Case Study Type: Contract

“Our vision and challenge were to create a warm and elegant world-class destination that felt like it had always been there; a place where members would want to return over and over again.” Shane Morris – Designer, Michaelis Boyd

 

If Oklahoma City doesn’t bring to mind a vibrant arts, culture, and culinary scene, you likely haven’t visited in a while. And you almost certainly haven’t experienced Citizen House, the live-work-play destination by Brady Wood (WoodHouse) that’s giving members and guests three new reasons to fall in love with this forward-thinking city.

Inhabiting the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of AHMM’s modern mid-rise set just across from the elegantly curated Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Citizen House brings together a private social club, hotel, and executive workplace.

Michaelis Boyd, a London and New York-based architecture and interior design studio with a global and diverse hospitality portfolio of award-winning projects, was selected to bring residential warmth and holistic flow to the project. Partner Rina Kukaj and designer Shane Morris handled the interior architectural layouts, finishes, and furnishings, case goods, millwork, and accessories.

Guided by the firm’s “light, form, flow” ethos, the designer incorporated abundant natural light and sweeping city views, complemented by the addition of greenery and the use of natural materials. “We love how wood patinas that age gracefully make a space feel organic and lived in,” said Shane.

The designer’s choice of Sossego tables, chairs, lounge chairs, and stools in Brazilian Jequitibá wood finish played well into the designer’s “accumulated” aesthetic. “The way the chairs are carved, it looks like hands passed over the wood for a long period of time. Like there’s a story there,” he said.

And while the pieces nod to legacy design, “they’re also undeniably sleek and modern,” said the designer. That balance allowed seamless integration with his layered approach to pattern, color, textiles, and style – whether drawing from Art Deco, Beaux Arts, or Spanish Revival influences. “From hotel lobby to speakeasy and from executive office to intimate dining nook,” he added, “Sossego designs live effortlessly alongside other furniture, whether a marble table or a sculptural bench.”

Shane felt the pieces fulfilled client WoodHouse’s desire for flexible, multifunctional furniture. “The minimalist structure and lightness of the Sossego chairs gave us true freedom of movement. Combined with their exquisite craftsmanship, they are perfectly suited to the space. Warm and worn-in, as if they’ve always belonged here.”

When Gensler envisioned NVIDIA’s campus, the goal was more than designing a workplace—it was about shaping an environment where innovation and well-being could coexist.

The architecture firm specified furniture from Sossego, celebrated for some of the most comfortable pieces in contemporary design. Rooted in Brazilian modernism, Sossego’s collections embody the art of living well, blending beauty and function with a deep respect for human comfort. In the context of NVIDIA’s cutting-edge campus, these designs bring warmth and ease to spaces driven by technology, proving that the future of work is also about how people feel, connect, and thrive.

Among the furniture selected are the Duda Counter Stool, Duda Chair, Julieta Armchair and Angela Armchair by Aristeu Pires, all enhancing shared workspaces with comfort and elegance. The awarded Gisele Lounge Chair anchors more relaxing areas, inviting users to experience the art of living—and working—well.

“Truthfully, everything revolves around the farm. This is important.” Beatrice Girelli, Architect/Designer

 

Paul and Laura Mishkin may have been looking for a needle in a haystack when they sought an interior architect and designer for their destination resort in a 325-acre working farm in Middle Tennessee. This unique experiential project includes an inn and spa located in a central building, as well as cottages, tree houses, restaurants, an event center, and jammery built throughout the farm. 

Beatrice Girelli, founder and principal of Los Angeles-based Indidesign, was the perfect discovery: someone with substantial hospitality experience and a holistic vision, capable of crafting a compelling aesthetic for the project. 

Inspired by the “truly, truly, beautiful land,” over the next seven years, Beatrice said she led the interior architectural development, including “the design of every building, space, experience, and detail, down to the smallest touches.” This undertaking required integrating traditional Southern hospitality and a working farm that was home to perennial crops, a natural ecosystem, four million honeybees, thousands of apple trees, acres of native grasses, and a water feature.

Avoiding stereotypical concepts, the designer balanced the finest elements of farmhouse rusticity, like hand-troweled stucco and reclaimed wood, against bespoke murals and copper bathtubs. “For the furniture, I wanted a modern-meets-mid-century flair,” she said. “I achieved this by choosing Sossego furniture and mixing it with vintage and commissioned pieces. The Sossego chairs had a design sensibility and aesthetic that aligned perfectly with what I was doing. And the workmanship is quite beautiful.”

