Małgorzata Szczepańska, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Decoration Poland, opens the doors to her home office and her inclination for art

Interior designer, stylist and the final word on ELLE Decoration Poland, Małgorzata also serves as the initiator and chair of the jury of the “Młodzi na start” or Young Talents competition that promotes young designers. She is actively involved in promoting the artistic development of children by organising workshops that develop creative sensitivity and freedom.

How have you set the mood to work efficiently from home?
I am pretty organised, so it’s not been a problem although I miss having people near me. At home, I work from the table my husband designed in 2000 and a VitrA chair that makes the long hours of sitting comfortable.

Are there any hobbies that you’re indulging in while confined?
I indulge in hand painting. I have several books on design, psychology and journalism. But to uplift my mood, I enjoy the sight of the sky and trees through the windows in the roof. Lately, I have also been involved in the creation of children’s colouring book for the NAP company (#zostanwdomu), which can be downloaded for free. It is also my way of promoting design.

What is your greatest inspiration?
People. Now, it is tough due to social distancing, so I look at my favourite books and art albums, and listen to music.

How has WFH changed the way you and your team work?
It has shown us that we can work and support each other in every condition.

A movie you’d happily watch over and over again…
Bergman, Almodóvar, Allen are my favourite directors but lately I also adore Paolo Genovese—I can watch The Place and Perfect Strangers over and over again.

Your all-time favorite architect…
Swiss architect Peter Zumthor said that he didn’t invent for money but for passion and love. His thoughts from the book Thinking Architecture are close to my heart. I appreciate his sensitivity, his minimal works, and I also admire his private house Haldenstein and workshop.

A promising product designer from Poland to watch out for…
It is hard to choose one—but Oskar Zięta, Maja Ganszyniec, Krystian Kowalski and Malwina Konopacka come to mind.

Once the travel ban is lifted, where would you first travel to?
Italy! It is like home to me. I love the openness of Italians, their cuisine, culture and, of course, fashion!

Scroll below to see some of her current favourites