Mental wellbeing has become one of the most crucial elements in the wake of the pandemic. What do you consider a balanced state of being at home? And would you say that you have truly found balance?
Wellbeing means feeling comfortable with yourself and finding places of improvement within yourself. I found the perfect mix of comfort and the willingness to improve inside my own space. It gives me so much joy! I see my home as the physical embodiment of my mind. And a well-designed home provides the perfect setting for the mind to stay conscious and focused. I have lived in my current hanok for eight years. It has enabled me to find true inner peace – a recurring theme that I also focus on in my work. Even though I have remodelled the hanok, which is more than a century old, its original design language and function are still relevant today – especially as we have understood that the true way of preserving an important piece of heritage means constantly evolving and improving it to meet our contemporary needs and wellbeing goals.
With that being said, would you describe your hanok as a ‘home space for your headspace’?
Definitely! It is a great home office as well. It’s quiet and the neutral setting is perfect for creative work. The framed inner courtyard, where I can observe the change from day to evening, helps me to concentrate on my daily schedule.
You mentioned that no matter if you’re designing for a client or yourself, inner peace is an important element of the process. By mixing modern aesthetics with tradition, you have created many spaces that are characterised by a sense of timelessness and wellbeing. What have you learned the most from creating such simple but rewarding spaces?
I believe every creation or improvement needs a good foundation. Carrying traditions into modern interiors is a means to provide us with a notion of where we belong. It also helps us to retain and improve our culture. It’s no secret that the way we design spaces has a huge impact on our wellbeing. And because we start and end our day in the personal environments we are in, it becomes a foundation for everything we do. That’s why I strive to create rituals, for example, waking up in a room with peaceful daylight and going to bed with a soft reading lamp beside me. Doing so wakes up our bodies for the everyday tasks ahead of us – and even more importantly, it helps our minds to find a balance between rest and work. Inside my own home, my daily routines are programmed by the different rooms. I start every day by waking up in the lightfilled bedroom next to my studio office that overlooks the garden and into the dining room that’s completed with beautiful architectural details. I love all the different spaces, especially how the light and surrounding landscape are invited inside.
As a master of balance, was there anything inside your home that you adjusted to reflect your current way of living or being?
I have taken the chance to renovate my basement into a much simpler and more modern-looking space. I always wanted a space where I could isolate myself and relax inside an aesthetically different setting. Every time I step into the new room, I feel like I am travelling to a different world. It gives me a sense of freedom!
Interview by Monique Schröder, photos by Shim Yun Suk from Studio Sim