Take Ten With Isolina Mallon

Isolina Mallon, a Spanish native, is the principal of a full-service interior design studio based in the San Francisco Bay that specializes in high-end modern residential design. At Isolina Mallon Interiors, the team works from concept through completion, creating effortlessly contemporary spaces. Inspired by Mies van der Roche's German Pavillion at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, Mallon entered the design world. She earned her Interior Architecture and Advertising Arts Degree from Arts & Design School Llotja. 

Having spent ten years working in architectural and design firms in Madrid, Mallon developed a solid foundation in modern and contemporary design. With this experience, she opened her namesake studio in San Francisco in 2012. Her projects range from the Bay Area to Spain, giving her modern designs a valuable worldly perspective.

How would most people describe you? 

IM: Detailed oriented, obsessed with doing everything as well as possible, brave, not afraid of trying new things. Patient.

What is one item you could never live without? 

IM: Lots of things, let's see, tea; I'm addicted to it. Traveling, I love discovering new places. Music; I can't work without it, and there is music for all occasions and states of mind. Books, a good read is essential for the soul.

What does a day in the life of Isolina Mallon look like?

IM: During the week, I wake up, usually 45 minutes before the alarm buzz, due to one of the cats visiting the bed. Breakfast with a homemade Chai latte while reading news and then work, either in the office or visiting clients or showrooms.  A visit to the gym to finish the day when the energy level is there. Dinner and good conversation with my husband.

What is your favorite part of the design process? 

IM: I love the moment when you sit in front of the computer with an empty room and a blank space, and little by little, a design starts to take shape in my mind. 

Who do you admire and why? 

IM: Patricia Urquiola, a Spanish architect that focuses on modern style with unexpected mixed elements. She is not afraid of trying new things, from product design to interiors and architecture.

Your idea of a perfect meal?  

IM: Being from Spain, a lot of people will tell you, an ideal meal should include a tasty Jamon de Jabugo tapa, I agree. ;) I follow the Mediterranean diet, lots of veggies, good olive oil, and homecooked food. We cook every day we are at home. 

What is one thing on your bucket list? 

IM: Visiting Japan, I have always been interested in Japanese culture and art. 

Can you tell us a little bit about an upcoming project that you’re proud of? 

IM: We are working in a Boutique Hotel by the beach in Nicaragua. I love the opportunity to explore hospitality design and add style and personality to the project.

Favorite book to recommend to people?  

IM: One Hundred Years of Solitude, Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It follows the story of the Buendia family. It chronicles the irreconcilable conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love—in rich, imaginative prose that has come to define an entire genre known as "magical realism."

What are your thoughts on the future of design? 

IM: I hope in the near future the design world will be more sustainable. I'd love to see negative environmental impact lessen or be eliminated through intentional, thoughtful design practices.