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Superyachts.com Talks Interior Design with Hernan Arriaga
Hernan Arriaga is a man aware of his surroundings. Born in Argentina, his career as an interior designer has spanned South America, the United Sates and Europe, his work embodying the multiculturalism that has been a pervasive influence throughout his life.
But it is not just countries that have delivered Arriaga with creative epiphonies, it is the minutiae of life, too.
“Inspiration comes from anywhere, he tells Superyachts.com. "From my wardrobe and accessories to my personal collection.
“It is around us, everywhere we go, every minute, every day. We just have to stop and understand beauty, the concept and the immensity of the simplest things that are within us.”
Arriaga’s passion for design began as a precocious 8-year old, when he decided he wanted to redecorate his mother’s home.
“I did drawings of her living room and Master Bedroom so many times,” he says.
But it was his move to America – first to Miami to work for an Argentine fashion company, and then in 2000 to New York after being offered a job with an interior design firm – that saw his career take off.
“New York was an incredible inspiration for me and what defined the course of my professional life,” he says.
Arriaga developed a unique style and vision for how interior design should look, heavily influenced by nature and with the relentless belief that imperfection can be beautiful. In an industry in which most designers wear their ‘perfectionism’ as a badge of honour, Arriaga’s philosophy makes for a quirky and refreshing change.
“I have always loved the imperfection of natural things, those that God created for us to appreciate,” he says. “Have you ever stopped yourself and analyzed a flower? The curves, the colors, the smell, the shape? Isn't it beautiful?
“Those details are my inspiration, the beginning of what I can create, and the concept that describes perfection in all imperfect things.”
But right now Arriaga is too busy to get bogged down in philosophical musings. He is currently working on a host of projects, including a home in the Dominican Republic, four residential properties in Miami, a hotel in Brazil and a lounge hotel in Jedah.
But Superyachts.com couldn’t let him leave without enquiring about his long-term ambitions.
“I want to keep creating,” he said emphatically. “Never stop, never get tired of helping people live elegantly and make their homes be their signature.
“I want people to remember my work, my talent, my passion.”