Ohla Studio

Profile:

Key points:

• Founded in 2017 by Giulia Zink and Mat Trumbull

• Offers design services and creative consultancy in art direction, interior, and landscape design

• Works closely with local artisans and traditional crafts

• Launched first furniture collection “Alcocer” in 2022

Nationality: Italian-American designers

Style: Minimalist lines

Contemporary and minimalist lines in traditional forms

Blend of architecture, interior design, and art

Rooted in craft traditions with a sculptural sensibility

Overview:

Studio Background: Founded in 2017

Founded in 2017 by Giulia Zink and Mat Trumbull, OHLA Studio is a multidisciplinary studio offering art direction, interior, and landscape design.

Their work manifests “age-old visions with contemporary possibilities” and draws deeply on traditional craftsmanship. Having relocated to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, during the COVID-19 pandemic, their trajectory took a defining turn. Their practice evolved to integrate architecture, collectible furniture, and curated living experiences such as the Sin Nombre residence and gallery.

Founders : Giulia Zink and Mat Trumbull

Approach, design philosophy: Age-old vision with contemporary possibilities

“We manifest age-old visions with contemporary possibilities”.

“We create metaphors, which become the basis of our pieces” (Source : Sightunseen) “In architecture, we believe finishes and textures being as important as volumes and light” (Source : Arcaww)

Style: Emphasis on material, volume, and proportion

Contemporary and sculptural with an emphasis on material, volume, and proportion. Their designs often integrate seamlessly into the architectural environment, with a refined aesthetic restraint.

Main inspirations: Jewelry, stone relics, travertine quarries

“Fabergé egg jewelry, Mayan carved stone relics, Italian travertine quarries, palm tree farms in Southern Florida, Tuscan wood fired ceramic kilns, and anodized titanium.” “We selected finishes that bring us back to places we have been or places we have yet to be. Mostly they need to nourish our imagination and being inviting to the touch” (Source : Arcaww)

Identity and aesthetics: Fusion of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics

The identity of OHLA Studio is shaped by their desire to fuse traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. “We wanted the space to feel as if it were carved from a single block of limestone, inside to out.” Their work emphasizes simple materials and textures, allowing objects and environments to feel timeless, grounded, and immersive.

Values

The studio values “passions, intuition, and what we believe is artful and full of love.” They aim to build “within the traditions of the past as new challenges loom,” and to foster spaces of creative collaboration through projects like Sin Nombre (Source : Sightunseen).

Creative process

“We sketch out ideas as a mind map - creative, family, money, travel” (Source : Sightunseen). “In the delta of our creative practices we create metaphors, which in turn become the foundation of our work.”

Their process is collaborative: “Giulia often works in the present. I often work in the future. Overall, we have a yin and yang thing happening.”

Production and materials

• Cast aluminum

• Local travertine

• Bronze

• Ceramics

• Copper

• Leather

Production methods

Handcrafted in collaboration with local artisans

Focus on traditional methods: “stone carving, goldsmithing, and metal casting”

Each piece reflects a union of place, culture, and technique

Main categories

• Lighting

• Furniture

Notable collections

• Alcocer Collection (2022)

Major projects

• Sin Nombre residence and gallery - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (2020)

• Estate project- Napa, California

• Restaurant - San Francisco

• Two boutique hotels - Mérida, Mexico

Press/media quotes

• https://www.sightunseen.com/2022/09/ohla-studio-aluminum-coffee-table-san-miguel-de-allende/

• https://www.milkdecoration.com/ohla-studio-presente-sa-premiere-collection-de-mobilier/

Exhibitions

• Unno Gallery, Mexico City (February 2023)

Headquarters and website

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

https://www.ohlastudio.com