The Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, 34, is the interior world’s maverick star of the moment. He set up his eponymous studio in 2004, but made the design world sit up and take notice when his AQHayon bathroom range was launched the following year. He has since made a name for his quirky, off-the-wall concepts and turned his skills to designing almost anything and everything for the biggest names in the business, from Moooi to Camper. His latest project is a collection of ornaments for the Spanish company Lladro, which he has been working with since 2006.

Are you a cat or a dog person?

I am an elephant person.

Do you have kids?

Not yet. Fortunately, I’m very young. Unfortunately, I have little time. It will come when it comes.

Who is your best friend?

My girlfriend. She’s my companion, my creative input, my pal.

Who did you last get drunk with and what was the occasion?

Last night, with my technical team. I don’t get drunk too often, but hanging out with the Italian guys is usually an occasion.

Would you describe yourself as a romantic or a pragmatist?

I am a combination of both: a dreamer when it comes to creating, but grounded when it comes to decisions.

Are you high maintenance?

Not really. I am satisfied with the simplest things when it comes to life. When I am working, away from my house, I turn high maintenance — conditions have to be worth my while, otherwise I prefer to stay at home.

What clothing do you put on that always makes you feel good?

My shoes, my glasses and a black T-shirt that I am no longer allowed to wear because it has little holes in it.

Do you have a signature look?

I guess my glasses and shoes. The hair, that is more of a genetic issue than a statement, but it has turned into a sort of signature as I now allow it to be, instead of cutting it really short.

What is your best trait?

I am full of energy.

And your worst trait?

I am not so full of patience.

What is the one thing you want to improve about yourself?

I would like to learn to relax.

Which five words would your friends use to describe you?

Energetic, talkative, expressive, vibrant, warm.

Where would you take a first date?

On a picnic.

How often do you go out?

Enough.

What item do you wish you had designed?

The pencil.

Would you prefer to live in the city or in the country?

Definitely the country. I often wonder what we are doing in the crammed cities when there are amazing spaces that can offer a quality of life much more compatible with creativity.

Supermarket or farmers’ market?

I would love it to be a farmers’ market, but I am geographically bound to a supermarket.

Phone or text?

Phone. I love to speak and can’t be bothered with texts.

What would you save if your house were on fire?

My sketchbooks and my girlfriend.

Are you a backpack or matching-set-of- suitcases kind of person?

I’m a backpacker at heart. I travel light. And definitely no matching suitcases, thank you.

What defines “contemporary living” in your view — think social, cultural, material or ethical?

It’s a mix of all the above. Unfortunately, the material seems to govern the rest.

What makes good design?

It has to be personal. It has to communicate with the user. It has to have a personality and some fantasy.

If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing that you’d buy?

A house in the country.

hayonstudio.com; lladro.com

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