Boutique Design - March 2019 - 80

THINK BIG
And take smart risks. That's been
Trifon Metodiev's rule of thumb since
childhood. The results have been a
design philosophy and professional
mantra that have led to success both
in and out of the office.
BY ANNMARIE MARTIN

start my own shop. I am proudest of the culture we've established.
Attracting talent is always a challenge, but retaining it is something I try my
best at every day. We have created a space that asks only for results with
little constraints on the participants. I want them to be free to express their
creativity. That means as long as we can get things done, they must be able
to experience their day-to-day life the best way they can. We encourage
personal time and flexibility while concentrating on the end goal.
DO YOU FEEL THERE'S A PRESSURE ON NEW FIRMS TO SAY YES JUST TO
STAY IN BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO SAY NO?

All young businesses feel the stress to say yes. But we have to consider our
group, what we want to do, what we have the strength to do and what we know
we can do. It does not help us to do something that we cannot do well. We look
to manage the growth of our business instead of letting it just happen to
us. With this outlook we will always have our clients' best interests at heart.

HOW HAS YOUR CHILDHOOD INFLUENCED YOUR DESIGNS AND

HOW DOES YOUR WORK IN OTHER MARKET SECTORS BENEFIT

ENABLED YOU TO FACE THE RISKS OF STARTING YOUR OWN FIRM?

HOSPITALITY CLIENTS?

Moving from Bulgaria to Newport Beach was such a contradiction that it
stressed upon me the importance of balance between functionality and
design. I realize that the spaces I create are defined not by the aesthetic,
but by the moments and memories created by the people who use them.
It also taught me that, as a business owner, I am a community leader,
responsible for the wellbeing and future of many. By growing up in another
country, immigrating to the U.S. and having the vision of a much bigger
world, it gave me the courage to take ownership of that. It helps me to think
big for the community I'm a part of, the communities I design for, and apply
those big ideas on a local level, making them better places to live.

My creation of sustainable living and working spaces has allowed me to really
concentrate on how a space will be used in hospitality projects. I understand
that I will be responsible for designing an environment where some of the
most intimate moments will be spent. I believe that a hospitality space needs
to reflect that in ways that make guests comfortable and relaxed and doesn't
just see them as a head on a bed. With sustainability and, by extension, wellness being some of the most exciting and growing spaces in hospitality today,
their expectations are changing. It's our job to get owners to start shifting
their mindsets in order to understand guests' new needs.
WHAT'S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE THINKING ABOUT

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, AND WHAT

OPENING THEIR OWN FIRM TODAY?

DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT IT?

Make sure you have talented people, learn to delegate really fast, stay organized and value every relationship. £

Easy, three kids. I had to take control of my future and the best way was to
80

boutiquedesign.com MARCH 2019

K AY L E E C A S A N O VA P H O T O G R A P H Y

WHEN TRIFON METODIEV set out on his own three years ago with the
launch of Vulkan Designs it was the culmination of 35 years of hard work and
chutzpah. Coming from a modest upbringing, he and his siblings had to fend
for themselves prior to his family's immigration journey from Bulgaria to
Newport Beach, California, when he was 10. From there, his studies and
travels abroad (which included a year at the prestigious Kyushu University in
Fukuoka, Japan) helped him develop a perspective on design that, although
global, always holds the community it's built from at the heart of it.
Before adding "business owner" to his rap sheet, his work spanned
from the renovation of the spa at The Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita,
Mexico, to a four-story living green wall at the Loews Santa Monica Beach
Hotel in Santa Monica, California. Currently, Vulkan is working on various
spaces at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa, California. But no matter
the project, his hyper focus is always on people. That's something he
brings home to his in-studio team and a young family of his own.

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - March 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - March 2019