NYSID alumna Guta Louro ’19 (MFA2) is both the principal of her own firm, based in Brazil, Guta Louro Design, and the interior design director of the US firm Splice Design. Louro is currently living in Austin, Texas, on the O-1 Visa, aka the “Extraordinary Talent” visa. Née Maria Augusta Louro, she grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and obtained a BA in architecture there, before coming to the US in 2017 to pursue the MFA2 at NYSID. Her projects have appeared in House Beautiful (US), Living Etc. (UK), Elle Decor (Russia), Urbana (Portugal), and Vogue Living (Brazil). She describes her style as a “sophisticated approach to comfort.”

Nostalgia Reimagined

For this project in Jarinu, a rural municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, Louro was tasked with breathing new life into two houses that had been neglected for decades. The client was born in Finland, but grew up spending her weekends on the property in Brazil, and each room held memories. The goals of the renovations were to preserve the history of the space and to reflect the passage of time and layering of culture experienced by the client, who has lived in Northern Europe and Brazil. The envelope of both houses became “Brazilian Colonial,” and the colors evoke the traditional blues, yellows, and whites of the style. But the interiors are a synthesis of Nordic and Brazilian traditions from multiple eras, including the 1960s and ’70s. Some pieces are interpretations of Scandinavian Modernism by Brazilian designers.

1. The “wall necklace” by Eva Soban for Dpot Objeto becomes a focal point.

2. The curved leather armchairs in the back are by Gustavo Bittencourt.

3. The large round coffee table is new and by designer Marcus Ferreira for Decameron Design. The smaller coffee table is made of black cement and designed by Allez Decor.

4. This vintage sofa belonged to the client. Louro reupholstered it with Donatelli fabric. It’s made of Brazilian rosewood, also called jacaranda, from a tree now extinct.

5. The armchair in front is the original 1970s Jangada by Jean Gillon, purchased at antique store Herrero. Louro calls it “the most comfortable chair.”