A GLOBAL AND SUSTAINABLE PERSPECTIVE COMBINING SCANDINAVIAN AND ETHNIC DESIGN

INTERVIEW WITH JOHANNA WECKSTRÖM – FOUNDER AND OWNER OF ZOCO HOME

Tell us about Zoco Home’s origins and background.

I was inspired by my travels as a young girl with my father, an importer of traditional Mexican decoration. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. I share the same love and passion for undervalued and uniquely beautiful pieces that my father had.

Travelling has always been a part of my life, and in 2013 Zoco Home was founded on the concept of travelling as a way of life and work. I began selling treasures I found in my travels online and these were Zoco Home’s humble beginnings. It is so interesting to understand different cultures and to travel to countries around the world. It has opened my eyes and given me a different perspective on life and the beauty of life.

What prompted Zoco Home to open its showroom in Mijas?

Zoco Home has come a long way since its conception. What was originally a bridge between unique finds from our travels and the public is now something much more complex. With the expansion of our catalogue, we offer a wider-than-ever range of furniture and home décor.

Our first showroom in Mijas has gradually expanded over the years to make room for our interior design studio and even more exhibition space (now including two floors extending over 1,500 square metres).

How has Zoco Home evolved since its beginnings?

The past decade we have grown into an established brand with a loyal following, and the future looks very promising. Our latest collections and projects show that we are not afraid to take risks, push boundaries, and stay true to our mission of creating beautiful spaces. Our core values of simplicity and authenticity are now developing new roots as we look towards a more sustainable future, and we constantly look to improve our social responsibility as a brand.

As we reflect on the past 10 years, we reminisce about the people and clients who have been with us from day one and everyone else along the way who has contributed to our story. Beyond our commercial purpose, Zoco Home has fortuitously built a sense of community within the company, which has resulted in a culture of passion and innovation.

We would like to express our deep gratitude to our clients, collaborators and team for their loyalty and support, and feel sure that we will have many more years together. Ten years full of passion, perseverance and a lot of work has allowed us to consolidate ourselves as a prestigious brand, a standard-bearer in Europe. We continue to grow with the firm conviction that we are laying solid foundations for an even more exciting future.

What do you believe Zoco Home’s success can be attributed to?

Throughout the years, we have collaborated with different designers, property developers and real estate agencies, creating inspiring projects. Our client base has continued to grow and we have made a name for ourselves in this competitive industry as pioneers of our unique ethnic Scandinavian style. We now have an extensive portfolio full of remarkable architectural projects (adding locations including Mykonos, Barcelona, Miami and Bali). Our clients range from industry professionals and international businesses to private individuals. When it comes to interior design projects, there is no limit. Some of our biggest clients have been international holiday resorts all around the world. Our main client base comprises European expats who live permanently or holiday on the Costa del Sol, and who are looking to build their dream home. Through our online business and physical showroom in Mijas we are able to reach clients who aren’t looking for interior design services but who love our pieces and are just redecorating and making some changes in their homes.

Zoco Home has its own significant style – how would you define it?

The style that identifies Zoco Home is a hybrid of classic Scandinavian and ethnic design. I carefully choose the pieces that form our collections, placing raw materials in the limelight. The focus is on finding pieces that use local and exotic wood, fibres and textiles that combine with each other effortlessly in our interior design projects. This is why our image is so identifiable, a style that incorporates sharp and ergonomic Scandinavian design and the perfectly imperfect forms of ethnic pieces.

“There is a story in everything” is a phrase that highlights the essence of what our company is about – a commitment to sharing the stories behind our most treasured pieces forms the foundation of our brand today. It is our responsibility to be well-informed about the sourcing and origins of our pieces, and our mission is to convey these stories to our clients when purchasing and adorning their homes with our products.

What are the main services you offer?

Interior design, renovations, decoration and kitchens, covering both residential and commercial projects. We work with private individuals, businesses and professionals, offering our products and services and providing them with latest design solutions and one-of-a-kind decoration ideas. Our online store includes our complete and updated furniture and home décor catalogue, with international shipping and exclusive promotions. At our showroom and design studio in Mijas, you can try and feel products before buying them, complemented by personalised sales service and friendly staff who are always ready to help.

And finally, social media is where we have the biggest influence, delivering daily interior design inspo, latest news, design tips, new arrivals, collaborations, etc.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Liaising with clients and delivering the final results of interior design projects. Designing a place is a really personal thing, so we have actually ended up being great friends with a lot of our clients. They always invite us over to their homes and that is what is so special about designing and decorating. We make people so happy and those emotions are just priceless.