Interviews
Studio Hour with MONIOMI
For this edition of Studio Hour, we sit down with the bold, design-forward minds behind MONIOMI, Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez, known for their saturated palettes, architectural forms, and highly expressive interiors. Now, they bring that same visual poetry to lighting with their debut collection for Corbett Lighting. Designed as sculptural objects that hold emotional and architectural weight, each piece in the collection is a study in geometry, materiality, and intention.
Q: How would you define your design style, and how did it evolve?Our design style is best described as saturated, layered, and patterned—a bold mix of color, texture, and form, rooted in emotion and storytelling. We’ve developed a language that balances playful sophistication with curated restraint. It’s always evolving, but always personal, constantly pushing boundaries while staying grounded in narrative.
Vela Wall Sconce
Q: Tell us about your lighting collection with Corbett Lighting. What inspired it?
This collection was born from a desire to treat lighting as sculpture—objects that do more than illuminate; they define rhythm, anchor space, and shape mood. Inspiration came from architectural geometry, natural materials, and the emotional quality of light: how it can soften a room, elevate a moment, or frame an experience with intention.
We explored forms like concentric domes, suspended orbs, softened pyramids, and layered planes, treating each fixture family as a standalone sculpture, yet unifying them through material and light. Finishes like vintage brass, blown glass, and pink onyx were chosen for their tactility, warmth, and ability to glow. Many surfaces were left raw or matte to celebrate natural variation and texture.
Even the names carry meaning—Solara evokes constellations; Coppa, the domed layering of glass; Klara, a crystalline glow; Vela, the soft light of a suspended jewel. Geo speak to structural purity; Corda mimics the rhythm of fine jewelry; Alba is a delicate flush of light.
The result is a cohesive collection that brings emotional depth and architectural presence to interiors. Each piece is a gesture, a statement, a sculptural signature.
Q: How do you want people to feel when they experience these pieces in a space?
We want them to feel like they’ve brought home something intentional—not just a light, but a piece of art that elevates the space. Each fixture is designed to make a statement, but also to resonate emotionally, to feel considered and personal. It’s lighting that completes a room not just functionally, but atmospherically.
Q: How do you think lighting contributes to the language of a space?
Lighting is the unsung hero of interiors—it sculpts, dramatizes, reveals. It shapes how we experience a room. Whether it's through an unexpected form, the softness of indirect light, or the placement of a single fixture, lighting adds a layer of emotional resonance that finishes the space. It allows materials to breathe, color to shift, and atmosphere to emerge.
Q: How do you recommend styling your lighting families?
A showstopper above a dining table, the Solara becomes the gravitational center of the room. Coppa is best placed in soaring spaces like grand foyers or above fireplaces where height and drama are key. Alba is a refined flush mount for spaces where architecture leads; understated but luminous. Designed for moody, romantic moments. Klara is best in hallways, bedrooms, or layered light schemes. Corda is a statement in scale and rhythm. Use it in multiples for maximum impact in oversized spaces. Vela is ideal in jewel-box settings like powder rooms or primary suites, where materials take center stage. Geo is perfect for corridors, offices, or anywhere that benefits from graphic, linear strength. The most versatile piece in our collection, Atria casts ambient, indirect light that gently defines space without overpowering.
Explore more of Moniomi X Corbett here.