Witness the design studio’s playful yet dramatic exhibition in Ibiza until the end of October.
Madrid has a rich design history. Even a cursory glance at the city’s architecture will attest to this. Sitting in the heart of Europe, it pulls on a tapestry of Spanish and wider continental influences. Modern Madrid is awash with studios, showrooms and workshops. But one in particular stands out.
With a background in curating antiques, LA Studio is pushing the limits of contemporary interior design. The studio, which was founded in 2001, is showcasing its work in Ibiza this month. It is an eclectic patchwork of popping colours, considered furniture choices and design icons, all framed by a whitewashed backdrop.
“It is essential that the space we inhabit speaks of us,” founder Carlos López told us. “But the challenge is to listen to the client in order to offer them not what they asked for but what they would never have imagined. To extend their mental and aesthetic limits until they make them their own. That is the job of a good interior designer.”
Taking their metropolitan style to the sunny shores of Ibiza, the exhibition in Ibiza Town pairs retro flair with contemporary composition. Far from esoteric, it is an accessible design language that speaks to Carlos’ character. “We find it very interesting to work without limits, moved only by our taste and our intuition,” he muses.
“We find it very interesting to work without limits, moved only by our taste and our intuition.”
- Carlos López, LA Studio Founder
The studio has always specialised in original, iconic 20th-century design pieces created in the Netherlands, Germany and the US, but with particular attention paid to those from France and Italy. “Over time, we also incorporated the vision of contemporary creators – establishing a dialogue between past and present,” Carlos explains.
LA Studio’s spaces are stylish and cinematic. It’s no wonder, then, that its work includes art direction and furniture hire for film sets. In fact, the exhibition itself is in the old Ibiza Cinema. Clearly, Carlos is in the business of taking people on a journey.
Working on both corporate and private projects, he is used to tackling varied challenges. “Private homes become very personal projects,” Carlos explains. “They change completely depending on each client, their needs and tastes.”
Nonetheless, LA Studio’s approach is consistent throughout and creates a strong style signature. It’s a bright, fresh mix-and-match look that toes the line between fashion and function. “Both are important and neither should prevail over the other,” Carlos asserts.
Branching out to Ibiza seems a natural progression for a company so invested in attention to detail. The studio promotes the use of natural materials such as marble, stone and cotton. Having run a gallery on the island between 2015 and 2018, Carlos and the team have introduced a modern yet timeless aesthetic, which is new yet complementary, without falling into the tropes of “white Ibiza and wicker furniture”.
LA Studio’s modus operandi is to surprise and amaze – as this exhibition attests. Giving clients what they want, not what they deserve, simply isn’t in its nature.
The LA Studio exhibition is located at the old Ibiza Cinema in Ibiza Town and runs until the end of October
Related articles
Terravita: Inspired by nature
Jason Watson Todd, the founder of eco-conscious Ibizan design studio Terravita, reveals how his state-of-the-art homes push boundaries in every sense.
El POP: Modern Ibicencan architecture that draws on history
Anna Burkhart, co-founder of El POP, talks about how her design studio is championing sustainable practices.