Raiza Mayorca, a 67-year-old kitchen designer from Venezuela, embodies the spirit of creativity and passion that defines exceptional design. With three decades of experience under her belt, Raiza has successfully transitioned from a wedding cake designer to a respected kitchen designer. Her journey reflects not just a career change but a deep-rooted love for designing, creating, and learning. Graduating with a degree in architecture has allowed her to blend aesthetics with functionality seamlessly in every kitchen she designs.
Beginning of the Journey: Insights into Kitchen Design
Raiza’s journey into kitchen design was rooted in her own experiences and needs as a mother and home cook. “I studied architecture and have always been interested in designing small but highly useful spaces,” she explains. This foundational knowledge gave her insight into how to create efficient kitchens that cater to daily life.
Cooking is more than just a chore for Raiza; it’s an act filled with passion. This passion drives her understanding of what makes a kitchen functional. “What spaces do I need? What should I have more on hand?” These questions guide her creative process.
Reflecting on her transition from wedding cake design to kitchens, she shares, “I started as a wedding cake designer while taking care of my children at home. When they grew up, the opportunity arose to work as a kitchen designer, and I felt immensely passionate about it.” She recognized that her architectural background could be instrumental in combining beauty with practicality—essential elements for any successful kitchen.
The Balance Between Design and Functionality
When asked about balancing aesthetics and functionality in kitchen design, Raiza offers an illustrative example from one of her projects. “This kitchen had many demands,” she recalls. The clients requested two refrigerators that matched their aesthetic preferences while wanting features like concealed appliances and multifunctional spaces.
To meet these requirements, Raiza designed tall cabinetry that divided the laundry room from the kitchen without needing physical walls. By opting for white cabinetry accented with warm wood tones illuminated by soft interior lighting, she created focal points within the space that drew attention without overwhelming it.
For Raiza, understanding how the kitchen relates to other areas of the home is crucial. “When clients bring their ideas,” she notes, “I always encourage them to look further—to see how their kitchen interacts with surrounding spaces.”
Raiza believes that kitchens are unique compared to other interior spaces because they serve as communal hubs where family life unfolds daily. “The truth is being in the kitchen with family is where I’ve experienced some of my best moments,” she reflects fondly.
Coohom: Simplifying Design Processes
A significant turning point in Raiza’s career came when she was introduced to Coohom by her team leader—a tool designed for intuitive and powerful rendering capabilities tailored for designers like herself who specialize in kitchens. Initially unfamiliar with digital design tools beyond basic applications used exclusively for kitchens, Raiza faced challenges mastering Coohom’s functionalities.
Howerver, she embraced trial-and-error methods as part of her educational journey, while Coohom’s YouTube tutorials also lend a helping hand in the process: “Every challenge drives you to study and find your solutions.” Now adept at using Coohom’s robust tools, Raiza finds great value in its ability to help clients visualize their dream kitchens before construction begins.
Describing Coohom succinctly reveals how much it means to her: “Design assistant,” “functional,” “interactive,” and even “teacher” capture its essence perfectly—further solidifying its place as an indispensable asset in any modern design studio focused on creating beautiful kitchens.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Kitchen Design
As someone who has witnessed substantial evolution over three decades within both Venezuelan culture and global trends regarding cooking spaces—their integration within homes has shifted dramatically during this time frame—Raiza sees exciting changes ahead.
“The concept of the kitchen has changed significantly,” she observes thoughtfully. Once hidden away behind closed doors or regarded solely as utilitarian space devoid of aesthetic considerations; today’s kitchens embody openness—a seamless blend between cooking zones alongside living areas where families gather regularly becomes imperative.
Emerging technologies have also transformed how designers work towards realizing client dreams faster than ever before while ensuring efficiency remains paramount throughout each step involved—from ideation through final execution stages involving intricate detailing processes requiring precision accuracy across different aspects along those lines too! Tools like Coohom play a vital role here by enhancing visualization capabilities; allowing designers like Raiza not only to conceptualize but also communicate ideas effectively with clients—bringing their visions closer to reality before any physical work begins!
