When I first started working in design, the common approach in the realm was predominantly product-centered, and placing a user into the center was a relatively new idea. Today my perception of design process has gone beyond and shifted to solving complex problems and improving the system rather than just optimizing for the user alone. However, I included this project in the portfolio because this table was my first-ever furniture piece I designed, and it remains a part of my design journey.
When I first started working in design, the common approach in the realm was predominantly product-centered, and placing a user into the center was a relatively new idea. Today my perception of design process has gone beyond and shifted to solving complex problems and improving the system rather than just optimizing for the user alone. However, I included this project in the portfolio because this table was my first-ever furniture piece I designed, and it remains a part of my design journey.
This is where the insight comes in — you have to look beyond what people say to understand what’s truly going on. People’s words don’t always match reality, not because they’re being dishonest, but because their habits are formed by their daily routines and experiences.
When people said it was easier to put on makeup while standing, it wasn’t because standing per se. It was simply because the mirror was closer to them when they used a wall-mounted one.
The farther you are from the mirror, the twice as far the reflection is. To use a regular vanity table, you need to have an eagle eye in order to carry out all these precise manipulations with your face and come out of it as a winner.
However, if the mirror is placed at the right angle, closer and free-standing, the experience changes. Your neck and back aren’t strained, your hands are free for smooth movements, and suddenly, using the vanity table becomes much more comfortable.
Empathy interviews help to uncover hidden needs that people may not express directly. It involves active listening and observation, not just the words, but also the feelings, behaviors, and habits of the person. By understanding why people behave the way they do, we can identify patterns or problems they might not even be aware of. This deeper understanding helps us design solutions that meet their true needs, even those they haven’t consciously recognized.
The vanity table was featured on Behance and published in both Ukrainian and international journals. It also got to Archiproducts design platform.Improved tables, equipped with built-in mirror lighting, are used in the dressing rooms of the Modern Kyiv Academic Drama Theatre in Podil.
Photos of the Modern Kyiv Academic Drama Theatre in Podil: Mykhailo PohartsevPhotos of the table: Uliana Vinichuk
