Perpetuum Designs the company that transforms spaces into memorable experiences

Perpetuum Desingns it's a Chicago based company who's mission, since 2016, is to transform spaces into memorable experiences. I asked the founder and CEO of the company, Cristiana Crin, to answer a few questions about herself and the company she runs.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how did you end up in Chicago?

 I was born and raised in a beautiful little town in the heart of Transylvania, Simleul Silvaniei. Kind people, majestic sights and a unique taste of morning air. I can’t quite explain it, you really have to be there to experience it. The American dream was an adolescent phase that turned out to be just that “a phase” in the beginning, but given the opportunity to travel years later, choosing Chicago seemed to be the right decision at the time. The culture, the possibilities, the sights... 16 years later, this feeling of amazingness does not fade. 

 How did you chose this career in the field of  interior design? 

It was an accident. I quit my job, with the sole purpose of finding a field that will make me happy, maybe create a purpose for me … I had no idea what to expect. I found an open position on Craigslist for an Executive Assistant in a development company, I googled the description and decided to apply. Two months in, I knew that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I was hoping to go back to school to become an architect but realistically, the time and the money required as an investment, it was just not possible for me. I was 33 so I decided to get educated in Interior Design. Aside from school, I also switched jobs and got in with a local interior design company focused on hospitality where I took every opportunity to learn as much as possible.  

Do you need to go to school for what you do? 

 For what I do, yes. You do need a diploma, and if you want to go wild, and become a commercial designer like me, you can’t get a business license without the required certificates. This is also the difference between a decorator and a designer; we’re the sum between architects and decorators. 

 Why would people or a business need an interior designer? 

For their homes, its really just a personal preference, but people usually hire us because they want something impressive or simply because they don’t have the eye for it. For commercial spaces, it’s quite different. In a restaurant for instance, I believe it's about the respect the owner has for its customers. I strongly believe that any respectable business man or woman will want to have an amazing space for its customers. Some people simply have an eye for aesthetic and try to do it themselves, and some others decide to go all professional and hire an interior design company. This goes literally for any type of business. 

 What’s your personal style? 

  I’m definitely on the eclectic side. 

 How do you choose your designs? 

With every space, the requirements chance. On residential projects, the style is dictated by two factors; personal client preference and building/space architecture. For commercial spaces, the business concept is asking of it. This is also the reason we started getting involved in branding. We have to understand the concept before anything else. The culture, the services, the menus… It’s not an easy process, but it’s quite a fun one. 

Why did you choose London to branch out?

 Chance. I had the opportunity to design a restaurant in Sheffield, UK and met my partner Raluca Uta just when I was wrapping up that project. I dreamed to go back to Europe for so long, even if it’s part time, and I saw an opportunity in this partnership of both growth for the brand I created, and a new home for me personally. 

Are you ever planning to go back to Romania? 

Absolutely. Not full time, but I am definitely going back to Simleul Silvaniei. 

 

Perpetuum Designs

415 N Sangamon St.

Chicago, IL 60642

 (773) 377-8959 

 https://www.perpetuumdesigns.com/