Studio Maison Co. is an interior-focused studio founded by three young Mexican women who share how using SketchUp has supported the development of their work. They specialize in architecture and interior design, furniture design, and styling, sharing their design tips from these projects on social media. Founders Lorena, Regina, and Natalia shared their story with us.
Studio Maison Co. is a firm that aims to create spaces where clients feel comfortable — spaces they love living in. It's essential for us that design is functional; we strive to balance functionality and aesthetics. Our focus is primarily on interior design, but we also cover phases throughout the entire construction cycle.
We typically start when the project is under construction, where some but not all of the construction work is completed. We sometimes relocate electrical or mechanical systems and proceed with selecting materials, furniture, and decor. We pay attention to every detail, proposing diverse furniture and different materials to create harmonious, beautiful, and functional spaces.
We rely heavily on SketchUp, which allows us to pay attention to every detail. Our team uses SketchUp to visualize everything — from LED strips, lighting, ironwork, and the combination of materials — ensuring that everything makes sense together. Our deliverables include interior space plans, mood boards, and virtual tours.
We have been friends for many years and studied interior design together. We worked in different firms, but with the pandemic, we saw an increase in demand for interior design as many people took the initiative to change their spaces. That's when we decided to start our own studio to help people make their space look and feel the way they wanted.
We don't have a specifically defined style; we adapt to the space and the client's preferences. We like to to avoid repetition and reinvent ourselves with every project. Each of us has different design styles, and combining those together makes us a great team; we complement each other.
Our first encounter with SketchUp was in university, downloading objects from 3D Warehouse to complete interior design projects. Over time, we honed our skills and started modeling from scratch. Learning to model furniture laid the foundation that we still use at the studio today — we still design customized furniture. SketchUp’s ecosystem of tools makes up 95% of the design software we use at the studio.
We start with a conversation with the client to determine their needs and vision for the space. When we’re aligned, we define the project scope, provide a quote, and once approved, we schedule an on-site survey. After the survey, we use the dimensions to create the model, then add materials and styling elements, thus creating the virtual tour and a mood board. We use LayOut and SketchUp to present the project to the client and make any necessary changes.
Once the project is approved, we create plans and detailed furniture layouts using LayOut. LayOut is very easy to use in conjunction with our SketchUp models and is versatile enough to give us the details we need for fabrication and installation. When it’s time to build the design, we supervise the assembly by the contractors, always referring to our LayOut plans.
For those who want to start a business, educate yourself and research how to build a company from scratch, including legal and administrative matters. It's also important to gain technical experience and a deeper understanding of how things are done — work for someone else, gain experience, gather all you can, and then start your own venture.
In the future, Studio Maison Co. will have more employees and work in new areas: we plan to release a line of furniture and a gift registry where clients can personalize their space, and we will have a showroom for closer interaction with clients.
Are you feeling inspired to design spaces with your own unique touch? Try a free trial of SketchUp for the powerful tools that Studio Maison Co. employs in their design process.
To know more, write to sketchup@arkinfo.in
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