Andrea Ewanchyna had an early appreciation for interior design while growing up in Steveston.
Her father, an engineer, taught her how to think outside the box, while her mother embraced change and travel.
“She was the kind of person that re-arranged the furniture in the house seasonably, just to mix it up,” Ewanchyna says. “It kept us on our toes but taught me that there’s more than one way to approach the space that you live in.”
An Art History graduate from UBC, Ewanchyna further sharpened her eye during her year in London, England, before returning to her birthplace of Winnipeg to gain a Master’s degree in Interior Design at the University of Manitoba.
Afterwards, she worked for a small commercial company in Winnipeg before clinching a bigger opportunity in Edmonton, where she was employed by a large architectural firm for several years.
But last year, during the pandemic, Ewanchyna decided to be her own boss and opened a consulting business in Port Moody, where she now resides, called andreajae studio (her first and middle names) to serve an international clientele.
And she says her travels — especially around Europe — have influenced the way she explores design applications today for her local base.
“Before I travelled to Europe, I had no idea you could tile an entire bathroom and just turn the shower on without a shower curtain. It’s an entire wet room!” Ewanchyna says. “You don’t see that in North America, but I was able to transfer some of that information to a doorless shower in a primary ensuite recently.
“There is no transition between the shower and the rest of the bathroom, and it makes it feel like a spa,” she says.
Still, Ewanchyna didn’t just pick up design functionalities during her world trips: she also studied colours, textures and cultural nuances in different spaces.
“What is acceptable in another country may not be here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pull in some threads from your experience and give the space that flavour,” she says. “It’s what adds interest to design and make a place unique.”
As for her art history background, it also comes in handy as she scans rooms for renewal — observing the basics of scale, pairing with other objects, and colour theory.
“On a larger picture, I’m a very conceptual thinker, but studying art teaches you to think critically,” Ewanchyna says, adding, “This type of thinking helps me daily in my business, where I am constantly editing design decisions to create a better design for my clients.”
Though Ewanchyna is still relatively new as an entrepreneur and is building her consulting business, she’s a firm believer in supporting the community. Whenever possible, she likes to shop local to find the perfect fit for her customers.
What are they looking for? First and foremost, an understanding of their needs, budget and expectations, Ewanchyna says.
She has a seven-step design process that she presents at the first meeting, so that andreajae studio and the client are on the same page with how the project will unfold.
“It is very important that both the designer and the client are a good fit for each other,” Ewanchyna says.
“Design isn’t a one size fits all, so you have to be able to know that you can get along. Communication and transparency are what makes a client/designer relationship successful.”
To learn more about andreajae studio, visit www.andreajaestudio.com.
