“When I was a child, I was free to draw anywhere that caught my eye and I could think of. Especially the pillows, the walls and the carpets… My family left me alone with my imagination and myself in this regard.”
Always interested in art and spending hours painting and sketching as a child, Kerem's passion for creation grew stronger as he grew older. This drew him towards the production of handmade, household goods. The reason for deciding on home decoration is; living spaces were private, peaceful and comfortable. According to him, there was something really special about the items produced with care and attention to detail, and he was determined to share that feeling with others.
“I can take my palette and canvas and draw comfortably in every corner of my house and garden, and I feel freer than I ever have been. Because people feel most free at home.”
Kerem founded Zenfoni with a lifelong love of art and the desire to bring the beauty of handmade products to every part of the home. From the very beginning he was dedicated to creating beautiful products that are not only functional but infused with his own creativity and passion. These products, on the other hand, could only be produced by artisans who knew how to weave on traditional looms. Kerem left his designs in the hands of artisans in order to employ craftsmen with generations of knowledge and to create an ethical business environment. Focusing on quality and paying attention to details, Kerem works with artisans from material selection to the final paint touch.
“When I was a kid, I used to draw everywhere that came my way. The times I was painting were the only times I was completely free. I love to dream and I take great pleasure in turning everything I dream into tangible. My mother had an all-white pillow set that matched her rug and loved it. I remember drawing patterns on those pillows with a thick black pen that I picked up. Afterwards, it wouldn't have been enough because I started to draw patterns on the carpet in the middle of the living room. The patterns I drew on the pillows and the carpet were different from each other, but these differences were also completely in harmony. I felt very happy and proud. My mother considered this situation quite normal and let those patterns live in our living room for a while. My drawings, which continue freely, have been moved from the items in our house to canvases and papers. As I got older, I started reading, watching and traveling more. This expanded my imagination even more. I needed to think more, to dream more, and for everyone to see what I imagined. I started my university education in a completely different field, but I never gave up on this passion. I wanted to help embody the imaginations of not only myself, but also others I didn't know. I run an e-commerce site in the electronics industry in Turkey. I thought that e-commerce was the only way to carry my dream to the global. I aim for my imagination to reach thousands of people with the products of artisans. At the same time, I want to transform the things that these people, especially children, dream and draw, into items that will customize their own living spaces. Because children's imagination is fascinating and limitless.”