Coton et Bois, Asun Antó's studio, IADE alumni

​Could you tell us about your professional career?

The best stories begin with a "once upon a time" and in my case the next sentence is "a little girl who made and unmade dollhouses for hours."

I always fantasized that someday those tiny toy houses would become big cozy homes. It was clear to me that I wanted to be an interior designer. I decided to follow my intuition and after finishing high school I started my training in the field of Interior Design at the ​IADE School in Barcelona.

Once I graduated I started working as an interior designer in Muebles La Favorita in Barcelona and at the same time I did my first steps in photography. I moved from the Catalan coast to the city of Madrid where I worked for several years in television producing sets from a production company for different programs. I spent almost 14 years living in Madrid. I returned to Barcelona and it is at this moment where my project came to life and my studio Coton et Bois was born, which has been giving war for more than 22 years. It is fortunate to find your passion and to be able to dedicate yourself to it.

It was thanks to everything I learned at IADE that I was able to do what I love and what fulfills me. I still get excited when I think about IADE. All the memories that come to my mind from those years are wonderful, the teachers and the atmosphere were unbeatable and I am proud to say that the friendships I forged are still with me.

​Award to highlight?

In 2017 I participated in Casa Decor with my project “El salón del lector” and received the Audience Award for the most voted space. Since that year I participated all the following years except this one that due to the Pandemic has been impossible for me to attend. It was a prize that opened many doors for me on a national level and I am very proud of it.

​Where does Coton Et Bois get its inspiration from?

I have a very personal style, I love the timeless and very cozy style. It may sound utopian but I love the interior design style of the Hamptons, Tuscany or French Provence.

It's a style that never goes out of style, with neutral colors that give off warmth. As an anecdote, there are times when my clients tell me that they open magazines and just by looking at a house they already know that Coton et Bois is the firm. That said, my style, despite being very marked, is always adapted to the needs and tastes of my clients. For me it is essential to create a neutral canvas with which I can then play with the clients through the fabrics and textiles to give it one touch or another.

For me it is essential to create a neutral canvas with which I can then play with the clients through the fabrics and textiles to give it a different touch.

​What types of projects are you developing?

The perspective of interior design is constantly changing, now for example, we are dedicated almost exclusively to projects for personal use. The pandemic has changed the way we perceive our homes, before they were something more like a place to pass through that had to satisfy our basic needs. Now it has become our sacred place that must meet a series of demands more than ever and adapt to our lifestyle. We need to feel at ease and that's why I get calls from customers who feel uncomfortable within their own walls.

​Where do you see the future of interior design going?

The importance given to interior design has grown tremendously in recent years, now people are less reluctant to hire an interior designer. In addition, the variety has increased and we have left behind the sota, horse and king that flooded the world of interior design.

IADE is proud to continue to be part of our alumni's lives, we love to hear about you and your projects. To continue being part of your life is a great honor for us. You will always have the doors of the school open to you!