Beatrice chose several iconic Aristeu Pires-designed chairs in a variety of native Brazilian woods customized with leathers and fabrics that are at home in both rustic and modern surroundings: the Angela armchair in Jequitibá Ebanizado; the Laura Chair in Jequitibá Ebanizado and Pecan; the Gisele Lounge Chair in Jequitibá Ebanizado with black nautical cord for indoor and the Gisele Balanço with graphite nautical cord for outdoor.

 Making land-inspired choices like these helped Beatrice cultivate a sense of place, where visitors immerse themselves in nature through an authentic, farm-centered experience. “Truthfully, everything revolves around the farm,” she said, “as it should.”

 

When developer Brady Wood first laid eyes on the neoclassical gem, he saw the future icon of the Miami Design District. To reinvent it, he would tap into the soul of Pan-American culture.

 

Sitting where a pineapple plantation once thrived, The Moore, designed in the 1920s by architect David P. Davis, began life as a furniture warehouse and showroom, a product of Florida’s land boom era. Davis could never have imagined the transformation that awaited the neighborhood: luxury boutiques, Michelin-starred restaurants, and a cultural district buzzing with creative energy.

WoodHouse founder Brady Wood assembled a team that would look beyond the building’s storied past and see its vibrant potential. Frequent collaborator ICRAVE developed a master plan for the four-story interior featuring Elastika restaurant, named after the eponymous Zaha Hadid sculpture installed in the atrium in 2005; a private members club; a workspace; and a boutique hotel. Brady also brought in renowned hospitality designer Studio-Collective for the hotel rooms and parts of the club. 

Lead designer Greg Merkel aimed to preserve as much of The Moore’s character as possible. “There were some beautiful elements we wanted to keep, but the structure was heavy, with columns, beams, sheet rock, and concrete floors,” said Merkel. “There were so many directions it could go,” added Brady. “Narrowing in on one clear vision took time.” Even so, he believed it had the potential to become “the lobby of the design district,” an image WoodHouse greatly appreciated.

Studio-Collective believed Miami’s melting pot of Latin culture could bring the right energy and design influence to the spaces, and Greg agreed. “We didn’t say, ‘Let’s make this a Cuban, or Argentinian, or Brazilian project. Let’s make this a Pan-American experience that isn’t rigorous to any one country. What unites them is a strong craftsmanship of art, design, and furniture that is a dying breed in other countries, like America,” said designer Christian Schulz.

The ICRAVE team discovered Sossego’s handcrafted modern furniture at a Brazilian dinner hosted by Sossego CEO Jonathan Durling in Chicago. Design lead Greg Merkel immediately recognized the alignment between the brand and the project. Traveling to Brazil to see the Sossego pieces firsthand, Brady and Christian agreed that Sossego’s native woods and custom finishes offered minimalist profiles that would balance well against the building’s heavy structure. “The Sossego pieces helped influence the project,” said Greg.

Studio-Collective’s Leslie Kale agreed. “The styles matched what we were looking for. They looked and felt like luxury, but were much more: uber-functional, elegant, timeless, with nice lines. Laid-back and deeply relaxing without being heavy-handed or over-the-top. Fantastic over-stuffed lounge chairs that were super cushy.” For ICRAVE’s Aline Aguero, “The Miami design district sees objects, even furniture, as art, not merely something to sit on. Sossego doesn’t just make chairs; they make works of art.”

The result is more than a landmark – it’s a vibe. A centerpiece in a district defined by design, and a beacon for what’s yet to come.

“New York is a very challenging place for a restaurant. But it’s also a city that recognizes the truth. When you bring something real, the city embraces you.” Mario DeMatos, Owner Berimbau West Village & Berimbau Midtown Manhattan

 

Fresh off a flight from his native São Paulo, architect Daniel Castro Cunha arrived at Midtown’s Berimbau Brazilian restaurant and entered the Second Floor, where owner Mario DeMatos, the son of a Brazilian baker, wanted to create something new: an intimate Brazilian-music-meets-Brazilian-gastronomy experience.

Looking at the space, Daniel saw a wall canvas with the potential for more color and brasilidade, or Brazilian identity. He recalled a striking panel by artist Jeffer Zion in his cousin’s home and knew the artist’s work would fit Berimbau’s walls perfectly.

