Tijen Samuray Öztek of Design Mixer
MAY 28th, 2021 // Shayan Saquib // FW Decor
Tijen Samuray Öztek is a designer and trend expert in the field of textiles and interior design. She has been working with well known brands in the retail sector and consulted on trends. Tijen has designed, developed and sourced products and goods from all over the world.
Designmixer is an interior design brand providing design services and creative platform which mixes creative design ideas, talents, art pieces, objects, furniture from all around the world to inspire minds with style. Designmixer’s eclectic and colonial living style is being reflected to the whole interiors and walls
Her passion for exploring new cultures and patterns takes her to different destinations around the globe. Tijen enjoys creating extraordinary walls and surfaces for special projects and interiors. By mixing touches of modern and vintage, east and west, her decoration style is striking but well balanced, inviting and comfortable.
Images from her showroom ‘Designmixer’ at AddressIstanbul. Our Creative Director, Sakina and Director of Operations, Farhan decided to pay her a visit at her eclectic showroom.
Why did you become an interior designer ?
Since I was kid I have had a great interest with the interior spaces and their decorations. When I was getting my undergraduate degree in textiles design I was thinking about everything I design in spaces and their visual effects on large scales rather than body forms, they were more on architectural related. Therefore, I proceed further on my education and my work in interior design. That is now not only on Professional level, it is also my greatest hobby.
Why are you specializing in textile?
Textiles as a product takes place in a great deal of our lives. It is a great soft material which we can not imagine to live without. No question from fashion to home textiles the most exciting and fastest design sector is always in great dynamics which helps for a designer to imagine and create products and find places to use in fast return. Also the knowledge on textiles is a great help to think in versatility and flexibility in design. We see many textile designers practising in a variety of design fields today.
Where have you been traveling? And what destination gave you the most inspirations?
Unfortunately because of the pandemy I can not travel anywhere these days… But, if we consider before the pandemic days, I traveled all around the World.
I studied, worked, lived and after I came back to Turkey traveled to the USA the most. The countries that excite me are more exotic lands which have unique local cultures and surprises me with unfamiliar customs.
I love Asia & Africa in matter.
I can get inspired anywhere I go.
I guess I have a talent of finding the exciting and the most beautiful people anywhere I go. But the most inspirational lands are in Asia for me.
According to your experience what are the trends that are going to happen?
Trends are changing very fast. The World, living circumstances, health issues, economy, relationships, as a result of many factors our perception about life and living and demands are also changing. The only thing which does not change is change itself. Since the trends are related to changes they will always evolve and will be inspiration for new things on the road for people. As a designer, I consider these demands very important and always take them into consideration while designing products not only for esthetic values but also for functional purposes.
What is your favorite style of decoration?
As my brand name it is more a mix of styles. You can call eclectic sometimes colonial.
Who is your favorite interior designer?
Kelly Wreastler, Hakan Ezer, Kelly Hoppen, Matthew Williamson, Francois Catroux and honestly there are many more..
As a mother how do you find work life balance?
I'm trying to find it is not easy…
Being featured on so many top magazines and media outlets, what keeps you motivated ?
Sharing is definitely my biggest motivation. Getting to know new people and hearing their voice, what do they need to be happy, inspired how can I help them related to my field keeps me going and makes me want to create more projects. Media and social media is a bridge for this matter.