Men Visiting Hanssem Face Dilemmas... Interested in Lighting, Accessories, and Bathroom Interior Design
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Recently, as public awareness of gender sensitivity has increased, stereotypes about occupations are also breaking down. The number of male weathercasters and nurses has risen, and female firefighters have become familiar.
Interior design was also considered the exclusive domain of housewives. However, as dual-income households have become common, men's participation in household chores has become natural, and with the rapid increase of single-person households, trends are changing.
In particular, if you think men's spaces lack personality and are old-fashioned, that is a misconception. Just as the trend of "grooming" has emerged with more men taking care of themselves, more men are decorating their interiors with personality and style.
Living Alone, Interior Design for Single Men
Recently, Mr. A, a man who visited Hanssem, remodeled his 14-pyeong (approximately 46 square meters) single-person home. Mr. A proceeded with a consultation at Hanssem Rehaus upon the recommendation of his mother, who had experienced remodeling with Hanssem.
Most male customers often reflect the opinions of their mothers, wives, or girlfriends in their interior design or do not pay much attention, but Mr. A expressed a firm will regarding detailed spaces such as the bathroom and lighting.
The process of realizing this was not easy. Mr. A's apartment is one of the oldest in Korea, and especially faced difficulties with insulation work, but with the help of Hanssem RD (Rehaus Designer) and Yoon Sang-hyun, the representative of the Rehaus Homepaver agency, the project was completed.
"I requested the bathroom to be done exactly like my parents' house. It was a part I always wanted to do while looking at my mother's home interior. Although there were difficulties due to the difference in floor area, I am satisfied."
Additionally, the indirect lighting with accents throughout the space was also an item Mr. A personally selected. "I looked for many lighting options and told them I wanted to install lighting I liked. Although the electrical wires were short where I wanted, the representative's idea made the atmosphere better than I expected."
Major construction, including wall demolition and ceiling molding, took place over a month. During this process, not only was the result reflecting his requests to the fullest, but the passion of Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, who came to check the site even at dawn, increased Mr. A's satisfaction.
In Mr. A's case, word of mouth spread, and other male customers who purchased apartments in the same complex contacted him for interior design requests.
Representative Yoon Sang-hyun and the RD who carried out the construction focused on "mannish" as the future trend in men's interior design. "They want spaces where friends can come and enjoy. In fact, among the male customers we have worked with at our agency, some want bar spaces or interiors using black steel materials," they said.
A Husband Proposing Interior Design for His Wife
There is a program called "Taste of Wife" that has been popular for about two years. It is a variety show concept where so-called "celebrity" couples find "small but certain happiness" (소확행, small but certain happiness in daily life) at the dining table, which has become a hot topic among housewives.
Mr. B, a man in his 60s, also visited Hanssem to gift remodeling to his wife. He wanted to do kitchen interior work before moving.
Kim Hyun-soo RD, who handled the consultation, drew multiple floor plans to propose the optimal solution to Mr. B. However, the design was not easy. Mr. B wanted to keep the large chandelier in place at the dining table, remove the table, and install a tall cabinet. But applying the desired interior caused issues with the flow of movement, deepening Kim RD's concerns.
Ultimately, Kim RD decided to draw one more additional floor plan and propose it to the customer rather than proceeding with the customer's wishes while leaving the problematic parts unresolved.
"Just in case, I drew one last floor plan and showed it to him. When he saw it, he said 'this is it,' and chose the design I proposed for the tenth time, abandoning the design he had insisted on until then."
The dining area where a large chandelier, redesigned at the suggestion of RD Kim Hyun-su, was placed. [Photo by Hanssem]
There were also cases where customers changed their minds from partial remodeling to full remodeling. Kim RD said, "A male customer living with his mother consulted about remodeling only the kitchen and bathroom. But I suggested full construction first because if only parts are fixed, the unfixed parts would bother him. Since it's his home, I recommended doing a storage move and full construction."
Since full construction of a lived-in home is not easy, the customer was hesitant to decide. However, the male customer, who liked the interior proposed by Kim RD, decided to entrust the storage move the next day and signed the contract.
Another male customer who liked gold talked about the gold interior he had in mind. Kim RD immediately understood the customer's needs and made the lighting fixtures and colors all gold, and contracted the bathroom with EURO 3 Arti Gold. Hanssem's Home Planner consultation, which can immediately show what the customer requests, had high customer satisfaction.
Hanssem's RDs propose optimal interior designs tailored to individual needs, considering the flow and convenience inside the home rather than simple sales. RDs handle everything from customer consultation and contracts to design planning, on-site construction, and supervision. This is Hanssem's unique advantage introduced to reduce customers' anxiety during construction and provide high-quality interiors.
A Hanssem official said, "As the diversity of the subjects living in the space called home expands, experts who can propose optimized interiors considering various aspects for the members are increasingly needed. Hanssem will lead the cultivation of interior experts through full educational support without fearing change."
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