Berimbau Second Floor is a space dedicated to the intersection of music, culture, and atmosphere. Upstairs, a curated selection of vinyl sets the tone with the sounds of Bossa Nova, Chorinho, and Tropicália filling the room. It’s a place to slow down, connect, and experience the richness of Brazilian rhythms in an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting.

Zion spent 300 hours hand-painting the flora and fauna of the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro on the walls. “Scarlet guaras, golden tamarins, canaries singing to a guitar that grows out of a tree—a blend of nature and music that celebrates the joy of being Brazilian,” Jeffer said. Mario’s team calls it “A forest that sways to the rhythm of Bossa Nova.”

Mario had long dreamed of the perfect seating to define the space. As a passionate admirer of Aristeu Pires’ work, Mario aimed to furnish the bar with Sossego’s pieces by the Brazilian designer. The owner of Berimbau was excited to host Pires during one of his trips to New York, and their meeting took place during NY Design Week 2025.

“Aristeu’s designs are simplicity meeting sophistication. Curvy, charming, and inviting,” says Mario. “They’ve helped me create a sensory and emotional atmosphere that helps me connect guests to my Brazilian culture. A piece of Brazil in New York City.”

The smooth, flowing minimalist furniture crafted from native Jequitibá and Louro freijó wood, customized with fabrics and rustic leathers in earthy tones, pairs beautifully with the surrounding rainforest. The Aurora and Julieta armchairs, the Malu sofa, and the Duda barstool have made it easy for guests who live in a rushed city to relax and experience their bit of sossego, which means tranquility in Portuguese. “We love the way everything blends,” said Daniel.

In the end, Berimbau has brought a genuine piece of the Brazilian soul, offered with open arms to the city that knows how to embrace what is real.

Tapped to furnish a Denver high-rise that boldly pays homage to its surroundings, Rhiannon Roberson sought elevated pieces that complemented a modern yet earthy aesthetic.

Denver’s RiNo district is located north of the Platte River, adjacent to downtown and with views of the mountains. It’s a cool-kid neighborhood where old warehouses give way to wine bars, art galleries, and striking high-rises such as One River North, a spectacular residential tower that showcases a landscaped rift inspired by the canyons formed by the Colorado River.

When Beijing-born architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects designed it, he integrated nature and architecture within its indoor and outdoor spaces. The smooth-edged cracks and curves cutting through it teem with drought-tolerant plants adaptable to Colorado. Residents adventure up and across the canyon, passing from foothill to trail to alpine plateau.

Enter Rhiannon Roberson of Davis Partnership Architects, expanding on Yansong’s natural aesthetic. “I grew up hiking these mountains, whose variety of textures and tones, woods and waters influenced and inspired me as I contemplated the project,” she said. A past visit to the Sossego Design showroom also shaped her plan. “I was smitten by Aristeu Pires’ beautifully crafted Brazilian-modern furniture and knew one day his Duda chairs and stools would be perfect for a project. This was it,” she said.

Rhiannon’s selections reflect a mix of woods and color tones encountered in a forest or on a trail, pairing beautifully with the building’s landscaped canyon and curvy, plaster-finished design features. For seating at the sleek, quartz-topped counter where residents gather, she chose the Duda counter stool in sustainably harvested Jequitibá wood with Belgian Meadow upholstery. At round tables throughout the space and in the nearby conference room, the Duda chair in Jequitibá with upholstery in chocolate Maiori paired well. “The Duda has an attractive price point, and that curve in the chair’s back flows like water,” said Rhiannon.

To create an impactful lobby, there were practical and aesthetic considerations: residents coming and going and the desire for a clear and harmonious view of the outdoors. With its body-hugging contour hand formed of baked-in-the-sun cardboard, the Leiras chair by Domingos Totora was a stunning choice. “It’s comfortable, insanely proportionate for anyone I’ve seen in it, and as with all Sossego pieces, the story behind the chair is fascinating,” the furniture specialist told us.

Pires’ Ylla bench in sleek Jequitibá beckons just across the lobby. Though rarely empty, up to four individuals can enjoy its satiny ripples and curves that evoke a mountain stream at once. Like the other Sossego pieces and the Fitwel-certified building they’re part of, the light and airy Ylla brings the outdoors in. “My client, who has excellent taste, is quite pleased with the project. I am, too. Bringing good design to the place I’ve lived since I was two years old is incredibly honoring.”

