Gardenia Collection by Atelier Caracas for Studio Boheme.

Pantry Table photographed at Gio Ponti’s Villa Planchart. Photo by Catalina Quintana.

Credenza pictured in Burl. Photography by Saul Yuncoxar.

Studio Boheme unveils its first project, a capsule furniture collection dubbed Gardenia, designed by Venezuelan architects Rodrigo Armas and Julio Kowalenko, the principals of Atelier Caracas. Founded by interior design professional Carlos Mancin, Studio Boheme is a new Miami-based collective that functions as a digitally-native platform to commission, produce, and showcase cutting edge international design bridging the disciplines of art, architecture, and product design.

The Gardenia Collection is comprised of a symbolically-charged credenza and dining table, both sculptural and functional, that glorify mid-century kitsch aesthetics in Venezuelan architecture and design.

Related: 2020: A Spa Odyssey in Caracas, Venezuela by Atelier Caracas.

In the mid-nineteenth century, Modernism swept through Venezuela captivating a community seeking to reimagine intellectual and aesthetic conventions. New architecture and design masters emerged embracing Modernism and the International Style across countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina, among others. This clash of new ideologies caused a cultural and aesthetic schism between those who decided to embrace a new approach to function and form, and those who resisted the streamlined forms and vectorized furniture.

Envisioned by Julio Kowalenko and Rodrigo Armas of Atelier Caracas while sitting around a forged-iron table at their derelict first “studio” in Caracas, Venezuela, the Gardenia Collection is a nostalgic reimagination of kitsch garden furniture, taking mid-century Venezuelan roots as a jumping off point and positing new design with sumptuous curves, playful details, and premiere craftsmanship. The collection reinserts ornament and romantic geometries back into contemporary design. Through a playful yet simplistic approach, the collection is reminiscent of the whimsical and eclectic style of mid-century middle class Venezuelan domestic interiors.

The Gardenia Collection is made-to-order and available for purchase at studio-boheme.com.

Related: Kelly Wearstler’s Latest Furniture & Lighting Collection.

The designers and their work, on the left sits Carlos Mancin of Studio Boheme and on the right Julio Kowalenko and Rodrigo Armas of Atelier Caracas. Photo by Zachary Kendricks.

Aerial shot of Pantry Table at Gio Ponti’s Villa Planchart. Photo by Catalina Quintana.

[Images courtesy of Atelier Caracas. Photography by Saul Yuncoxar, Catalina Quintana & Zachary Kendrick.]