The Bold and Beautiful - A tête-à-tête with Turkish interior designer Cansel Didar Okutur.
Cansel Didar Okutur is a Turkish interior and furniture designer who lives and works out of London. Her repertoire of work includes several high-end homes including that of star footballers Mesut Özil and İlkay Gündoğan, premium restaurants and bars. Her design style is exuberant and bold yet it creates a nuanced balance between materials, textures, surfaces and colours. Cansel’s bold, beautiful and refined style is just what we all need on our lives right now.
Below, the bright and talented interior designer shares her inspirations, process and plans.
What is currently keeping you busy?
For the moment, I am currently involved in a series of projects that will see the light of day soon. Also, I started my own line of furniture some time ago. That is something I am really excited about and cannot wait to see the outcome. It’s a very busy time for me, but it’s also very exciting.
How does where you live impact your creativity? Since you spend time in Istanbul and London, how does each place influence you?
I feel very fortunate because I am in love with both cities. Istanbul is my hometown but I still find something new and exciting to explore each day. I visit old town frequently and get inspired by Byzantium and Ottoman architecture and also the combination of old style with the modern world. On the other hand, London has great art galleries and museums that I visit often and get inspired by each time. Also, I spend a lot of time traveling because it gives me ideas for new projects. Recently, I got back from India and the beautiful colours and patterns I saw there have allowed me to visualize my next project.
How supportive are your family and friends of what you do?
Family means everything to me without their support I wouldn’t be able to come this far.
Have you had any mentors along the way?
I had an opportunity to intern with one of the best senior architects in Istanbul and his vision and respect for this profession really lighted my way during my career.
During your design process how do you choose which ideas to work on and which to discard?
I get inspired by my clients and get my ideas from their lifestyle and personalities. I believe that the style when you design a space should be related to the personality of your client. I present my ideas and observe my clients’ reactions at the beginning stage of the design, then guide them accordingly through the journey.
Who are some of the designers you look to for inspiration?
Many designers inspire my work. It ranges from interior designers like Axel Vervoordt for his use of light, extraordinary art choices and unconventional forms to India Mahdavi for her dramatic use of colour and creative furniture designs to Jacques Garcia who has a distinct sensuality in his remarkable works. In the fashion realm, I admire designers such as Maria Grazia Chiuri for her smart approach to design and influential patterns, Pierpaolo Piccioli for his bold colours and enchanting combinations, and Daniel Lee for his revolutionary use of forms and texture.
What advice would you give to a person starting out?
Don’t be afraid of creating and experimenting. Never stop being curious. Try to absorb everything around you, you never know where the next idea is coming from, and never forget to take risks. Believe in yourself and how far you can go. Always design with passion and emotion to create your own personal style, a style that is unique and totally yours.
Words by Srishti Jindal
