by Saxon Henry

Created on: March 09, 2009

Audrey Hepburn once said, "Some people dream of having a big swimming pool. With me, it's closets." Were she still alive, Ornare's closets would likely make the iconic actress swoon! The Brazilian company that migrated from South America to Miami is known for its exceptional detailing and luxurious appointments.

There is an allure to Brazilian products, and I believe it's safe to say that the populous of the vibrant country of Brazil can't help but produce provocative wares; and though Rio de Janeiro often gets blamed for Brazil's tantalizing reputation, it's not just the cariocas, or natives of Rio, that birth designs exuding sexy charm. So Paulo stakes its own claim here. During a recent trip to the city, Jason Richard Adams, director of Max Strang Architecture in Miami, noticed, "So Paulo was a city of absolute contrasts: lush rolling hillscapes with concrete towers rising up out of the canopy. There was a great vibe about the streets."

He also noticed the sultry quality of the products being manufactured there. "What makes Brazilian design so inherently sexy is the mentality of the people," he remarks. "They are in touch with nature, and prefer their designs to follow that path."

Marcos Zucaratto, a Brazilian-born, Miami-based interior designer for Artefactoa luxury Brazilian brand that has exploded in the U.S. in the past several years, couldn't agree more. "We have so many natural resources that we work with, all of which link us to the organic," he says. "We don't limit our designs to straight edges; we create a balance between the organic, or natural elements, and the sensual."

Designer Thomas Bina, the creative director of Los Angeles-based Environment Furniture, is a native Angeleno, but he's been living in Brazil for the past five years in order to cultivate resources and designer relationships. He spotted a green trend coming out of Brazil, which is why he moved there. Ornare, which has just launched Linaha new line of kitchens in the U.S., has also made a commitment to sustainable design. "Their factories were impeccably clean, modern and environmentally green in their re-use programs," says Adams, who visited the company's facilities while in Brazil. "As is the case with many of their products, the aspects I loved the most about Brazilian design was the use of reclaimed wood, and the stylistic ways architects and designers utilized this material."

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