Not just furniture, but stories of experience

Beauty is its essence. Positivism is her worldview. Taste and softness in communication are her nature. Paolina Cherneva is the creative driving force, the inspiration, and the beautiful mind of Essenza, a family-owned company trading in high-end and mid-range Italian furniture, lighting, and accessories. Based in Plovdiv, the company works with clients from all over the world, producing interior design projects for private and public spaces.

By Maria Kasimova-Moase / photography Roy Hill @3 FRAMES

PAOLINA graduated in art history and art management in Sofia, where she worked on various projects in the field of painting and plastic art. Her thesis was on the preservation and socialization of architectural monuments, a topic that still excites her today. She continues her studies at DOMUS ACADEMY, Milan, majoring in Luxury Brand Management. She develops digital communication strategies for brands such as Sergio Rossi, Moncler, and Antonia Milano. Her professional path also took a turn towards a start-up wine distribution company, where she contacted some of the best sommeliers in Italy. She also worked for Sotheby's Milan auction house and later, quite by chance learned what she needed from this type of business as well, in the global marketing department of a large insurance company. He returned to Bulgaria amid the covid-19 pandemic to join Essenza and infuse it with his young spirit and enthusiasm.

Your biography is a film in which every episode surprises. Why didn't you choose one of all these great places to work and develop in the world?

One of the main reasons I got involved in art, design, and marketing is the family business I am actively involved in today. The experience I wanted to gain was always with the goal of one day having the opportunity to continue developing the family company. The company was founded 25 years ago by my parents. Our showroom is in a 1900s-listed house, in whose eclectic spaces we showcase a selection of design products. During socialism, frescoes on the ceilings were covered four times with swamp paint. My parents carefully and patiently uncovered this beauty. Everything here tells a story - even the plaster ornaments on the walls themselves have been restored and made anew by one of the last remaining masters of this technique in Plovdiv. Our showroom is also a meeting place for artists, partners, and clients. Design lives here.

There are amazing samples in your showroom. Do you get attached to them?

We love and like every item we have on display. This large and voluminous chandelier by BAROVIER & TOSO, for example, is a work of art. Their factory in Venice has been around since 1295, the glass is blown, and it's worked by hand. Their chandeliers are emblematic of Dolce & Gabbana stores around the world. I would say we get attached to the stories and the feeling that these examples of product design bring. Because we're not just selling furniture - we're selling experiential stories.

What was your childhood like in this beautiful environment?

I was 11 years old the first time I went with my parents to a fair in Italy, not knowing where I was at all... I was stunned. That was the first time I told myself that this was my path. I grew up among the finest specimens of product design. I attended global design and architecture exhibitions such as Salone del Mobile, IMM Cologne, Maison & Objet, and 100% Design London. This shaped my aesthetic. There is something else. I grew up in my great-grandparents' house. He was a carpenter. I spent summers watching him make furniture, details, and assemblies. One time I showed him sketches of Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine and asked him if he could help me make one. And we did! I fell, I got up, I was all bruised, but I flew in a different sense.

Who are your greatest teachers?

First of all my family. During my studies in Bulgaria and Italy, I met amazing professionals both at the university and in the companies I worked for. On my third day working at the insurance company in Milan, the former marketing director of Coca-Cola came from Miami and turned my idea of markets in general upside down. Thanks to him, I came out of the specifics to start looking for a new reading in what we offer, a new feeling. We don't just sell furniture - we sell stories of experience.

What are the specific goals you have for the future of Essenza?

We are working towards marketing and a more robust digital presence. Our goal is to promote the brand to a wider audience, also introducing the new generation of customers, the so-called millennials, and why not generation Z to our business. We are also working on digitalizing some of the processes related to interior design. Our strategy also involves having more and more implementations abroad, and in the last year, we have had several, including in the heart of Milan.

Which brands from your portfolio would you introduce?

We have the pleasure to work with some of the most iconic manufacturers in the furniture industry. I would start with Baxter, a company that embodies the excellence of craftsmanship by combining artistry and functionality to create exquisite leather furniture with timeless designs. I will mention Minotti - for 70 years they have been creating exquisite design, combining tradition and innovative technology and the perfectly expressed concept of "Made in Italy". The precise choice of materials, the perfection in every detail, the high aesthetics, and the finesse in the lines give a feeling of elegance that is only found in the highest design. Molteni&C is the epitome of high aesthetics in Italian design. Over the years, the company has collaborated with world-renowned designers and architects - Gio Ponti, Luca Meda, Rodolfo Dordoni, Norman Foster, and Jean Nouvel - to create products that have become icons. During Design Week this year, the company unveiled its new concept for outdoor furniture, created by Vincent Van Duysen, which takes its origins from the ancient Greek home where the courtyard is in the middle of the house and is the center for the inhabitants. I am delighted that the companies we represent are increasingly turning their policies towards a circular economy. Natural materials are being used - bamboo, wood, and recyclable plastic. The efforts of our entire industry must be in this direction.

What would your ideal home look like?

I imagine my home in a light eclectic style - Italian product design with decorative neoclassical elements. I would go for oval shapes, clean lines, and earth tones with an accent in blue. Of course, the presence of painting and plastic art is a must. A large library and a record player. Let there be spirit, let there be me and the person next to me. And someday some kids with their toys around. They're the most interesting designers.