Bya Patzner
Applied Interior Design

Bya’s professional experience as an interior designer reaches back 20 years and across three continents, beginning in England when she helped her older sister decorate their home.  After completing her degree in interior design at Brazil’s renown CEPDAT, Bya went on to work as a Apprentice Junior Designer for Capitolium Interiores in Curitiba, Brazil, and within two years achieved the position of head of merchandising for furniture, fabric, color consultation, and concept boards for a diverse range of residential and commercial clients.  Upon moving to Shanghai with her husband, who manages a 5,500+ employee upholstery manufacturing operations just outside of Shanghai, Bya became a Marketing Specialist and exclusive representative for Ashley Furniture in China, in charge of establishing and setting up Ashley-authorized dealers (wholesale and retail) in Shanghai and elsewhere.  During this time, she was also in charge of the design and construction of the Ashley Showcase booths at the annual International Furniture Trade Fairs in China and Singapore.  Additionally, she designed and decorated key areas of Ashley’s state-of-the-art upholstery manufacturing facility in Kunshan.  

These days, Bya’s passion for decorating finds expression as the owner and operator of Category of 1 Interiors, a Shanghai-based interior decorating company, which includes an astounding 535 Sq. meter showroom and furniture outlet on Shanxi Road and an 850 Sq. meter warehouse, as well as a staff of 16, including a group of talented architects and designers, and a unique team of sewing specialists who design and construct original bedding, draping, and other fabrics to compliment her eclectic line of furniture and accessories.  The interior-design division of ‘Category’ has decorated more than 60 unique villas, apartments, offices, and retail spaces in Shanghai, including a number of award-winning homes at the prestigious Shanghai Racquet Club, Forest Manor, Emerald Villas, and others, gaining a reputation for customized solutions, creativity, and, of course, Bya’s magic touch.

Additionally, Category of 1 Interiors has decorated the model show homes for Shanghai Racquet Club, ING Bearing and Risen Villa Developers, and has been frequently featured in internationally recognized magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Residence, Home Trends, and numerous other international and local publications. Category of 1 has also been the recipient of several prestigious awards for outstanding achievement and innovation in design and decorating, including the coveted SDDA award.   Through it all, Bya has remained a down-to-earth, engaging, and passionate decorator with a genuine desire to share her knowledge and experience with others on a personal level.  She is a lively and engaging instructor (with 14 years experience as a teacher and lecturer) whose genuine love for design is sure to rub off on anyone who has the privilege of listening. 
 

Some examples of Bya's work; click on any image to enlarge.

Click here for course description.
 

.For detailed information, please feel free to contact one of our program coordinators: Telephone: 64676875 Fax: 54653903 EMAIL: inquiry(at)shanghai-classes.com
____________________________________________