Live design is the studio’s philosophy and signature approach. Deeply connected to nature, the spaces speak through different senses encouraging their guests to feel, not only to look at.

FAINA is an authentic collection of furniture, lighting, and décor. Established in 2014 as a reflection of the strong social-cultural changes in Ukraine, FAINA takes roots in the country's cultural heritage and represents modern Ukrainian design.

Following the philosophy of live design, the FAINA collection is released two times per year — during Winter and Summer solstice, days of natural renewal.

In 2018 brand launched a unique project — design expedition “Land inspires” aimed to draw attention to the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine. Explore more here.


In 2019 interior by Yakusha Design was selected among the 5 best offices in the world by the Dezeen Awards, and the studio’s founder Victoria Yakusha gained the title the designer of the year — ELLE Decoration Design Award.


In 2019 Yakusha Design opened a residential showroom of FAINA in Belgium, Brussels. Now the studio works internationally both on private and commercial projects focusing on live design and sustainable approach.

FAINA is an authentic collection of furniture, lighting, and décor. Established in 2014 as a reflection of the strong social-cultural changes in Ukraine, FAINA takes roots in the country's cultural heritage and represents modern Ukrainian design.

Following the philosophy of live design, the FAINA collection is released two times per year — during Winter and Summer solstice, days of natural renewal.

In 2018 brand launched a unique project — design expedition “Land inspires” aimed to draw attention to the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine. Explore more here.


In 2019 interior by Yakusha Design was selected among the 5 best offices in the world by the Dezeen Awards, and the studio’s founder Victoria Yakusha gained the title the designer of the year — ELLE Decoration Design Award.


In 2019 Yakusha Design opened a residential showroom of FAINA in Belg...

Read more
Read less

Victoria Yakusha

The founder of YAKUSHA and FAINA, she is the mastermind behind live minimalism, a cultural heritage architect, and a global ambassador of Ukrainian design.

Victoria is one of the most famous Ukrainian architects worldwide, whose artistic endeavours shape contemporary Ukrainian design as a brand. She creates heritage—the ideas and objects that gain power, meaning, and value over time and impact the culture of future generations.

As an architect, she established ‘live minimalism’, a direction in architecture and design that marries laconic to environmentally friendly in an embodiment of contact between living environments and materials that breathe and exude energy. It’s about existing in co-authorship with nature, leaving a cultural footprint rather than an environmental one.

Promoting live ethnics and artisanship as a source of inspiration, Victoria conceived design expeditions—the first project of its kind aiming to introduce artists worldwide to Ukrainian artisans’ work and spread the latter’s ideas globally.

Victoria is one of the most famous Ukrainian architects worldwide, whose artistic endeavours shape contemporary Ukrainian design as a brand. She creates heritage—the ideas and objects that gain power, meaning, and value over time and impact the culture of future generations.

As an architect, she established ‘live minimalism’, a direction in architecture and design that marries laconic to environmentally friendly in an embodiment of contact between living environments and materials that breathe and exude energy. It’s about existing in co-authorship with nature, leaving a cultural footprint rather than an environmental one.

Promoting live ethnics and artisanship as a source of inspiration, Victoria conceived design expeditions—the first project of its kind aiming to introduce artists worldwide to Ukrainian artisans’ work and spread the latter’s ideas globally.

AWARDS: Architecture & Interior Design

2007 InteriorGoda
Winner in the residential interior category

2011 InteriorGoda
A Special Prize for Restaurant Design in the competition

2012 International Architectural Awards
Winner in the residential interior category

2013 Interium Award
The Second Place in the Interior Design category

2015 NM House
Our 50 Project — ‘Heart of Ukrainian design’

2015 House&Interior Magazine
Special prize for Victoria Yakusha for engaging in APC-Caffe project

2015 InterYear
Winner in the Interior Design category

2015 International Industrial Design Award
Winner in product design category

2015 Best Home Design List in Germany
CUBE project

2017 Dutch Design Week
Prize "Between tradition and innovation"

2019 Ukrainian KIFF
Among the Best Offices

2018 Interior of the Year
Winner in the office category — Ya Vsevsit project

2019 ArtSpace Award
The Best Interior Design of Offices and cultural spaces — Ya Vsesvit project

2019 Dezeen Awards
Interior Design Shortlist for YA VSESVIT project

2021 Dezeen Awards
The best interior in the Bars & Restaurants category

AWARDS: Product design — FAINA

2015 Industart 2015 Award
Winner — PECHYVO cabinet

2017 Archiproducts Awards
Nomination — SHCHEDRYY table

2018 AZ Awards Canada
Nomination — SOLOD cabinet

2018 Interior fo the Year Award
Special Prize — ZTISTA chair

2019 ELLE Decor International Design Award
Design of the Year — ZTISTA furniture line

2019 ELLE Decor International Design Award
Design of the Year — Yakusha Victoriya

2021 Arte Laguna Prize
Finalist — SONIAH lighting

2021 Dezeen Awards public vote winner
An emerging design studio of the year (FAINA by Yakusha)

Exhibitions: Solo

2017 Stockholm Furniture Fair
The FAINA collection had an individual stand

2018 Milan Design Week
FAINA presented new products at Superdesign

2018 London Design Fair
FAINA presented the complete collection

2020 Interior Design Show Toronto
Introducing the ZTISTA Organic Furniture Line

2020 Collectible Design Fair
Presentation of the DOMNA armchair

Exhibitions: Group

EXHIBITIONS: GROUP

2015 BOLOGNA DESIGN WEEK 

The first exhibition of FAINA 

2018 DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 

SOLOD cabinet with clay facades, HRYB coffee table

2018 PARIS DESIGN WEEK 

Bandura vase in the "1000 vases" project by Roberto Bachiocci

2020 STOCKHOLM DESIGN WEEK

FAINA at Fenix ​​Palace and 'Temperament' exhibition by Sahara Widoff

2020 MILAN DESIGN WEEK

KOROTUN table, BANDURA, and MOTANKA vases in the Les Arcanistes — Future Un / written  installation by Studiopepe 


