Inside EDesign Studio: A Journey of Design, Identity and Timeless Interiors

For Alina Skomarosvka, founder of EDesign Studio, interior design is an exercise in balance, between architecture and emotion, heritage and contemporary living, functionality and beauty. Her work explores how thoughtful spaces can express identity while remaining timeless.

There is a particular quality to interiors that feel effortlessly complete. Nothing appears excessive, yet every element seems to have its place. Materials invite touch, light creates atmosphere, proportions establish rhythm, and the space itself begins to tell a story.

This is the philosophy behind EDesign Studio, founded by Alina and shaped by more than two decades of experience, observation and an instinctive understanding of how people relate to their surroundings.

For Alina, the journey began not in a studio, but at home.

Founder of EDesign Studio | Alina Skomarosvka

From a Personal Beginning to a Creative Practice

More than 20 years ago, Alina began designing spaces for herself and her family. What initially emerged from a personal passion gradually evolved into a professional calling, supported by her family and driven by an enduring curiosity about architecture, materials and the way interiors influence everyday life.

Today, EDesign Studio brings together a creative team united by a shared vision. Alina describes this relationship as something deeply collaborative:

“My team is my inspiration and an incredible source of energy. We are not afraid of complex challenges. Quite the opposite - we boldly dive into them. I am them. They are me.”

That collective spirit is reflected in the studio’s approach to each project. Rather than imposing a recognisable aesthetic, EDesign Studio begins by understanding the context, the architecture and, above all, the people who will inhabit the space.

“Every project is a unique story. Every interior is a search for the perfect combination of form, colour and atmosphere.”

The result is a design language that feels considered without becoming predictable, contemporary, but never detached from the human experience.

 Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Stala Collection | Castro Lighting

Designing Spaces That Reflect the People Within Them

For Alina, an interior should have character without competing with the people who live there.

This principle informs every decision, from architectural proportions to furniture, materials, textures and lighting, with each element considered in relation to the others to achieve a sense of balance and cohesion.

“A space becomes memorable not because it contains many impressive elements, but because everything feels balanced and intentional.”

Functionality is equally important. The most beautiful interior, in Alina’s view, is one that supports everyday life naturally. Comfort should not be sacrificed for aesthetics, nor should practicality prevent a space from feeling distinctive.

This creates a more nuanced understanding of design, where the value of an interior lies not only in how it looks, but in the way it feels to move through it, inhabit it and return to it every day.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Rainforest Collection | Castro Lighting

Heritage as a Contemporary Design Language

Alina’s Ukrainian heritage provides another important layer to her creative perspective.

Rather than reproducing traditional Ukrainian elements directly, Alina translates her cultural background into contemporary interiors through materials, craftsmanship, art and carefully chosen details. In this way, heritage becomes a subtle influence on the studio’s design language.

“It is not about literally bringing traditional Ukrainian elements into a space. It is about understanding where we come from and translating that feeling into contemporary design - through materials, craftsmanship, art and authentic details.”

This interpretation allows cultural identity to coexist naturally with modern architecture, while EDesign Studio also supports Ukrainian manufacturers and artisans whenever their quality and character align with the requirements of a project.

“We consciously support Ukrainian production and choose local manufacturers whenever we find the quality and character we are looking for.”

It is a philosophy that places craftsmanship at the centre of the design process while contributing to the continued visibility of Ukrainian creative production internationally.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Avolto Collection | Castro Lighting

Finding Inspiration Beyond the Interior

For Alina, inspiration rarely follows a single path.

Travel continuously expands Alina’s visual vocabulary, introducing new references, cultures and ways of experiencing space. Design events, particularly in Milan, complement this perspective by revealing emerging ideas and shifts in the wider design landscape.

"Milan and the international design exhibitions are particularly inspiring, as they provide an opportunity to see not only individual products but also the broader direction in which contemporary design is moving."

At the same time, an entire interior can begin with a single detail. The way light meets a surface, the texture of a material or the proportion of an architectural form. EDesign Studio draws from these moments without reproducing them literally, transforming inspiration into spaces with their own identity.

“Sometimes inspiration comes from something very simple - the way natural stone catches the light, the texture of wood, the proportions of a building or the atmosphere of a particular place.”

