Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Barbis
Hi Patricia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Borned and raised in Peru, interior designer with 30 years of experience and owner of Studio Barbis, a hospitality design studio, with offices in Miami and Lima, Peru.
Finishing my Interior Design degree in Lima, Peru came to Miami to do a year at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. After living in Miami for 2 years 1991-1992 went back to my home in Lima and opened my own studio at 21 years old.
After 6 successful years of the studio in Lima and with an extensive portfolio moved to New York to pursue my Master Degree in Interior Design from New York School of Interior Design where graduated with the Highest Distinction. Rockwell Group (top hospitality design firm in NYC) hired me while still at school during a Hospitality Design crit presentation. and worked with them for 8 years.
During 18 years in New York and 2 in Miami worked with the top Hospitality Design firms in the industry, like Rockwell Group, Tihany Design, RTKL (Miami) and David Mexico Design Group.
With that experience, decided to re-open Studio Barbis in Lima in 2017 and moved back to Miami 2021 to open the studio here. 3rd time is the charm!
Miami is booming and it is the perfect city to have a a base and where we want to grow. Miami is strategic for projects in Latin America, Caribbean, USA and anywhere in the world.
10 years ago, all design firms needed to open an office in NYC to be “reputable” and now, in the past years, all those firms and opening studios in Miami!
Being and entrepreneur and running the business is very challenging but I had the example of my mother that had a fashion business for 40 years and always admired her strength and independence. Her example keeps me going!
We are growing fast and love doing projects all over the world. We have designed projects in Australia, Dubai, and currently designing hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America. Very excited about three new Marriott lifestyle hotel projects two in Costa Rica (Moxy) and one in Colombia (Autograph) that we are starting now.
It is incredible to see a dream starting to become a reality, but it requires hard work and long days.
I am a bit of a late bloomer.. now in my fifties finally accomplishing important life milestones: Got married two years ago and having a successful design studio. All life experience led to this and loved every minute of it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not having any training in business and any capital to open the business has been a real challenge.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are a “lifestyle” Hospitality Design studio.
The years of experience working on top unique hospitality projects all over the world.
We create projects that tell a story and create unique experiences. We understand the difference between hotel brands and design for each of those narratives. We work internationally and aim to understand each location as a local through through research and travel. Will love to also design restaurant, hotel and multi-family projects here in Miami!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
With AI, designer’s need to get more creative and don’t recreate “other’s” designs. AI is a great tool but soon all projects will start looking the same because they are coming from the same “source”. We need to design from within again, from our own creativity and really invent. I remember when I was in design school in the 90’s when you were “forbidden” to look at magazines. It was considered cheating and you should only rely on your own creativity to create unique designs. All that has changed, clients can see a realistic renderings in two minutes with AI and there is less time for a real design process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://patriciabarbis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricia_barbis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiopatriciabarbis
Image Credits
Photos: Rohan Vehn
