Let’s hope that the days when, while preparing such stories about how furniture companies, UAFM members, feel in the conditions of a war-torn country, we mostly received discouraging information from their leaders: declining sales, reduced production volumes, as well as staff and energy constraints, are gone for good. However, most furniture manufacturers have overcome the toughest challenges, and with each passing month, their prospects have become more optimistic. The industry has been steadily returning to its pre-war levels. Now we receive reports like this: ‘By all metrics, we have grown. From 2021 to 2025, we have improved our performance eightfold.’

One of the executives of FeliFam Kids Rooms, Anton Zubkov, shared these impressive growth rates. Naturally, we immediately asked him: what made such an outstanding result possible?

– Before the war, our products—children’s room projects—mainly covered our Kharkiv region and had a small presence in the capital. However, over the past three years, we have expanded nationwide, tripling our sales. The other part of this success comes from our international market sales, primarily in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, the UK, Lithuania—so many that I can’t even recall them all at once.

– European markets make sense, but what about Ukraine? The birth rate has obviously declined during the war…

– Yes, overall, the domestic furniture market, including the children’s furniture segment, has significantly declined. This is especially true in our almost premium ‘mid-plus’ price category. In addition to lower birth rates, many families have taken their children abroad. However, we grew because, instead of cutting our marketing budget when things were particularly tough, we increased it. This allowed us to promote our offering widely and effectively, something that was previously little known in Ukraine. By beautifully showcasing our completed children’s room projects on social media, we helped shape this underdeveloped segment of the furniture market. We convinced parents that designing and implementing a children’s room project from start to finish is not just possible but convenient, practical, beautiful, and beneficial. Admittedly, this was and still is a challenging message to communicate, but we are persistent.

Our offering turned out to be even more novel and unusual—yet intriguing—for Europeans. In Europe, it’s not common to execute such comprehensive projects for children’s comfort because design services are very expensive. Another unexpected aspect for Europeans was that our projects include custom-made furniture. They are used to buying mass-produced furniture, often from IKEA, because, again, custom-made furniture is a luxury for them due to the high cost of skilled labor. We, on the other hand, offer both design and furniture at prices they find acceptable.

– Does the company’s rapid growth mean that there are no challenges that could hinder this momentum?

– Our main challenge is ensuring we meet our clients’ growing demands. We continuously improve our processes and expand our production capabilities to maintain high standards and deliver projects on time. We believe that any difficulties can be overcome through teamwork and proper planning.

– Are you still operating in Kharkiv?

– We now have representative offices in Italy and Poland. Our office in Milan serves our expanding Italian market, while another is in Kyiv. Most of our employees are in Ukraine but work remotely, including designers, whose work is organized and coordinated by my wife, Viktoria. She is the founder of the company, and now we operate as partners.

– What are your plans for 2025?

– 2025 will be a defining year for our company. We plan to open showrooms in Milan and Kyiv (provided that the situation in Ukraine stabilizes and the attacks cease). Additionally, we are working on launching an exclusive furniture line using innovative materials that are both eco-friendly and safe for children. Our goal is to set the standard in children’s room design, showcasing not only style and comfort but also unique technical solutions. We also plan to hold a series of masterclasses for young designers in Europe to share our experience and establish new industry benchmarks.

Our uniqueness lies in the combination of a design-focused approach, technological advancements, and affordability. We don’t just create furniture or designs—we create a holistic space for a child’s development and comfort. Our years of experience, a team of highly skilled professionals, and our commitment to meeting individual client needs allow us to remain industry leaders. In 2025, we are ready to reach new heights and set even more ambitious goals.