"Chain." (c) Mimino
This hallway was not created because we suddenly became furniture designers. Guests do not come to Orange Cat for furniture photos. They come here to live.
The first task was purely practical. We needed a place for shoes, jackets, a mirror and enough free space to move through the hallway with luggage.
The engineer calculated everything, ordered the furniture and declared the project complete.
Almost complete.
Five minutes later the designer explained, in very clear language, why it was not complete at all.
"How exactly are people supposed to put on their shoes? Standing?"
Children. Older guests. People returning after a full day walking through Tbilisi. They all need somewhere to sit.
That is how the small metal bench appeared. No luxury. No design awards. Just the right size, the right colour and a shelf underneath for shoes.
Good interiors often do not start with decoration. They start when somebody can comfortably sit down and tie their shoelaces.