Author: dries
A conversation with Sergio Olazabal of 2arquitectos
Some interiors feel considered from the very first glance. Not because they are overly polished or designed to impress, but because every material, finish and detail seems to belong exactly where it is.
That sense of belonging is central to the work of architect Sergio Olazabal of 2arquitectos. In his studio, architecture is not approached as a series of isolated decisions, but as a complete composition in which structure, interior, texture and atmosphere all contribute to the same story.
Rather than following trends, Sergio looks for depth, tactility and honesty in materials. The result is an approach to design that feels timeless without ever feeling static.
The design choices behind 2arquitectos’ timeless interiors
For Sergio, timelessness is not about recreating a certain period or choosing a particular aesthetic. It is about making choices that still feel right long after trends have moved on. Materials play an important role in that process. Natural stone, wood, plaster and metal are chosen not only for how they look when a project is completed, but also for how they will evolve with use and age.
“What we try to give our clients is something that lasts, and that aligns very well with Kenny & Mason.”
It is this shared appreciation for longevity and craftsmanship that first connected 2arquitectos with Kenny & Mason.
For the type of interiors Sergio creates, products need to feel as considered as the architecture around them. They should have presence without demanding attention, and character without feeling decorative.
Quality you can see and feel
For Sergio, the difference between products often becomes most apparent when you experience them physically.
“When you pick it up, you feel the weight. It feels solid. It feels like something that is built to last.”
Weight, finishing and materiality all contribute to the experience of a product. A fitting is therefore never judged purely by its shape or appearance.
The way the metal has been polished, the depth of the finish and the character of the patina all influence whether a piece feels naturally at home within an interior.
“For me, the difference is in the weight, the finish and the way the patina is done.”
These details become particularly important when combined with natural materials. Beside stone, plaster or timber, a fitting becomes part of a much wider material palette.
“If we chose only based on delivery times, we would make very different decisions. But for us, quality and timelessness come first.”
Designing beyond trends
Sergio’s approach also means resisting the temptation to make decisions based purely on convenience.
Lead times and practical considerations will always be part of an architectural project, but they are not necessarily the most important criteria.
“If we chose only based on delivery times, we would make very different decisions. But for us, quality and timelessness come first.”
The final result remains the priority.
That philosophy runs throughout the work of 2arquitectos: choosing materials and objects for what they contribute to the complete space rather than simply because they are readily available or currently in fashion.
It creates interiors with a quieter form of luxury. One based on proportion, material quality, craftsmanship and details that become richer rather than less relevant with time.
Made to last
This is also where the design philosophy of 2arquitectos and Kenny & Mason naturally comes together.
Both value products that carry a sense of permanence. Pieces that feel solid in the hand, reveal the craftsmanship behind them and continue to develop character through use.
As Sergio puts it:
“The quality already shows in the pictures. But in real life, it is even better.”
For architects and designers, perhaps that is one of the clearest signs of quality: a product that does not rely solely on its visual impact, but becomes more convincing the closer you get to it.
And ultimately, that is what timeless interiors are built from. Not one defining statement, but a collection of considered choices that continue to feel right together.
Discover more design perspectives
Selected projects deserve visibility too
Read the full conversation with 2arquitectos and discover projects and perspectives from four other international architecture studios in the latest Kenny & Mason Magazine.
Discover our world of bathroom craftsmanship in Paris.
From 2 to 5 November, Kenny & Mason is heading to Paris for EquipHotel 2026, one of the leading international meeting places for the hotel and hospitality industry.
For four days, we’ll bring our world of bathroom craftsmanship to Paris. From taps and showers to basins, baths, accessories and our distinctive finishes.
And this time, we’re not travelling alone. Kenny & Mason will share its stand with fellow Belgian brand Dauby.
See it. Feel it. Talk about your project
Some things simply make more sense when you experience them in person.
At EquipHotel, architects, interior designers, hoteliers and hospitality professionals will have the opportunity to explore our collections and finishes up close. See how different finishes respond to other materials, feel the weight and quality of solid brass and discover the details behind our craftsmanship.
Our team will also be there to talk about projects. Whether you are specifying a boutique hotel, restaurant, wellness destination or a larger hospitality concept, we can discuss collections, finishes, technical requirements and bespoke possibilities.
Meet us in Paris
EquipHotel 2026
2–5 November 2026
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
Stand P7.1-D006
From Paris to your next hospitality project
Kenny & Mason can already be found in hospitality projects around the world, from intimate guesthouses and boutique hotels to resorts and restaurants.
EquipHotel is an opportunity to bring that experience together in one place and to start conversations about what comes next.
For hospitality
Working on a hospitality project?
