From Bauhaus Minimalism to Beirut: Eva Szumilas’ Sculptural Design
people • MAKERS
Eva Szumilas is a Polish-Lebanese designer whose multidisciplinary practice blends Bauhaus minimalism with luxurious, sculptural design. Based in Beirut, her studio beautifully merges the structural clarity of Bauhaus interiors with the tactile materials and vibrant cultural influences of the Middle East, creating poetic interior design that is both soulful and enduring.
Holding a master’s degree in architecture, Eva’s approach balances structural precision with emotionally resonant storytelling and exceptional craftsmanship. Each creation, whether bespoke cabinetry, residential interiors, or collectible objects, carries a unique narrative and a powerful sense of place. Her collections draw deeply from her experiences across Poland, Cyprus, Ireland, and Lebanon, shaping a distinctly cross-cultural and deeply personal design language. Collaborating closely with master artisans, she integrates traditional techniques into contemporary forms, resulting in timeless yet innovative pieces.
Eva’s work has been internationally acclaimed, featured in leading publications including Architectural Digest, Taschen, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, and Wallpaper. Her studio remains dedicated to refined materials, functional sculpture, and spaces that resonate emotionally and spatially. At its core, Eva Szumilas Studio crafts interiors where form follows feeling—slow, intentional, and rich with character. In this interview, discover how Eva Szumilas translates emotions and memories into tangible, elegant designs.
Words: designeers
june 2025
WEBSITE: evaszumilas.com
INSTAGRAM: @evaszumilas
DESIGNEERS
Your journey spans Poland, Cyprus, Ireland, and now Beirut. How have these diverse cultures shaped your design sensibilities?
Eva Szumilas
Each place I’ve lived, Poland, Cyprus, Ireland, and now Lebanon, has layered new dimensions onto my design language. Poland gave me an early exposure to post-communist brutalism and the understated logic of Bauhaus minimalism, deeply influencing my appreciation for Bauhaus interior principles. Lebanon added boldness, richness, and contrast. I design in dialogue between structure and sensuality, minimalism and warmth, nostalgia and modernity. My identity is hybrid, and so is my aesthetic.
DESIGNEERS
After years in architecture, what inspired you to transition into furniture and product design?
Eva Szumilas
Architecture felt too slow. I craved immediacy. Furniture and object design gave me momentum, ideas made tangible faster. I also love the intimacy: seeing people live with a piece I made. Working with artisans brings emotional depth. Each object becomes part of my autobiography, expressed through wood, stone, and metal.
Galaxy Chair
Sensu Wood Side Table
DESIGNEERS
You describe your work as a blend of poetry and functionality. Can you elaborate on how you achieve this balance in your designs?
Eva Szumilas
Every design begins with an emotion or memory. That’s the poetry. But I deeply believe in the Bauhaus principle: form must follow function. Even my most sculptural pieces are grounded in proportion, comfort, and usability. The work must serve the body and the soul.
DESIGNEERS
You utilise noble materials and advanced craftsmanship techniques. Can you discuss your approach to material selection?
Eva Szumilas
Materials guide my process. I'm drawn to permanence—stone, wood, and metals like cast aluminium—and have always gravitated towards tactile materials, choosing pieces based on their texture, temperature, and emotional resonance. I collaborate closely with artisans and often let material challenges guide the final form.
DESIGNEERS
Your “Gong Cabinet” won the prestigious A’ Design Award. What was the inspiration behind this piece?
Eva Szumilas
It came from a dream, travelling through the Far East. The gong as an object has rhythm, power, and spirituality. I wanted to design something that felt both grounded and elevated. The piece embodies sculptural design, balancing calmness with expressive forms—a meditation in form and material.
Galaxy Chair
Gong Cabinet
Galaxy Chair
“Collaboration is central to my process. I’m constantly learning from artisans, some with generations of knowledge in their hands.”
Eva Szumilas
DESIGNEERS
Your studio handles projects ranging from high-end residential to hospitality design. How do you tailor your approach to meet the needs of each sector?
Eva Szumilas
Residential design is intimate. It reflects lifestyle, memory, and routine. Hospitality is about atmosphere and flow. In both, I listen first. Then I offer concepts that are emotionally resonant but bold. Whether personal or public, I aim to create spaces that feel intentional and timeless.
DESIGNEERS
Who is your favourite design icon, and how have they influenced your work?
Eva Szumilas
Le Corbusier for his vision of society. Zaha Hadid for strength and fluidity. Charlotte Perriand for instinctual elegance. Carlo Scarpa for detail, Neutra for harmony, Rick Owens for raw sculpturalism, and Ingo Maurer for poetic risk. Their work reminds me that design can be both grounded and transcendent.
X Cabinet
X Cabinet
DESIGNEERS
What is your favourite hotel in the world?
Eva Szumilas
Palazzina Grassi in Venice, designed by Philippe Starck. It’s theatrical yet rooted; Venetian elegance meets surrealism. Mirrored walls, Murano glass, seductive palettes. It feels like living inside an artwork.
DESIGNEERS
If you could design any space in the world, what would it be and why?
Eva Szumilas
A home just for me. A manifesto in space, experimental, sensual, and authentic. A sanctuary that holds all of my design principles, free of compromise. That would be my dream.
Sensu Wood Cabinet
