Monja Gentschow Puts
"Designed to Stay"
on Canvas

Words Steph Wade & Allison Reiber DiLiegroImages Lucy Deverall & Taja VaetoruDate 11 November 2025

When you envision a perfect hotel stay, what image comes to mind? How would you put that feeling down on paper?

For the new Designed to Stay, The Design Hotels Book, that’s what we wanted to express—the moments, moods, and scenes that imprint themselves on our memories. To bring this vision to life, we turned to Monja Gentschow, a Berlin-based artist known for her playful, expressive works.

With a portfolio that spans collaborations with Nike, Clarks, Die ZEIT, Keinemusik, and more, Monja approaches her work with both lightness and depth. For Designed to Stay, she created a series of large-scale acrylic paintings that embody the sensory richness of the best hotel stays, capturing sweeping landscapes and small rituals alike. The result is a kaleidoscopic piece of cover art that celebrates the world of Design Hotels and Monja’s philosophy: “I draw inspiration from everything I see,” she says. “I go through the world with open eyes.”

We sat down with Monja to talk about her inspiration for the cover, the life of an artist, and how she stays in her rhythm.

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How long have you been making art? 

I’ve pretty much painted since I was born. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Painting has kept me sane and healthy. I just love drawing—it’s how I process emotions and bring a bit of meaning to things. It makes me happy to create something that, in the best case, people can connect to.

I started out as an illustrator and art director, and over time shifted fully into free artistic work. I still take on commissions when it feels right and fits my world (like this one).

How did you conceive the cover art for Designed to Stay?

For the cover, I wanted an image that feels relatable but not generic. I merged three scenes that, for me, define the feeling of being away: a drink by the pool or sea in the light of a sunset; view into open nature and mountains, that wide feeling when stress dissolves, and the perfect minimal breakfast, a boiled egg and a black coffee, the kind you have with a view over a city skyline when you need inspiration rather than silence.

The artwork comes from three different canvases that I painted and then combined into one composition. I started more illustratively but then moved toward real painted surfaces and found it interesting to reassemble them digitally later, to create something that feels both tactile and graphic, emotional and composed. I was listening to my favorite Spotify playlist the whole time; I always paint with loud music. It keeps me in rhythm.

Where do get your inspiration?

I draw inspiration from everything I see. I go through the world with open eyes. I have the best ideas on the bike because that’s when my head feels free. I notice people, light, sceneries, communication, and I remember color palettes or combinations that excite me.

What does a day in the life of an artist look like? Or is there no such thing?

I don’t have a typical day. My daughter gives me some structure (which I never had before), and I actually enjoy that. Apart from appointments, every day just unfolds. Sometimes I’m very disciplined; other times it’s chaos and the start of too many projects. But I’ve learned to trust it all balances out. That’s what keeps it fun—it never gets boring.

Are there any rituals that help you return to your art?

When I get to the studio, it usually takes a while before I start. I try not to pressure myself, because making art still gives me joy, and that’s reason enough. If there’s one ritual, it’s cleaning my brushes under warm water. It’s grounding and resets me.

How do you handle creative blocks?

I’ve accepted creative blocks because they’re there for a reason. I sit them out and try to be kind to myself, knowing the inspiration will come back. And so far it always has—sometimes last minute, but then I’m in a focused tunnel, and it feels like the block was just part of processing before the idea poured out. Very intense. In the end, it always works.