From boutique hotels and restaurants to larger hospitality concepts, Kenny & Mason works with architects and designers to create bathrooms defined by material, craftsmanship and detail.
In conversation with Elke Van Goel.
Good design goes far beyond how a space looks. It is about how materials feel, how details come together and, ultimately, how a space makes you feel.
Led by architect, designer and creative director Elke Van Goel, the Antwerp-based studio TEN ARCHITECTS works across architecture, interior design, custom furniture and, more recently, Japanese-inspired gardens.
Different disciplines, but always guided by the same principles: authenticity, craftsmanship and harmony. “We always try to realise harmony in everything.”
Designing beyond trends
Timelessness runs like a red thread through TEN Architects’ work. Not by creating spaces that are neutral or anonymous, but by choosing materials and details that become more beautiful with time.
For Elke, that means working with honest materials, respecting craftsmanship and paying close attention to the small imperfections that give an object or space its character.
Japanese design has been an important source of inspiration for the studio: the appreciation of craftsmanship, natural materials and objects that show traces of how they were made and how they age.
“In a world driven by speed and imitation, authenticity and craftsmanship are the counter-movement.”
It is an approach that also determines which products find their way into TEN Architects’ projects. Something should not simply look good today. It needs to have the quality to remain relevant long after trends have moved on.
“If something is truly good and made from the right materials, you do not replace it for the next trend.”
Choosing the right partners
That same selectiveness applies to the brands, craftsmen and suppliers TEN Architects works with.
A partner needs to understand the architectural vision, but also contribute something of their own. Quality, honesty and craftsmanship need to be present both in the product and in the way people work together.
“The partners we choose are very selective. They have to pursue the same values, the same honesty and the same level of quality.”
“The best collaborations go beyond a supplier relationship. You think along with each other, challenge each other and bring the project to a higher level. The strongest projects happen when all partners come together as one team.”
A tap that could age beautifully
TEN Architects first came across Kenny & Mason while searching for a very specific quality: tapware that would not simply withstand time, but become more beautiful because of it.
“We were looking for a tap that could age beautifully, and that is how we arrived at Kenny & Mason.”
The brand’s use of solid materials, finishes and patinas immediately resonated with the studio.
For TEN Architects, those finishes are not an afterthought. The colour and surface of a tap need to sit naturally alongside stone, wood, plaster, metalwork and every other material within a space.
“We are truly fans of the patinas and the colours they offer.”
At the same time, aesthetics alone are never enough.
“If it did not have the technical quality, no matter how beautiful it looks, we would never offer it to our clients.”
It is exactly that combination of aesthetics, material quality and technical performance that has made Kenny & Mason a recurring partner within TEN Architects’ work.
“The product carries our values. It is durable, solid and beautiful, and it fits in harmony with our architecture.”
From classical townhouses to contemporary interiors
Another important quality is versatility.
TEN Architects does not work within one fixed architectural style, and the products used within its projects need to be able to move between different contexts without losing their character.
Kenny & Mason, Elke explains, can feel equally at home in a historic property and in a contemporary interior.
“It fits just as well in classical townhouses as in a timeless contemporary showroom. The right tapware does not compete with the architecture; it becomes part of the overall composition.”
When a functional object becomes an architectural detail
One project in particular captures that idea: the JDB showroom in Rumst.
For the guest toilet, TEN Architects selected a Kenny & Mason tap in dark brass. Its finish connected naturally with the craftsmanship of the fireplaces and the wider material palette used throughout the space.
With the lighting, mirror and surrounding materials in place, something as everyday as a tap became part of one of the project’s most memorable images.
“It is beautiful to see that something as simple as a tap can become such an iconic image.”
It is a small detail, but one that says a lot about TEN Architects’ philosophy.
Architecture is experienced through these moments: touching a material, opening a door, standing at a basin, seeing how light falls across a surface. When every element has been considered as part of the whole, even the most functional objects contribute to the atmosphere of a space.
Creating spaces that feel complete
Ultimately, Elke does not measure a successful project only by how it photographs.
A project succeeds when architecture, materials, craftsmanship and people come together — and when the client feels that the finished result genuinely belongs to them.
“The most beautiful compliment is when someone says: I am so happy we chose you as our architect.”
That requires good design, but also trust and the right partners around the table.
For TEN Architects, Kenny & Mason has become one of those partners: a brand whose approach to materials, craftsmanship and longevity naturally aligns with the studio’s own.
Because when every detail speaks the same language, the result does not simply look considered.
It feels complete.
Beyond the product
Selected projects deserve visibility too
A strong interior project is shaped by vision, material choices and carefully considered details.
That is why Kenny & Mason highlights selected projects together with the architects, interior designers or makers behind them through project features, social content and editorial opportunities.