Vitaly Kyryliv is the first representative of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, who told us in a telephone conversation about the state of affairs in the family company, being in the active army together with his brother Yuriy. That is why the entire load of troubles related to the activities of the bureau, which was shared by three, fell on the shoulders of his wife, Danuta.

The Lviv design bureau “Hochu rayu. Design bureau” was founded by the brothers in 2011. Since then, the whole experience of ups and downs has been a better teacher for their business than any university. Therefore, they know what it is to go beyond the usual, to experiment in order to develop. By an interesting coincidence and thanks to social networks, a year after the establishment of the bureau, Danuta Krill joined the team, before that was engaged in her own brand and individual projects. Having united into one team, they chose to work with business clients in the retail, HoReCa, and commercial real estate segments as their main directions. Together they created more than one successful case and won dozens of Ukrainian and international competitions. 20,070 square meters in assets. m of the total area of implemented projects.

With the beginning of the war, they moved with their children to the calmer Mukachevo, finding shelter with their furniture-making friends (Astra-Mebli company), who, like the majority of active domestic furniture factories, immediately responded to the needs created by the war. They helped in the development of a series of furniture (beds and nightstands) that could be quickly put into production and supplied to military units and Teroboronivants.

But they could not be out of their office for a long time without a team and the usual design and interior creativity. So they returned to Lviv and the design bureau started working with the same vocation – “creating your own paradise on earth.” Even in spite of the war.

Ms. Danuta, who now independently manages the design bureau, told about one of these projects – complex and at the same time interesting – the implementation of which took place already under martial law.

– We prepared an original exhibition stand for our old customers, a Lviv company that produces tourist equipment. They created a new line of derivative sleeping bags and wanted to effectively present them at a specialized exhibition in Germany. The task for us was really interesting, but also difficult: due to limited deadlines, complicated logistics, and technical and engineering limitations. But, despite all that, we successfully coped with it. The stand attracted the attention of numerous visitors, demonstrating the level of quality and creative skill of Ukrainian products despite the war among global brands. And the result was not long in coming – Ukrainian sleeping bags filled with goose down won the highest awards of the exhibition.

One of the technical difficulties was making the demonstration of the sleeping bags take place in a white “strip” of feathers, which was supposed to symbolize the lightness and natural quality of the filling of the sleeping bags. For this, a whole system of mini-fans was designed, having tested its operation in the office itself. And already in Germany, all this was forced to be repeated at a high technical and aesthetic level by an exclusively female-united team, because the necessary men were not allowed abroad. They advised us from a distance because we did not directly participate in the process of making this exhibition stand, but it turned out that it was the girls who had to mount and run the stand at the exhibition.

– We hope that this is not the only project that your design office has implemented, is developing, or is still implementing.

– Yes, there is a lot of work now. For example, we provide author support for the completely new format interior designed by us for the Hospital under construction in Lviv, so that it opens its doors to patients as soon as possible. But, unfortunately, this process is hampered by regular power outages and problems with the delivery of materials

In addition to the one mentioned above, there are several more projects completed in the last six months – mainly catering establishments. Basically, these are the objects that were designed even before the war. The customers were frightened by the war for a while, but in the end, they decided not to obey it and finish what they had started.

We are also observing such a trend that has emerged recently: more and more Ukrainian manufacturers are setting up their branded stores abroad and turning to us for their interior design in order to properly present their brand or product.

On the eve of the New Year, we sincerely congratulate you on the holidays with which it will begin. And on behalf of the entire furniture community of our fellow defenders, we wish that the next year will be the year of Ukrainian victory. And be sure to return alive, because the post-war Motherland will need your talents even more.