Santa Living is a Barcelona-based design studio born out of a shared passion for exploration and collaboration. Founders César Carcaboso and Josep Vicens hail from l’Empordà, a region known for its natural beauty and creative spirit, which continues to inspire their projects today. Though firmly rooted in Barcelona, their creative journey takes them across the globe, collaborating with like-minded individuals and brands. Their ethos—captured perfectly in their motto, ‘Let’s play on your playground’—reflects a dynamic approach to design, where each project is a partnership built on storytelling and creativity.
In this interview, we delve into the world of Santa Living to uncover what drives their curious and dreamy aesthetic, grounded by a sense of togetherness. From finding their purpose through years of experimentation to crafting eco-conscious, tactile designs that evoke a sense of home, César and Josep share how they transform spaces and materials into meaningful experiences. They also open up about their creative process, their love for artisanal materials, and why sustainability is central to everything they do.
Where are you from, and where are you based?
—We’re both from l’Empordà, but we’re based in Barcelona. Even so, Santa takes us all over the world.
Project Maison Brummell (Marrakech). Images | La Dichosa.
Describe Santa Living in 3 words.
—Curious, Dreamy, and Togetherness.
What inspired you to start Santa Living, and how does it reflect your style?
—A few years ago, we might not have known how to answer this question; we just felt we had to take action. After five years of hard work, we found our purpose, which we expressed in our motto: ‘Let’s play on your playground.’ In the past, while building our studio, we often worked for other companies, trying to share our ideas, but it didn’t always connect. Now, after exploring spaces, objects, and materials, we’ve realized we wanted a place to express ourselves, our own playground. The playground where we can collaborate with our clients to transform interior design together.
From left to right. Project 92 Apartment (Barcelona) for Isabel Franco, Image | Javi Dardo. Project Casa Alegría (Valencia) for Her Arquitectura, Image | David Zarzosa. Nocta collection, Images | Carlota Grau.
Can you walk us through your creative process when designing a new collection? What are the key elements you focus on?
—It doesn’t matter if we’re working on a styling project, interior design, a new collection or textile design for a hotel; for us, the key is to draw inspiration from a story that captivates us or moves us. Throughout this process, we make a conscious effort to disconnect from social media and really focus on our surroundings. Once we identify the common thread, we translate it into silhouettes, materials, or textures.
Just imagine textiles and objects designed or curated to complement the space, where each corner is carefully considered. Everything flows more easily, doesn’t it? There’s nothing truly new to create, but there’s so much to explore.
Sustainability is a core value for Santa Living. How do you ensure that your products and processes are eco-friendly?
—Honestly, we control a large part of the process, from the selection of fabrics to the actual production. In our case, we work with small workshops that oversee each part of the process to ensure it is respectful and efficient for the environment. Being eco-friendly means sacrificing time in each step and moving at a slower pace, but we respect our values.
From left to right. Project Tramuntana Gallery (Girona) for Tramuntana Studio, and the Nocta collection. Images | Carlota Grau.
What are some of your favourite materials to work with, and why do they resonate with your design philosophy?
—We love any material with a rough, artisanal finish—especially heavy-weight fabrics like linen or cotton, as well as materials like ceramics and charred wood, which evoke a sense of home.
Next place you want to visit?
—Definitely Egypt! We’re really drawn to immersing ourselves in its culture and rich heritage. We imagine sleeping on a boat drifting down the Nile and waking up at the Temple of Abu Simbel surrounded by golden light. Maybe it’s time to stop dreaming and book a flight, right?
Looking ahead, what exciting new projects or collections can we expect from Santa Living?
—As a studio with a multiple creative approach to the world of interiors, we’re currently involved in a range of unique and exciting projects. We’re working on two different interior design projects that we can’t wait to unveil, working with Salva Lopez on a styling project, designing an exclusive textile collection for an incredible hotel in Valencia, collaborating with a talented Valencian artist on a lamp, and now we’re introducing our new cushion collection called ‘NOCTA’, inspired by the warm nights.
Shop the collection, www.santaliving.com/shop
