inspires us the most. I can say , that sometimes our customers’ request can be a good point to start design. We designed A teen bed, after our customers asked for bigger bed fitting under the bunk. To design a new furniture is such a long process. It takes us around a year to come with a new product. We talk a lot, we discuss, draw and make 3D object, we do market research…and that’s sort of just a start! It is not like we woke up in the morning with the Einstein idea ;-)
8/ poissondory Where are the furnitures made?
Our furniture is manufactured in Poland. Please see more here.
9 / absinthfaerie - How often (if ever) you have to compromise in deciding about design vs functionality?
I don’t think we ever do that. We work as long as it takes to find a perfect balance. It is not like first the form is born and then we have to adopt it to make it functional. We had learn this from architecture so it is a natural process for us.
10/ If u had to choose only one product out of that u make which one would it be?
I have a special place in my heart for our Toddler bed. It is for me the favourite one, since the first day I saw it. Perfect combination of cuteness, without being cheesy and modern and playful at the same time. For Arek, it would be the K desk. It took him so many sleepless nights, to solve the issues with the closing lid and how to make it absolutely perfect…he loves to work on this desk himself ;-) black version.
