Moniomi Design Founders Open Doors to Art-Filled Miami Atelier
La Sala showcases Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez’s own furniture and home accents alongside a curated selection of pieces by ingenious makers
Building on the momentum Moniomi Design founders Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez created last year with their spaces at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach and Art Basel Miami Beach, the studio opened La Sala, a spirited South Florida atelier showcasing their own furniture and home accents alongside a curated selection of pieces by ingenious makers. “It’s a culmination of everything we’ve done,” says Santayana of 1,000-square-foot gallery, which connects to the firm’s studio in the city’s vibrant Little River neighborhood.
La Sala, which means living room in Spanish, combines residential-style vignettes of Moniomi’s sculptural marble tables, barrel tufted benches and ottomans as well as their new rug collaboration with Kyle Bunting. Jewelry-like lighting by Noz Nozawa for Hudson Valley Lighting, exquisite Porter Teleo wall coverings, and geometric terrazzo with Concrete Collaborative add an expressive dimension to the spirited rooms. “We wanted it to feel like a design hub that is welcoming to the public and the industry,” says Santayana, who aims to host dinners and panels in the space as well as serve as a place for other creatives to find inspiration.
Different nooks have different vibes, including the cozy lounge, which nods to the Chubb Lounge they cultivated at Art Basel Miami Beach with furniture, wallpaper, and lighting. A warm and sultry library offers another private gathering spot, while the kitchen and bar highlight other makers. “Everywhere you walk, it’s meant to be an immersive experience,” says Alvarez.
Further elevating the colorful interiors are custom murals by Britti Ward, done in collaboration with Benjamin Moore, that celebrate the spirit of Miami with symbols personal to the husband-and-wife designers. Whimsical palms, shells, and playful trompe l’oeil borders inspired by a stucco scroll detail found in Santayana and Alvarez’s own South Florida residence are joined by a vinyl applique of rejas, Spanish-style iron gates, on the large-scale windows that cast a unique shadow across the space. “We really wanted to project that we’re proud Miami designers—we’re born here, this is our stomping grounds,” states Santayana.
The installations form a cinematic backdrop to a delightful mélange of unique finds such as furniture and lighting by Sean Gerstley and Krasnogorov Studio, including pieces in a mauve only found at La Sala. Also exclusive to the store are items from global purveyors such as Viya by Vikram Goyal from India, Lyk Carpet from Germany, denHolm from Australia, and more. “This is not a static showroom,” says Alvarez. “It will keep changing, keep evolving as we evolve.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Fall Issue under the headline “Magic Kingdom.” Subscribe to the magazine.