In conversation: Carla Pinto on stone, Mexico and furniture that lasts
Red wine on a marble table? Carla Pinto isn’t fazed. “A carpet would certainly suffer more,” she says. The Zurich-based designer behind Lamaro creates furniture from solid natural stone, crafted in small workshops in Mexico. Each piece is a limited edition, because the stone dictates it.
Anyone who has a Lamaro piece isn’t buying a piece of furniture. They are buying a piece of Earth’s history that just happens to double as a side table. The fact that Carla Pinto became a designer at all has to do with two moves. She grew up in Mexico as a child – her father is half-Swedish, her mother Mexican – and later moved back to Switzerland. In 2008, as a teenager, she returned once more and stayed until she was eighteen. That period shaped everything. In Mexico, you come across marble and the like everywhere: in hotels, restaurants, jewellery, furniture. When Carla came back to Switzerland, she missed it immediately. «Where are the coloured stones?», she wondered. In Switzerland, you mainly see black, beige, neutral.
The rest hasn’t been a straight path. There was Covid, a business plan – and then Lamaro.
How do you decide which material to work with?
Carla Pinto: When I’m scouting in Mexico, it’s like love at first sight. I see a stone – and then I know: I want to work with this one.
The grain determines the design, not the other way round.
No two pieces look alike. Is that freedom or a loss of control?
I see it as a wonderful opportunity. When I discover a stone, the image of what the final design should look like is already forming in my mind. Of course, because it’s handmade, I can’t control the end result exactly. In the end, I photograph every available piece for my online gallery. That way, customers can fall in love with that exact model from afar before they even step into the showroom.
Your design language combines Mexican vibrancy with Scandinavian minimalism. At first, that sounds like a contradiction.
That’s actually my background. My father is half Swedish, my mother Mexican.
So it’s not a conscious design decision, but rather your heritage?
Exactly. Scandinavia stands for a minimalist, clean design language. Mexico for colour. The reason I choose such understated forms: Marble or onyx have so much character that they need space. The form takes a back seat so that the material can shine.
You spent a year in Mexico to find the right craft workshops. What did you learn from that?
Just how much passion goes into every piece.
Many of the artisans have been working with stone for generations.
And what surprised you?
That not every design works with every stone. Quartzite, for example, is much harder and more brittle than marble or onyx. The smaller the design, the greater the risk of breakage.
You want to encourage people away from impulse buying and towards making a conscious choice.
Isn’t that difficult for a business that also needs to make sales?
Of course, I hope that the first purchase isn’t the last. That’s why I’ve designed various collections over time – furniture, accessories, candles, bookends. So there’s something for every occasion. And not just for private customers – hotel rooms, restaurant entrances, offices. A Lamaro design adds a touch of style to any room, whether at home or in a shop. But the basic idea remains: something you take with you when you move house. Something you can reposition. And eventually pass on.
Your pieces are meant to last for generations. What does that mean to you as a designer?
That’s a question I’ve never really thought about before. It’s actually a very lovely thought.
The stone is millions of years old. It simply lives on – time and again in a different setting.
Marble is considered high-maintenance, cold and heavy. What would you say to someone who’s hesitant?
It’s much easier to look after than you think. All you need is a microfibre cloth and water. You don’t need any special cleaners. Coasters help, but even those aren’t essential as long as you give it a quick wipe now and then. The only thing you should avoid is leaving stains untreated overnight.
And if red wine does get spilled on it?
A carpet would certainly suffer more. And for those who really fear the worst: a stonemason can always polish a stain out. Stone furniture is never ruined.
Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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