Our story
Pretetensi was founded in 2018 by Marta Kowalczyk after a decade of working with Warsaw and Berlin practices on residential and hospitality projects. She returned to Szczecin to open a studio that could serve local clients with the same rigour found in larger cities, without the overhead that inflates fees unnecessarily.
The name comes from the Romanian word for expectation — not as a promise of luxury, but as a belief that every client arrives with a clear sense of how they want to live, and our job is to refine and realise that vision through drawings, samples, and patient conversation.
The team
Today we are four people: two interior designers, a technical draftsman who produces construction-ready plans, and a project coordinator who manages supplier timelines and site visits. We do not outsource visualisations to anonymous render farms; every perspective you see is produced in-house by someone who has walked your space.
Collaborators include local joiners in Stargard, a ceramicist in Police who supplies bespoke tiles, and electricians we have worked with across more than thirty Szczecin renovations. These relationships shorten lead times and reduce the friction that often derails residential builds.
How we think about design
We favour durable materials over trend-driven finishes. A kitchen designed in 2026 should still feel correct in 2036, which means honest wood grain, stone or compact surfaces that age gracefully, and lighting planned in layers rather than a single dramatic pendant.
Our drawings always include furniture layouts at true scale, switch and socket positions, and sectional details for built-in elements. Contractors tell us this level of specificity saves them hours on site and gives clients fewer surprises when invoices arrive.
Recognition and press
In 2023 our Pogodno family home was featured in the regional edition of Architektura Murator for its restrained use of colour and custom plywood cabinetry. We do not pursue awards aggressively, but we welcome peer review because it keeps our standards visible and accountable.
We have lectured at the Zachodniopomorski University of Technology on specification writing for interior architecture students, and regularly host open studio evenings where prospective clients can examine material libraries and past project folders.
Studio visit
Our workspace at ul. Boguchwały 7 occupies a converted ground-floor unit with north-facing windows ideal for assessing paint and fabric samples under consistent light. Appointments are available Tuesday through Friday between 10:00 and 17:00.
Walk-ins are welcome on the first Thursday of each month during our open studio hours from 16:00 to 19:00. There is no fee to browse the library, though booked consultations for specific projects remain at 350 PLN per session.