2019 HELSINKI DESIGN WEEK, HABITARE

Curated design stand, Asun Magazine

2019 DUTCH DESIGN WEEK

Sustainable ZTISTA line and clay decor at Kazerne Creative Hub

2020 MILAN DESIGN CITY 

SONIAH floor lamp at the Rossana Orlandi Gallery

2020 PARIS DESIGN WEEK

DOMNA armchair at Collectible Curated Edition 

2021 COLLECTIBLE PLATFORM

FAINA designs

MEDIA TALKS

files/DSC00738_1.png

FAINA featured in the world design trend list

files/Group_155_1.png

FAINA featured in the world design trend list

files/Group_155_2.png

FAINA featured in the world design trend list

files/soniah_JPG.webp

Design Milk

Soniah light collection
overview

files/faina_design_trends_JPG.webp

Azure Magazine

FAINA featured in the world design trend  list 2021

files/harpers_JPG.webp

Harper's Bazaar

Old Hut with FAINA pieces project featured  in October issue

files/ad_JPG.webp

AD Spain

SOLOD cabinet named
as Product of the Day

files/2020-07-03_17_28_24.webp

Designboom

A minimalist glass cabin
by Yakusha Design

files/dezeen_JPG.webp

Dezeen

Modern primitive by FAINA - 2020 design trend

files/ad_spain_ya_vsesvit_JPG.webp

AD Spain

YA VSESVIT interior project featuring FAINA Decor 

files/abitare_JPG.webp

Abitare Italy

"FAINA - Golden Age of Ukrainian Design"

files/0002.webp

Aspire, Home & Design

YA VSESVIT interior project featuring FAINA Decor 

files/142_147_DesignObject_3_-3-1.webp

L'Officiel Ukraine

October photo op for Ukrainian L'Officiel featuring FAINA's showroom

files/276_PROMENADE_A_KIEV_-1-1_4b6cace1-8fbf-4a7d-b4f7-665e4c0a5959.webp

Elle Decoration France

FAINA Design in Kyiv city design overview under Promenade rubric 

files/deco_news_page_faina_JPG.webp

Deco Home Germany

Ceramic decor — BUHAY, HATA and KUMANEC vases in Deco Home Portreit Overview

files/0001_1.webp

Elle Decoration CZ

Brand overview of FAINA Design in profile rubrics, September 2019 

files/elle_decor_news_motanka.webp

Elle Decoration France

MOTANKA set of vases in Elle Deco News, September 2019 

files/elle_decoration_uk_1.webp

Elle Decoration UK

KOOKU showroom project featuring FAINA products

files/atrium_kumanec_korotun_trapesnyk.webp

Atrium

KUMANEC set of vases, KOROTUN table and TRAPESNYK dish set in montly selection

files/design_mate_PNG.webp

Design Mate

Kyivan design brand of furniture and decor 

files/dezeen_faina_PNG.webp

DEZEEN

Design from clay and fax —
FAINA Design

files/3.webp

Interior Break

FAINA Design Overview in Italian blog by Alessia Forte

files/ideat_PNG.webp

IDEAT

BEST 5 Design Choices of
June 2019

files/designboom_PNG.webp

Designboom

FAINA in Venice Design 2019 installation

files/Les-Arcanistes-Studiopepe-at-Milan-Desig.webp

Yellowtrace

FAINA participation in MDW 2019 installation by Studiopepe

files/ad_espana_PNG.webp

Architectural Digest Spain

FAINA participation in MDW 2019 installation by Studiopepe

files/elle_decor_sweden_PNG.webp

Elle Decoration Sweden

TOPTUN armchair in Elle Decoration photo op 

files/elle_argentina_april_2019_PNG.webp

Elle Decoration Argentina

KURIPKA felted vase in spring decor overview

files/FAINA_DOM_INTERIOR_1.webp

Дом и Интерьер

BANDURA & MOTANKA set of vases in Dom & Interier (House & Interior) Magazine

files/architectural_digest_PNG.webp

Architectural Digest USA

ZTISTA chair at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2019

files/frame_PNG.webp

FRAME

ZTISTA chair & BARANTSY decor at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2019

files/Elle_Decoration_Russia.webp

Elle Decoration Russia

BANDURA & TREMBITA decor in Christmas gifts overlook

files/sightunseen_korotun_2019_PNG.webp

Sightunseen

KOROTUN coffee table at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2019

files/toptun_vogue_PNG.webp

Vogue

TOPTUN armchair as a standout at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2018

files/aspire_PNG.webp

Aspire Magazine

TOPTUN chair as one of the Four Christmas Muses

files/AD_toptun.webp

Architectural Digest USA

TOPTUN armchair & BANDURA vase at EyeSwoon House