A Semi-Circular Restaurant in the Forest
You’ve described imagining interior spaces in empty notebooks since childhood. What was the moment that turned that private instinct into a professional path?
Since childhood, I used to imagine interior spaces in empty notebooks. The turning point was designing a semi-circular restaurant in the forests of Mazandaran. I chose interiors because they allow me to express spatial feeling, details, colour, and texture more tangibly.
How would you describe your design philosophy in a few words?
Balance, calm, authenticity. My approach is people-centred, not form-centred. I don’t draw from one specific source of inspiration; in each project, I might be drawn to something different and use it.
“My approach is people-centred, not form-centred. Good design becomes an extension of their identity.”
Grandeur Without Noise
You have a clear affinity for Neoclassical references. What is it about that tradition that still speaks to you, and how do you keep it feeling contemporary?
Its appeal lies in the sense of grandeur and history. I preserve the frames and proportions but introduce contemporary colours and modern materials to make it a living history, not a museum piece.
Walk us through your process from the first brief to the finished space.
It starts with a long conversation to fully understand the client. Then sketches, 3D modelling, and feedback loops. The most challenging part is the back-and-forth until we reach the desired outcome. The most rewarding moment is when both the client and I are truly satisfied.
How does colour factor into your work?
Colour is the last layer of my process, based on materials and the client’s preferences. I mostly use neutral, calm tones because they provide a backdrop for real life and bring peace to the inhabitant.
Designing for the Person, Not the Room
How do you approach the deeply personal nature of residential design?
I ask deep questions about the client’s personality, habits, and dreams. Good design emerges from that understanding and becomes an extension of their identity.
You work across both residential and commercial projects. How does that shift your thinking?
Residential design is personal and intimate for a family. Commercial design is global and flexible for a diverse audience. Residential teaches me intimacy; commercial teaches me scale and a broader perspective.
The Project That Says It All
Is there a project you return to as a touchstone one that feels most like you?
The lobby and rooftop garden of a residential tower. I managed to combine luxury with simplicity and elegance. This project represents my philosophy: grandeur without noise, simplicity without banality.
The Space Between the Lines
Is there a project you return to as a touchstone one that feels most like you?
The lobby and rooftop garden of a residential tower. I managed to combine luxury with simplicity and elegance. This project represents my philosophy: grandeur without noise, simplicity without banality.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in interior design?
Be patient. Trust your inner voice more than trends. Learn to listen design is translating the client’s dream, not imposing your taste. And fall in love with details; what happens between the lines of the drawings makes a space unforgettable.
“A boutique hotel with ten rooms, each telling the story of a season or a feeling – places for poetic living and dreamy escape.”
The Future of the Interior
Where do you see interior design heading, and how do you stay current?
Three shifts mandatory sustainability, invisible technology, and spatial flexibility. I stay current by learning about new materials and listening to the new generation of clients.
If you could design anything, with no constraints, what would it be?
A bakery-café in an old city with the scent of bread and coffee, and a boutique hotel with ten rooms, each telling the story of a season or a feeling. Both would be places for poetic living and dreamy escape.
Asma Tahounchi
Asma Tahounchi is an Iranian architect and interior designer known for her people-centred approach and signature blend of Neoclassical grandeur with contemporary calm. Based in Iran, her work spans residential and commercial interiors, each shaped by deep conversations with the people who will inhabit the space.