September 30, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
a STUDIO WITH a SOUNDTRACK
words YUZU Editorial
photos Michael Pelzer (Office Images), John Dantas (Portraits)
production Karine Monié
In Winter Park, Florida, Shanna Gatanis Design Studio transforms a 1950s building into a residential-style flagship shaped by Palm Springs modernism, vinyl culture and a relaxed approach to working.
For Shanna Gatanis, returning to Winter Park has particular significance. The Florida neighbourhood is where her studio began more than two decades ago. Rather than creating a conventional office or showroom, Gatanis reworked the existing 1950s building as a sequence of residential-style rooms — spaces meant to be experienced rather than simply viewed.
A RETURN TO FLORIDA
The studio moves between two references that have shaped Gatanis’ practice: Florida and New York. One bathroom leans into retro Florida with vintage mint-green tile, while another takes on a darker New York mood, with photography by 1970s subway photographer JF Con and a custom vanity made by Grafton Furniture in Miami.
Palm Springs modernism and midcentury architecture run through the project in a contemporary way. Clean lines, curved thresholds, breezeblock, stone, wood and marble form the architectural framework, while lacquer, wallpaper, fabric and strong colour bring warmth and personality.
DESIGNED LIKE A RECORD
Music plays a central role in the studio. Gatanis once worked as a roadie for John Mellencamp, and the experience of seeing different people come together through music stayed with her. Here, that idea appears in the rhythm of the interiors and the way one space leads into the next.
The record lounge makes this connection most visible. Built around an open circular fireplace, it brings together a Technics turntable, Steinway speakers, a curved seating pit and a collection ranging from Nina Simone and Miles Davis to The Clash, De La Soul and Dolly Parton. Black-and-white photographs of musicians add a more personal layer.
LESS SHOWROOM, MORE HOME
The drawing room, conference room and furniture gallery continue the residential feel, with furniture, textiles and materials presented much as they would be in a home. Blues, burgundies and grounded neutrals sit alongside lacquered finishes, wallpaper and fabric, while natural oak, brushed metal, stone, tactile textiles and vintage pieces give the interiors depth without making them feel overworked.
