A UCLan interior design student currently has her work on display in IKEA
and live on Freeview channel 276
Roxana Zamfir, 27, caught the eyes of the IKEA interior design team after designing a self-contained flat encompassing seven rooms, including a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, lounge and office, using products stocked in the popular Swedish store.
All of UCLan’s final year BA Interior Design students had been tasked with creating a home of the future for the popular company, with Roxana’s metaverse and Dubai inspired skyscraper property being selected as the winner.
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Hide AdOn receiving the once in a lifetime prize, Roxana, a part-time lighting designer for Lumenata, in Preston said: “When I found out I’d won I cried so much because I was so happy! It means so much to me that hundreds of thousands of people are seeing my creations as soon as they’ve started walking through the store. It’s just amazing.”
Roxana, who was born in Romania but raised in Italy, says her love of design, drawing and photography was integral to her buying a one-way ticket from Rome to Manchester. and then making her move to Preston.
The former Vatican City tour organiser said: “I've always loved everything related to art, but my life had taken a different turn. Since all big dreams need a big change, I decided to leave and start over.
“My brother was the first person to believe in me, he hosted me in Lancaster for a year while I chose the university. Initially I looked at product design courses, but when I came across the interior design I knew it was for me because it encompassed all my passions.”
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Hide AdRoxana’s work has impressed IKEA bosses so much that she will start as a trainee interior designer when she completes her degree in mid-May.
She added: “Winning this competition has exceeded all my expectations! When I was younger, I used to think I’d like to work as a salesperson in IKEA but to now have my work on display in IKEA and to be offered a job is mind blowing.”
Roxana’s work went on show in the living room department at the start of March and will be up until April 1.