Nature, architecture and materiality therefore become recurring threads throughout the studio’s work, influencing the way each space is composed, experienced and given its own identity.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Rainforest Collection | Castro Lighting

A More Personal Definition of Luxury

While luxury is often associated with scale, rarity or visual abundance, Alina sees it through a more personal lens, one defined by quality, individuality and experience.

"Today, I see luxury less as an abundance of expensive objects and more as a sense of quality, space and individuality."

It is an understated definition, but one that reveals much about the studio’s design philosophy. For Alina, luxury is found in the care behind every design decision and in the way a space supports everyday life. It is something that reveals itself through thoughtful choices, quality and attention to detail.

“True luxury can be felt in the way a space is planned, in the quality of materials, in craftsmanship, in natural light and in the small details that make everyday life more comfortable.”

This perspective naturally extends to timelessness. For Alina, a timeless interior is not one that avoids personality in pursuit of neutrality. Quite the opposite.

“A timeless interior has enough personality to remain relevant over time.”

Trends may influence a project, but they do not define it, becoming references rather than rules throughout the creative process.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Metis Collection | Castro Lighting

Three Projects, Three Expressions of Timeless Design

The principles of EDesign Studio can be seen clearly across its signature projects, each offering a different interpretation of balance, sophistication and permanence.

Balance - The Beauty of Contrast

Balance is shaped by contrast: strong architectural lines meet softer, tactile elements, while a restrained palette allows texture and proportion to stand out. The result is sophisticated and composed, but never cold. Here, contrast is not used to create tension, but harmony.

“The name ‘Balance’ reflects the core principle of the project: finding harmony between functionality and aesthetics, geometry and softness, minimalism and warmth."

 

Residential Project Balance by EDesign Studio featuring Castro Lighting pieces

Elegance - The Art of Restraint

Elegance takes a quieter approach, where refined proportions, carefully selected materials and considered lighting replace decorative excess. A restrained palette creates a calm backdrop, while furniture and texture bring warmth and depth to the space.The result is a space that feels refined without ever becoming formal or distant.

“Elegance is about knowing when to add something and, equally importantly, when to stop.”

 

Residential Project Elegance by EDesign Studio featuring Castro Lighting pieces

Timeless Geometry - Where Structure Meets Nature

Timeless Geometry explores the relationship between architectural precision and organic materiality, balancing strong forms and clear lines with natural textures and considered finishes. This dialogue between structure, softness and enduring proportions gives the project its distinctive character.

“Certain forms and proportions remain relevant regardless of changing trends. When combined with natural materials and thoughtful detailing, geometry can create an interior that feels both contemporary and enduring.”

 

Residential Project Timeless Geometry by EDesign Studio featuring Castro Lighting pieces

The Role of Light in Creating Atmosphere

Within Alina’s interiors, lighting is never simply functional. It becomes part of the architecture, helping define proportions, highlight materials, create intimacy and shape the atmosphere of a space throughout the day.

This is where the relationship between EDesign Studio and Castro Lighting becomes particularly meaningful. The Portuguese brand’s focus on craftsmanship, material expertise and sculptural design allows its pieces to act as architectural accents, contributing to both the identity and atmosphere of an interior.

For a designer whose work is guided by proportion, materiality and detail, lighting becomes another layer of the composition, whether through a suspension that creates a focal point, a wall light that reveals texture or a carefully positioned source that draws attention to architectural features.

Light does not simply reveal an interior. It helps define it.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Stala Collection | Castro Lighting

A Shared Appreciation for Craftsmanship

The connection between EDesign Studio and Castro Lighting goes beyond aesthetics, rooted in a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, authentic materials and design created to last.

For EDesign Studio, this means creating interiors shaped around the people and stories within them. For Castro Lighting, it means turning materials and craftsmanship into pieces that become part of those spaces and their identity.

Together, these values reflect a more personal vision of contemporary luxury, defined by quality, individuality and emotional connection rather than excess. In Alina’s work, timelessness is not about resisting change, but about creating spaces with enough character and authenticity to remain meaningful over time.

Perhaps that is what makes a home truly enduring: not the ability to remain unchanged, but the ability to remain meaningful through it.

Residential Project by EDesign Studio featuring pieces from the Metis Collection | Castro Lighting