Inside Marta de la Rica's studio-home: a kitchen designed from real us

Inside Marta de la Rica's studio-home: a kitchen designed from real use

We visited the home-studio of Marta de la Rica's studio, designed from real use and material coherence

Marta de la Rica founded her interior design studio in 2013 with a clear vision: to work with color, textures, fabrics, and craftsmanship to create spaces designed to last. Her approach combines materials with history—natural woods, stone, substantial fabrics, and bespoke pieces—with contemporary solutions in layout, proportions, and finishes. She integrates traditional elements with modern systems and lines, building a coherent design language where past and present coexist in a tangible way.

We visited his studio, which has an unusual feature: it's integrated into his own home. They aren't two separate spaces, but rather connected areas that share materials, layout, and daily use. This proximity means that decisions are made not only from a professional perspective, but also from personal experience.

In this context, the kitchen could not be an isolated element. It had to function both for the team and for the aesthetics of the space.

“Choosing CUBRO was a very organic part of the project, because the kitchen shouldn't be seen as an isolated piece, but as an extension of the architecture and the overall atmosphere of the studio.”Marta explains.

Working with CUBRO allowed us to define the space based on actual use, not a standard configuration. The intention wasn't to adapt the routine to a closed system, but to adjust the system to the way we work.

In many projects, the kitchen is designed around the product. Here, the starting point was different: how the space is used daily. The studio receives collaborators, reviews materials, holds informal meetings, and, at the same time, the circulation had to be clear. The storage, logical. The proportions, consistent with the rest of the architecture.
“We were looking for a system that allowed for both precision and character: something contemporary, but with warmth,” says Marta.
The structural decisions focused on three aspects: circulation, storage, and coherence with the materials already existing in the space.

The integration with the architecture was equally important. The stone countertop, the railing, the reddish tones, and the wood already defined a warm base. The kitchen had to follow the same style so as not to appear as an added element, maintaining those colors and materials, but using more modern and durable surfaces for everyday use.
“The selection was based on a very clear chromatic theme. The intention was to translate that warm, earthy base into a more contemporary material, relying on CUBRO’s chromatic solidity to provide coherence.”he explains.
The combination of Argil, Pale, and Metal follows this logic. Argil adds depth and connects with the earth tones present in the home. Pale introduces luminosity and makes the space feel lighter and more open. The Metal laminate and the handle detail add a technical contrast that introduces definition without disrupting the overall coherence.

Marta calls this area “The Lab”. The goal was for it to function as an active, almost experimental workspace, but without losing its domestic feel.

“We wanted it to activate creativity and experimentation, but at the same time still feel like a home.“

This duality is achieved through the combination of materials: stone, wood, textiles, and contemporary surfaces. There is no break between studio and living space, but rather a continuity.

The result is evident in daily use. Circulation is fluid. Each element has a defined position. Heights respond to the actual movement of those using the space. There are no constant adjustments or forced adaptations.

This project is significant because it brings together two perspectives in one person: that of designer and that of client. From a professional standpoint, the system had to offer precision, architectural coherence, and control over the material language. From a personal standpoint, it had to facilitate daily routines without complications.

In this case, the kitchen isn't an addition to the studio or the house. It's a structure designed to complement both. The principle behind the project is simple: a space works best when it's defined by how it's used.