Elemental Lounge: A Symphony of Contrast

Erika Zielinski's Award-Winning Design Balances Day and Night

The Elemental Lounge was created for "Casacor Peru," the most significant architecture and interior design exhibition in the Americas. The exhibition's theme, "Planeta Casa," meaning "our planet is our home," inspired Zielinski to represent the equinox's day and night through her design. The challenge lay in achieving harmony using the most radical contrast in the color palette, black and white. Zielinski met this challenge by exploring different textures and materials like wood, iron, fabrics, pottery, fur, and precious stones.

Every piece of furniture, lamps, rugs, and fittings in the Elemental Lounge were custom and handmade by Peruvian artisans and manufacturers. The lamp hanging over the coffee table, an original design by Zielinski, represents rain and was made of transparent and smoky quartz with LED light inside. The rug, half white and half black, complements the coffee table, which also sports a black and white design and contains a giant amethyst geode. The sofas are upholstered in 100% cotton fabric and two colors of velvet, sewn with great precision.

The Elemental Lounge was designed in a 60 square meter space in a former summer palace donated to the orphaned children of Lima by its former owner, Perez Aranibar. The project, which started in July 2019 and ended in September 2019, was a race against time, with only two months for design and construction. Despite the tight schedule, Zielinski and her team, including Luis Alberto Quispe and Jaime Cruz, succeeded in creating a unique and memorable space.

Zielinski's design was influenced by her travels from Saint Petersburg to Helsinki. She was intrigued by how two cultures with similar climatic conditions developed contrasting interior design styles. While the Nordic style seeks light and composes its interiors with white over white, Russian modern design prefers drama, composing its spaces with black over black. This observation inspired Zielinski's design for the Elemental Lounge, a space that is as versatile as it is beautiful, suitable for both residential and luxury hotel settings.

The Elemental Lounge is a testament to Zielinski's innovative approach to design and her ability to create harmony from contrast. It is a space that embodies the balance of day and night, light and dark, simplicity and luxury. The design's success is evident in its recognition by the prestigious A' Design Award, further cementing Zielinski's place in the world of interior design.