Mandy Wozniak, a young interior designer from Alberta, has joined the ranks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA) 30 Under Thirty.
Held annually, the program celebrates young professionals who possess the passion, creativity and brilliance to be the voice of the next generation of kitchen and bath experts.
Wozniak’s recognition is well-deserved. At 23, she is head of design for the Hive project in Bonnyville, Alta., and owner of her own interior design firm, Salix Studio.
Salix, she tells me, is Latin for willow tree. For Wozniak, it represents the inspiration she finds in nature – horseback riding and fishing are some of her favourite pastimes – and is a concept she has used repetitively in both her personal and professional life.
This is what Wozniak does; she balances her work very carefully between the well-being of her clients and the respect of nature. Two sides of the same coin: care.
Background
Wozniak graduated from Lakeland College in 2018, with a degree in interior design technology. Her outstanding scholastic achievements earned the young designer the Governor General’s Academic Medal for highest academic standing in a degree.
That same year, she took second place in the kitchen design category of the 2018 NKBA student design competition. For the competition, she developed a full scope kitchen design, including all the millwork drawings as part of a “real-life project for Habitat for Humanity, in accord with my values; this kind of project fulfills my aspirations of helping people and giving back to the community,” says Wozniak.
This past spring, she earned a degree in interior design from Yorkville University.
Wozniak says she’s most interested in the creative and analytical aspects of interior design, which she finds inspiring.
“It always keeps me on my toes – I’m never bored on any project,” she says. “I also love helping people and changing their lives for the better.”
The Hive
This is why Mandy chose to work on mental health issues as part of her thesis. As she was interviewing and surveying local professionals, she became acquainted with members of the Bonnyville Primary Care Network. She then joined the network’s team of volunteers and started working on the Hive, Bonnyville Child and Adolescent Mental Health Collaborative’s new youth centre.
“(They) introduced me to the Hive and as part of a volunteer program, I helped guide the design decisions,” Wozniak told the Lakeland College newspaper. “Once the volunteer work was complete, they asked me to take over the design of the space.”
The Hive project is comprised of two phases. The first involved the opening of a cafe and recreation centre, which took place in early June, in the presence of approximately 100 young people aged 14 to 21.
The Hive project is comprised of two phases. The first involved the opening of a cafe and recreation centre, which took place in early June, in the presence of approximately 100 young people aged 14 to 21.
“We tried to reutilize furniture and get donations. This was part of our sustainable design approach. We used existing cabinets that were in the space and refinished them,” she explains. “The reception desk, though, is the most unique custom piece that we splurged on. The custom desk has hexagon wood pieces all around it.”
The second phase of the project is still being funded. It consists of a mental health clinic, lounge, art space, full kitchen, fitness studio and two bathrooms with locker rooms.
“The biggest lesson I learned while working on the Hive is that when you work on a project that fulfills a bigger need or gives back, it is more fulfilling than any other project,” says Wozniak. “When you do it out of selflessness and put others’ needs above the rest, the outcome is better than anything.”
Salix Studio: a Holistic Approach
Wozniak relies on colour psychology concepts to guide her design decisions, which focus on inclusivity, comfort and hospitality. She is also a proponent of universal, sustainable designs, and gears her business, Salix Studio, to providing just that.
“Our whole being, culture, background and personality come into place in our environment, which can be either a help or a hindrance to us,” she explains. “Let’s say a disabled person lives in a non-adapted environment: it is a diminishing experience. We should hone on people’s needs and support them instead of diminishing them.”
As for sustainability, “making sure you have good air quality and no chemical elements that are off-gassing is important to me,” Wozniak continues. “We can make choices that lessen that kind of impact.”
This involves looking to nature, she says.
“A lot of furniture is made of embossed melamine or veneer finishing, but when it is made of real oak or maple, that does something for us that is so beautiful,” Wozniak explains. “You can’t recreate that. My goal is to create authenticity through the inspiration of nature.”
For inspiration, she goes on walks in nature. “Horse riding is also a big thing. Fishing in the summertime, and any other way to connect with the outdoors. There is always something I can find in nature. It can really spark interesting ideas for me.”
She adds that her focus being authenticity, nature is her best example: “A lot of furniture is made of embossed melamine or veneer finishing, but when it is made of real oak or real maple, that does something for us that is so beautiful. You can’t recreate that. My goal is to create authenticity through the inspiration of nature.”
Next Steps
Wozniak is currently working on 15 different projects, mostly residential: custom homes, bathrooms and kitchens, including lots of millwork – her specialty.
She hopes to branch out into designing commercial and healthcare spaces in the future.
In addition to growing her business, Wozniak says she’d like to become certified by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). NCIDQ certification is the industry’s recognized indicator of proficiency in interior design principles and a designer’s commitment to the profession.
“I don’t like to be too close minded; I like to be open to new opportunities,” she says.