 

Sossego pieces were selected by HOK for the interior design of the Polsinelli law firm’s Boston office, adding warmth, craftsmanship, and a refined residential sensibility to a contemporary corporate setting.

The Angela Armchair was specified for the meeting room, where its balanced proportions and understated elegance support focused conversations while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere. In the lounge area, the Gisele Lounge Chair complements the space with its sculptural presence and relaxed comfort, creating an inviting environment for interaction and pause. Together, these pieces reflect Sossego’s ability to seamlessly integrate handcrafted Brazilian design into high-profile, design-led professional projects.

Sossego pieces were selected for the Hudson River Trading offices, a project designed by Gensler that prioritizes comfort, focus, and moments of pause within a high-performance workplace.

The Gisele Lounge Chair paired with the Gisele Ottoman defines a dedicated lounge area where individuals can step away from their desks to work, read, or reflect in a more relaxed posture. With its refined wood structure and inviting proportions, the Gisele collection introduces a sense of warmth and calm to the space, supporting informal work habits while reinforcing the project’s balance between productivity and well-being.

 

Predalina, a Michelin-recognized, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, honors the life and legacy of Predalina Oliviera. This labor of love celebrates a life well-lived, blending old-world charm with contemporary elegance.

 

On a bustling corner of Water Street Tampa, a new story unfolded. Blake Casper and Allison Adams, restaurateurs with a vision, dreamed of a place that would honor their great-grandmother, a woman whose 101-year journey spanned from the shores of Brazil to the coasts of Portugal and Rhode Island, fostering a resilient spirit and love for the waterfront. 

The story of Predalina is woven into every detail, with each element chosen to create a sense of authenticity and comfort in a space that feels both modern and timeless, sophisticated yet welcoming.  The design team envisioned an airy, light-filled atmosphere, where the boundaries between indoors and outdoors blurred. 

Choosing to forgo excessive layering and art, the designers opted for materials and furnishings to do the talking. The team knew each element needed to be rich in form, quality, and detail for a visually compelling space. They selected pieces from Sossego, starting with the Laura Barstool–its mix of materials, soft curves, and comfortable seat made it the perfect choice.  Julieta Armchairs, with their rich finish and elegant design,  complement the overall aesthetic and invite guests to linger over long meals and deep conversation. 

Rich hand-troweled plaster walls, authentic terra-cotta tiles, graceful arches, and natural reclaimed stone ground the space, giving it a sense of history. Old-world lanterns cast a warm, inviting glow, while the modern furnishings provide a striking contrast, telling a story of its own. The result is a space that ADAC Designer of the Year judges remarked “feels comfortable in its own skin.”

Beyond the dining area, Predalina’s retail section offers a shoppable lifestyle experience, beckoning guests to take a piece of the restaurant’s essence home. From custom home fragrances to cookbooks and Moroccan ceramic bowls, every item was curated to embody the Mediterranean-inspired culture the restaurant celebrates.

Located in Tampa’s Channel District, Predalina contributes to the forward-thinking architecture and vibrant landscape of the neighborhood, bringing  a robust narrative to life through thoughtful design and material selection that respects the legacy of a remarkable woman.

 

 

A high energy architecture firm deconstructs, then elevates, a 1980s suburban office building by creating dynamic spaces designed to attract more distinguished tenants.

 

Melanie and Chris Tantillo have teamed up on more than their marriage. The architect and his wife, who works in commercial furnishings, joined forces to bring keen vision and sophisticated taste to the Research Plaza project, which had them literally thinking outside the box of a dated office space.

For starters, the architect completely transformed the space by stripping out many of the old trappings such as numerous fake columns that stood eight feet apart, opening up the environment with design features by raising the ceiling and putting in a soffited light fixture; dropping down the second-floor windows for a more light-filled first floor that offered a better view on the plaza; and installing a glass railing in place of an old one.

While elevating the property they were careful not to overpower it. True to form they layered with texture and materiality, using elegant furnishings that were durable and looked good from afar, yet held up to close scrutiny through excellent craftsmanship. From their place of prominence inside the glass overlooking the plaza, the Sossego upholstered Gisele armchairs by Aristeu Pirès welcome visitors to come in and have a seat.

“Our client of 17 years, Rubenstein Partners, has high standards, which we always try to exceed,” Chris Tantillo told us. “When the job was finished after 8 months, they said, ‘This project is transformative. We’re very happy with the results,’ and Melanie and I agree. We’d love to keep using Sossego products on all our projects, quite frankly.”