Interior designer Beril Khalaf won the Honorable Mention award in the “Residential” category at the Los Angeles-based International Design Awards (IDA) 2021, where the world’s best projects compete. In her offices based in New York and Istanbul, she does interior design projects and application works in a wide range of residential, office and commercial areas. In the projects of Beril Khalaf Interiors which she is the founder, she internalizes the habits, expectations and needs of the employer and deals with each project within the natural, cultural and historical context of the place it belongs. We talked with Beril Khalaf, who makes unique designs shaped with a 360-degree holistic approach, about her career journey in interior design, her current projects and her relationship with natural stone materials.
How did you cross paths with interior design?
Beril Khalaf: I started university with the department of cinema and television. The experiences during this process actually helped me to understand how the relationship between stage and light affects me. Then, I continued my education in the field of interior design and completed the department of Interior and Environmental Design at Bahçeşehir University. And I participated in various courses and seminars in New York for a year to expand my design vision. Currently, under the name of Beril Khalaf Interiors, I carry out the interior design and application works of national and international residential, office, and commercial spaces with my professional team in our Istanbul and New York-based offices.
What are the elements that make an interior design project yours?
BK: When we start the design process, we are guided by the characteristics of an interior, the spaces that can be created, blind spots that can be evaluated, areas that are not evaluated, or areas that can turn into a striking one with a small touch. The fact that I am a very detail-oriented person is also reflected in the spaces I design. As a team, we are moving in this direction. These thoughtful details make the entire project unique and distinctive. We consider each project within the natural, cultural and historical context of its place. In the case of all this data, we get completely different results from each other. And each project has a unique plot and story.
You live and produce in two of the world’s most impressive major cities. If you had to make a choice, would you say New York or Istanbul?
BK: The textures and energies of the two cities are different. At one point, they are very similar to each other. Both cities are always dynamic and have lots of points open to discovery. If I had to make a choice, I think I would prefer Istanbul, especially because of my family and friends.
What are the most important elements that you pay attention to in the design of residential interiors?
BK: First of all, the most important factor is to come up with designs that can meet the needs. To analyze the expectations of our clients from the space they will live in and to transform these solutions into rational, useful and comfortable designs. In addition, since these spaces will be used for a long time, we care about making long-lasting materials a part of the design correctly. Since a lot of time is spent in residential interiors and it is the goal of using it for many years, it is of great importance that the designs we make do not get old.
With GKT Bodrum House, you won the Honorable Mention award in the “Residential” category at the Los Angeles-based International Design Awards (IDA) 2021. What kind of difference do you think you have made with this project?
BK: GKT Bodrum House is a stone house located on a land of approximately four acres in Yalıkavak. The building was built only with Çilek Stone, which is found in Bodrum. Due to the availability of the land and the sensitivity of the landlord to nature, we used a solar system in the house to ensure that all electricity costs were obtained with solar energy. Considering sustainability and ease of use, we applied micro concrete on the floor and preferred decorative plaster for the walls. Taking advantage of the robustness and compactness of the traditional architecture of the building, we took full advantage of daylight with a high insulation layer, heat-proof glasses, and some tears opened in the architecture. In general, we aimed to provide peace and tranquility at home by creating spacious and open spaces in GKT Bodrum House.
As an interior designer who also produces in different countries of the world, how do you position the design culture in Turkey on a global level?
BK: We live in a global world where local values are becoming more important. The richness of Turkish culture also strengthens our hands as architects and designers in order to make a global difference in the design environment. It is necessary to carry this richness beyond the traditions by interpreting it with a contemporary vision and presenting it to the world with a more global perspective. Of course, it’s not about emptying it by copying the traditional figures I’m talking about. By absorbing and interpreting our own values well and conveying them in a universal language, Turkish design will gain a stronger position on the world stage.
How important is the natural stone material that you often choose to use in your designs?
BK: From the first moment the concept of shelter, which is the most important spatial need of humanity, emerged, natural stone has been an indispensable part of living spaces. This material, which dates back even before the existence of man on this planet, was used to shape buildings as a load-bearing building material in the past, but today it is more preferred for floor and wall coverings. The most important reasons why we prefer stone are its naturalness, long-lasting structure, and unique aesthetics. These miraculous works of art from nature add a unique spirit and style to any interior where we use it. Sometimes as a reflection of prestige and luxury, sometimes of simplicity and naivety, natural stones can take on identities suitable for the character of the spaces we design. Marble, onyx, and basalt are among the natural stones we most prefer to use. Our country is literally a natural stone paradise. We are a team that takes care to use Turkish natural stones in our projects.
How important do you think the natural stone will have in the spaces and designs of the future?
BK: Natural stone will be a constant element of our spaces in the future, as it has been for thousands of years. I have no doubt that this passion, which has been going on since antiquity and even before, will continue in the coming centuries. It is not possible to achieve the aesthetic and functional value, efficiency, longevity, and durability offered by natural stone with different materials at the same time. Especially in the near future, when the pursuit of being close to nature will increase over time, biophilic design will become more and more widespread, and the pursuit of sustainable architecture will gain more importance, natural stone will continue to maintain its priority in our spaces.
