Carola Pimentel, founder of Assure Interiors, grew up in the Dominican Republic in a family of contemporary and Latin American art collectors. An enjoyment of art-filled homes as well as her parents’ involvement in the interiors and hospitality industries stimulated her interest in design. As an interior designer, she excels at well-considered space planning intuitively combining beauty and functionality with a client’s lifestyle. Part of the broader movement in design influenced by tropical Modernism, Carola’s international projects incorporate stylistic influences from across Europe, Latin America and the United States which she distills into refined and contextually appropriate interiors that blend with the outdoors. See Carola’s clever use of space in today’s Designer Friday.
Originally an open concept, this space was divided by a wine wall at the client’s request to facilitate a more formal dining area.
Andrew Joseph: Can you describe your design philosophy in three words?
Carola Pimentel: Modern. Timeless. Functional.
AJ: How do you approach a new design project?
CP: First and foremost, design should speak to clients’ needs and the surrounding environment. Our goal at the beginning of each project is to design schemes that are appropriate to the climate, functional, enduring, and created to suit a specific client’s life and priorities.
Given many of our projects are in warmer climes, Assure’s approach to design often channels the lifestyle of places such as Florida, California and especially Rio, Sao Paolo, and Angra dos Reis in Brazil, subtly blending indoors and outdoors. Structured planning, considered lighting, and special finishes developed in partnership with our clients and artisans create a finely detailed envelope for decoration. We focus on getting the bones of the space right.
Tactile natural materials are selected early in the design process. The Studio’s signature materials include white oak, walnut, natural stone, porcelain tiles and terrazzo chosen to add warmth and visual interest. Great consideration is given to appropriateness in response to each client’s needs. This gives a project longevity.
We select accessories, furniture, and art to complement our client’s lifestyle. We review clients’ existing pieces as needed. Given some of our clients are collectors, for example, we often plan new interiors incorporating pieces that may have been in storage or rotate from other properties owned by the family. The whole process from the start is very client-focused and personal.
On the other side of the wine cellar, the aforementioned dining room features malachite green suede that’s perfectly accented by The Rug Company’s striped wool and silk rug for an opulent touch.
AJ: What is the most important element in a successful interior design?
CP: LIGHTING: Lighting is a key element for us at Assure Interiors. Lighting should be carefully considered and planned to suit the use of a room. Thought should be given to general lighting, task lighting such as for a desk, art on a wall, or a sculpture. We often incorporate dimmable lights to change the mood throughout the day and there are always candles in our dining areas and powder rooms.
CRAFT: By this we mean custom-made pieces and handmade objects created by artisans. They feel very right for now as we shift away from disposability and will be around for many years to come. At the studio, we partner with a range of makers to create pieces just for our clients, whether furniture, glassware, ceramics, or silver, that deliver longevity and joy.
AJ: How do you stay creative and inspired?
CP: Traveling keeps my eye fresh and always delivers new ideas for our projects. With two teenage boys and running a design studio, it is not always easy to escape but I try to make two to three inspirational research and shopping trips a year. At the studio, we count on great partners in Europe and Latin America who always share interesting discoveries, including new makers, products, and exhibitions, with us.
On a recent trip to Florence, I enjoyed the Anish Kapoor exhibit at Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi. The exhibition offered me an opportunity to engage directly with the artist’s work in all its versatility, discord, entropy, and ephemerality in the context of a beautiful setting. It was incredibly inspirational.
When responsibilities keep me close to home, I try to accept invitations to gallery openings and new collection launches at US showrooms. You must always stay energized, focused, and open to new inspiration.
This open-concept residence features a variety of intimate seating areas united by the grandeur of a panoramic waterfront vista, all framed by floor to ceiling windows.
AJ: How do you keep up with the latest design trends?
CP: Although we don’t follow trends we stay abreast of news and developments in our industry. The team travels to international fairs, like PAD, Design Miami ( Basel), ZONAMACO in Mexico City, Maison & Objet in Paris, and Salone del Mobile in Milan etc. When it comes to our interiors, we select what is right for each individual project.
Some of our clients request seasonal updates of their homes and we travel to Europe (England, France, Spain, and Italy) and Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Columbia) on shopping trips with our associates to source special tabletop, textiles, small furniture etc.
AJ: How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your designs?
CP: At Assure we deploy a considered use of colors, textures, and subtle patterns, as well as collections of art and vintage finds to reflect our clients’ personalities.
For a Villa in Coconut Grove, we created cool understated interiors and well-considered outdoor rooms incorporating touches like Latin American contemporary art and ceramics, crisp bespoke English bed linens, relaxed bespoke furniture upholstered in durable cotton canvas and contemporary Belgian outdoor furniture. We also introduced a serene palette of neutral hues that slowly reveal themselves, layering texture and interest via tactile materials as part of a laidback and refined decorating scheme suitable for tropical living. All these elements combined to enhance a quintessential Miami lifestyle.
AJ: How do you incorporate art into your designs?
CP: As a collector of contemporary art, I am drawn to small-scale sculpture and wall-mounted installations by Central European and Latin American artists attracted by the 3D quality and impact the pieces create in the context of a room.
About the Designer | Carola’s practical approach to design focuses on a clear layout and considered interior architecture delivering light-filled calming spaces. She pursued her BFA at Ringling College where she explored design in the context of a tropical setting. Early architectural influences included the work of Lina Bo Bardi particularly her “Casa de Vidro’ house in Sao Paulo and the ‘Casa Estudio‘ by Mexican Luis Barragan which informed Carola’s approach to light, space planning and context.
Carola’s work often reflects her passion for both the Art Deco and the later Mid-Century movements. Regular research trips explore the influence of Art Deco style as interpreted across the Americas. Inspiring architectural details, craftmanship, luxurious materials and clean lines are adapted and interpreted for her clients’ bespoke projects. Mid-Century architecture in particular Miami and California houses dating from 1940s are referenced in Carola’s alluring use of natural light, signature large format flooring and built-in elements such as wood room dividers and paneling.
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