Chic goes cosy

The cool loft apartment of interior designer Laura Santos may have epic proportions but it’s still full of soul and warmth

- Juliet Benning

LIVING AND DINING SPACE

A rug delineates the seating area, adding a relaxed vibe. Translucent curtains warm up space while allowing the maximum amount of light.

Rug, Woven Accents. Dining table, BDDW. Chairs, JoaquimTenreiro for R & Company.Curtains, Calvin Fabrics

Entertaining has always been a strong focus in Colombian-born Laura Santos’ household. ‘We’re Latin so we like to celebrate everything. We know how to party and love to have friends over,’ she says. In normal times, the holidays involve a big celebration. ‘We usually throw a big party, extending the table for as many as 20 guests, but it’s not about sitting down and being formal, it’s more about the food, the drinks and the music. I love aesthetics, so I want everything to look pretty, but I think it’s more important for a dinner party to have a soul.’

Like her dinner parties, Laura has always placed a strong emphasis on the word ‘soul’ when it comes to the loft she shares with her partner and two children. When first faced with the vast, empty space that was to become her home, Laura was awed and daunted in equal measure. ‘The incredible size of the windows and height of the ceiling appeared to me as a beautiful canvas to work on, but I knew space would be difficult to furnish because of its scale,’ she says. In her first experience of loft living, Laura saw her mission as bringing both functionality and warmth to space.