We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Nadezhda Kiseleva about their original and creative Feline Furniture Module design work. Nadezhda Kiseleva is an award-winning product designer, that makes our world a better place with their original feline furniture module works.
Nadezhda Kiseleva ("NK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Polkota Feline Furniture Module. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
NK : The design was inspired by three of my own cats as well as many of my friends' cats. All of them need a well-organized space to play, sleep, relax, and interact with each other.
NK : My priority was the aesthetic appeal of the module and its visual versatility, which would allow it to fit seamlessly into almost any interior. Ease of assembly and maintenance was also an important factor.
NK : First of all, to make a prototype and try it out on my cats. Then, I will look for a long-term collaboration with producers of pet products so that I can start production and sales and make the module available to as many people as possible.
NK : In total, there were 4 months of work, at a slow pace. Three months of it involved the development of the concept itself and one month of preparation for direct participation in the competition.
NK : There were several concepts during the development process, as usually happens. Specifically, this one was chosen because of its round shape. Firstly, a circle is an ideal, complete shape, and secondly, few people use this shape for such purposes - as a hanging house for a cat. Initially, I did not have the goal of creating a concept that would be put into production, even though all the details, materials, and designs were thought through. However, after the work was done I received a lot of positive feedback from cat owners, which led me to think that it was worth trying to make it happen.
NK : At the moment, this design is not used by other companies. Ideally, I would like to rent out the production rights or even sell them. In case that does not happen, I will produce it by myself.
NK : I have always liked to develop individual interior details such as furniture or lamps, but my main forté is interior design. So the development of the cat module was a way of implementing it in a related area.
NK : Before I started, I looked at photos of existing products in the field of pet products to get a clear idea of what already exists, for inspiration, and to avoid accidental repetition. I particularly liked the curved shelf, which was attached to the wall and had a changeable scratching mat.
NK : Cat owners. Especially owners of multiple cats
NK : Shape and variability of use. The customer can create a composition for his or her own needs and change it later with minimum effort
NK : “Polkota” in Russian is a play on words: polka (shelf)+ kot (cat) also means “half of a cat”, which hints at the half-circle form of the module of cats complex.
NK : Sketching, firstly, and then software for drawings and 3D-visualization.
NK : Variability of possible compositions and ease of usage.
NK : I was collaborating with my friend Ivan Logutov. He is an engineer and helped a lot by developing a hanging detail.
NK : First of all, these are modern and eco-friendly materials, without whose existence this design would not have been possible.
NK : I have conducted online surveys and interviews with several cat owners I know, including face-to-face interviews, observing the cats, so to speak, in their natural habitat.
NK : There were technical challenges, such as creating the most user-friendly attachment to the wall and attaching the curved part to the base.
NK : I had a long-lasting desire to participate in an international competition and had a project that could theoretically win. So I just decided to give it a try.
NK : I have definitely expanded my knowledge of the pet products market and I already have new developments for another design in the same area.
