This post is part of Flywheel’s “Designer Spotlight” series, which features an interview with a designer/coder/mover/shaker we think is really awesome.

Introducing Florian Casanova.

Florian is a project manager, UI/UX expert and interactive art director living in Paris.

What do you do?

I talk with customers to understand their needs, I create wireframes, I design web pages or apps and write link docs for technical teams.

What’s your workspace like? What’s your ideal workspace environment?

I try to surround myself with pictures of books, architecture, painting, interior design to take inspiration – I’m lucky to be in Paris that allows me to visit the most beautiful museums in the world — inexhaustible source of inspiration. My ideal workspace environment could be summed up in three things: a beautiful wooden floor because you need to walk to create; a window that illuminates the room because the light must surround me; and a huge personal moodboard 😉

Anything you’re working on right now?

Currently I’m redesigning a blog (Blended) and a restaurant in Paris (La Ferme de Charles)

Is there something that sparked your interest in design?

I started to get interested in design during the gold network games (Counter Strike, Asheron’s Call, Starcraft …) countless “teams” had created a community, therefore, they needed a site, design and other –  it made me snap and I decided to get interested in it.

Where do you find inspiration when you design?

Most of the time when I start a new project, I try to find the colors before the structure. There are many websites I use for inspiration (siteinspire, Site We Like, awwwards …)

What are three things you to do get the creative juices flowing when you’ve hit a roadblock?

1 – I get out and walk – I can often find solutions

2 – I see what has been done by other designers

3 – Start with a blank page!

What are some bands/artists you listen to while you’re designing?

I listen to a lot of music when I create. Vampire weekend, C2C, Drake, The Neptunes, Moby, French Montana, Arctic Monkeys, Kendrick Lamar, The Game …

What’s the best part of your day as a designer?

When I have to send the design’s result – I just finished for customers – it is often 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning – the night is for me one of the best moments of creation.

What’s the hardest part about being a designer?

It’s not because you mastered digital software that you’re a designer or an artist – for me the hardest part is to continually innovate, on how to approach the project, and offer the better.

If you couldn’t design, what would you do?

Wow! I’ll kill myself – I’m kidding – but I think I will stay in the field of creation. I love photography but I don’t think I have talent in this way. I don’t have an answer, design is too much of my life

Have a favorite design-related website?

A very cool website : http://hellohikimori.com

Any up-and-coming designers you think are awesome?

• Théoze, Creative director
• Ilk, Art Director & artist
• Nkh, art director and illustrator
• Kerem, UI & UX designer
• Starck, Designer
• Fabio Sasso
• Thomas Ciszewski, Creative director
• Aleks Faure