Finishing a Project: When a Space Begins to Breathe
Finishing a project is always a special moment. No more sketches, emails, or drawings, and specifications. Everything is finally there, real and tangible. A custom-made table, designed because the client wanted to rest their elbows on its edge while reading the paper. A light fixture we spent days searching for, the one that doesn’t scream for attention, but gently supports the mood of the room.
Still, what may look like the “end” of a project is, to us, just the closing of one circle. A new rhythm takes over. Clients move in, bringing clothes, mugs, habits, and favorite scents. And that carefully crafted design? That’s when it truly begins to live.
Why We Rarely Have Final Photos
It would be wonderful if we could capture every finished space. Show how well the vision turned into reality. Document the exact moment when a space stops being an idea and becomes part of someone’s everyday life.
But in reality, that’s rarely how it goes.
There are many reasons why so many of our projects are shown through visualizations rather than final photos. Some are protected by confidentiality agreements, which we completely respect. Some are physically far away, on the other side of the world, and the timing just never aligns for a proper shoot. And some, especially yachts prepared for the charter season, are delivered under such tight deadlines that there’s no room to bring in a photographer, adjust the lighting, or wait for the perfect weather. Often, the yacht sets sail while the last few details are still being installed.
It happens on land, too. Clients move in before the artwork is hung or the decoration is complete. And once people start living in a space, it’s hard to “reset” it for photography. Honestly? There’s no need. Because by then, it’s already their home.
Capturing the Space as It Was Meant to Be
But when everything does line up, the client, the location, the photographer, a different kind of excitement kicks in. And that’s not so easy either. We need someone who can capture wide-angle shots that show the space the way it’s meant to work, not just look beautiful. Someone who can recreate the exact viewpoints we used in our 3D visuals, so we can compare the original idea to the final result.
The Beauty Is in the Details
And then, there’s the other side of the story: the details. The texture of a cushion. The shadow of a tree across the floor. A cabinet handle with a subtle, unexpected twist. All those little elements that quietly say, “this is not a showroom — this is a home.” These moments are usually captured by a different kind of photographer.
We love both. And we believe both are essential.
The Value of Video
In recent years, we’ve also started insisting on video. Not long, elaborate ones, but short clips that show how a space breathes. A camera gliding through the rooms, slowly enough to feel the materials, but fast enough to give a clear sense of the whole. Those are the moments we try to capture.
A Matter of Respect, Not Perfection
Yes, we know we can be demanding when choosing the right photographer, when planning for the right day, the perfect light, the space freshly cleaned, and the client available.
But it’s not about perfectionism. It’s about respect for everything that went into making it real.
Projects That Got Away
We have stories that still tug at us. Like one from Lausanne, where in 2018 we completed over 1,000 square meters of office space for a globally known IT company. The project was fully completed, everything functional, the furniture custom-made in Serbia, carefully installed in a historic part of the city where logistics were anything but simple.
We were invited to come and photograph the space multiple times, actually. And we truly intended to. But then other projects came. Then unexpected delays. And finally – the pandemic.
While we were waiting for the “right moment,” the company grew and repurposed part of the space.
And so, that big, beloved project was never photographed.
The same has happened with yachts. Deliveries must be timed to the hour. Furniture has to be lifted by crane. Every detail must follow strict safety protocols, precise schedules, and weather conditions. And often, just as everything is finally installed, the yacht departs, before a single professional photo can be taken.
Stepping back to feel the space and imagine how others will experience it through photos. Every time we do manage to document a space in its natural rhythm, we know it was worth it. These are not just photos — they are evidence of how design truly lives. And that’s what we’ll always keep chasing.
