There are moments in childhood that shape our professional imprint as adults. The Palace of Versailles and the figure of Marie Antoinette were the guiding inspirations for Patricia Bustos to choose interior design as her way of life.
Her studio celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2024, remaining faithful to the manifesto of the 4 S’s: surprise in projects, meaning and impact, uniqueness, and sustainability. We speak with Bustos about her professional journey, her role as a trainer, and the trends that the new year brings.

How did your professional transition from fashion design to interior design happen?

I have always loved interior design; it runs in the family. My father was fascinated by architecture and always instilled in me a love for design. He was very handy, and I always helped him in the workshop or when we did renovations at home, with the layout and designs. I have always had a strong spatial vision, and visual harmony delighted me, as well as being able to express myself artistically.

One of the moments that most influenced me to dedicate myself to this was when I was taken to visit the Palace of Versailles as a child. The figure of Marie Antoinette, the color palette, and femininity captivated me, although fashion was also very important to me.

By chance, I ended up studying business and greatly admired the Inditex group as a company and as pioneers in democratizing fashion, so I trained at Saint Martins School in London. After graduation, I went to work in Arteixo. When my husband and I decided to get married, I had to return to Madrid, and I decided to pursue my other passion: interior design. A friend offered me the opportunity to set up a studio together, and that’s really where it all started.

 

What differences did you find between dressing bodies and dressing a habitat?

Conceptually, when we talk about design, whether in fashion or interiors, we consider proportions, harmony, rhythm, or balance, and in that, they are similar. We also refer to cultural expression and a narrative that tells our story through those designs: in fashion, if you dress as the person you want to be, you will become that person, and in interior design, because the space around us profoundly influences how we feel.

What makes the difference is anticipating the experiences that will emerge in the space we design. It’s not so much about materials, technology, or geometry, but about respecting the way people live. Interior design affects our emotions, and this is something that has been recognized for a long time: Aristotle explained that there is an invisible link with what surrounds us.

 

You are a strong advocate of curved shapes and also color… What is most important in an interior design project? What role does each element play?

The most important thing is that the space connects with us, makes us happy, and projects us towards what we want to be. Surrounding ourselves with beauty is fundamental to knowing how to choose in life and enjoy elegance and goodness.

It is scientifically proven that a wrapping, curved environment gives us more pleasure and security, while corners and breaks stress and alert us. If we look at Mother Nature, we see that straight lines do not exist; everything is sinuous and winding. I advocate a correct combination of both elements because order and organization give us confidence, and this way, we make better use of space and energy (heat is wasted in corners, and acoustics bounce off them).

Regarding color, I would say it is one of the design elements that affects us the most. It is the most subjective variable of all and depends on our personal experiences. Not everything has to be neutral; color is life. When a being loses life, like a flower, it automatically starts to lose color, which is why a black and white world would be so sad. I don’t understand how some designers don’t use it; to me, it is essential for self-expression.

 

What are your favorite materials and why?

For me, handcrafted materials are indispensable. It is clear that we need to reconcile with nature and stop the frenetic pace we have gotten into. I like slow processes, where attention to detail and care are fundamental. I am mesmerized by watching someone work with wood, stone, or wicker, so I would say any natural material that can be handled in that way, although lately, I have been captivated by marble and blown glass.

 

You have taught classes at design schools and even on an online course platform. What have you learned from your role as a teacher? Is it true that when you teach, you also enrich your own knowledge?

The novelist Robert Heinlein said that when one teaches, two learn. I have been able to delve into all the facets that interest me thanks to teaching. The study of color, bioarchitecture, and neuroarchitecture has enriched me greatly in recent years and helps me to respond to my clients.

When you understand something well, it is easier to come up with solutions that truly work. And certainly, continuing to study and learn is essential throughout life. Moreover, being in contact with the new generations of architecture professionals forces me to stay up-to-date and constantly refresh myself.

 

Your studio is celebrating a decade. What major successes and mistakes that help rebuild have marked this trajectory?

Running a business is very complex. Now I have an external advisory team that is helping me a lot, and I would have loved to have had this support from the beginning to standardize processes and have more professional control over all projects. When you start, everything is excitement, eagerness, and daring, but over time you realize that you need to have everything very controlled to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Regarding successes, I would paradoxically say that very same daring. I have managed to reach places that were unimaginable for me. Now we are designing an experiential and immersive museum, which is also an incredible challenge, especially in terms of technology and audiovisuals. I think it will be unique because I will be able to implement a lot of learnings in other sectors like hospitality and even in homes.

 

What projects are you most proud of?

A completely curved house of over 1,000 square meters that I finished recently. Designing with such organic forms is technically difficult, and to materialize the designs, templates and a lot of manual work are necessary, but the energy that home transmits is completely wonderful. Now we are developing a luxury villa development for a promoter in Indonesia, which I am also particularly proud of.

 

How is the sector transforming with AI and other technological advances? What is your vision of its influence on the profession?

No one knows what will happen with this paradigm shift. At the studio, we are implementing it for certain processes. In the design part, it helps us to conceptualize much faster and to present the first sketches more clearly, achieving more ambitious results.

I find it unlikely that it will take away our jobs because AI needs us to guide and direct it, and for now, it does not have abstract thinking; it cannot relate concepts to experiences and memories. Albert Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge, and for me, innovation is an art and, as such, needs abstract thinking, intuition, consciousness, and subjective understanding. Moreover, making mistakes has led us to great discoveries; is there anything more human than error?

 

What trends do you see with strength in interior design for 2025?

I continue to see curves, but in my case, that is personal bias. Also, more color and more contrasting environments, in addition to Japanese culture, patina, or the praise of shadow. Shadows do not hide but reveal the depth and serenity of things. I also think that lighting is taking on a very, very important role in space. Light is a crucial element for decoration, and we are finally placing more emphasis on it.

I dare to venture four trends: interiors with invisible and increasingly sustainable technology (where conscious sustainability is not achieved at the expense of beauty), biophilic interiors increasingly in harmony with nature; personalized sensory aesthetics, and finally, craftsmanship and authenticity, connecting with local artists who rescue the culture of each area.

 

How do you find daily inspiration? Are you more analog or digital?

I am both! I love walking, drawing, and I pay attention to everything. I adore philosophy and history, which is why conceptualizing comes quite easily to me. I usually look for inspiration in books and imagine spaces. Then I search for reference images and experiment with AI.

Lately, we have been experimenting with restaurants, as we did with Arquetopia, a utopian restaurant that symbolizes our most radical concept of space between craftsmanship and dreams.

 

Do social networks inspire or intoxicate us?

Well, I also consider that they do both. We are pure contradiction, and almost everything must be taken in moderation. The new generations have much more visual culture precisely because of access to these infinite galleries, but there is also the danger of losing originality. It helps me a lot to recover things from the past, iconic architects, artistic movements, and ancestral cultures… There is gold there, and then we pass everything through our contemporary filter.