Talent Clara Santa Isabel moves fluidly between creative direction, florals, food, and event styling, weaving worlds where detail becomes storytelling. Based in Barcelona yet working far beyond it, she approaches design with a kind of instinctive ease, turning simple gestures into immersive experiences. In our conversation, she reflects on the rupture that led her toward set design, the intuitive spark of flowers and food as her raw materials, and how Barcelona’s vibrant contrasts continue to shape her work. What emerges is a portrait of an artist who finds harmony in unexpected pairings, and who sees tables not just as places to gather, but as canvases for memory, meaning, and beauty.
What was the moment that sparked your path into set design?
I began creating tablescapes and set design after a professional rupture. It was a moment of uncertainty for me, and in that moment I had the opportunity to pause and ask myself, “What do I truly love doing?”. For me, it’s crazy how the things that flow so effortlessly, the things we do without noticing, are probably our gifts. The answer was right there. It was the little things I had been doing for years without giving them much importance, like styling a table or arranging flowers. That was my gift and what I needed to do. Once I realized that could be a job, that was the change for me. It’s crazy how we tend to overlook what comes easy for us, as if ease makes those things less valuable. But for me, it’s the other way around. That “click” was what I needed to understand that this is what I was meant to do. So it took me a bit to recognize that I was naturally drawn to this, but now it has become my way of living and creating.
What sparks or inspires your work?
I live in Barcelona, it’s a very vibrant and soulful city of modernist buildings, but also nature, mountains, and the sea. A city full of contrasts, like my work. I love going to markets — they’re very creative spaces. There are so many colors, shapes, and it’s crazy how all these things are created by nature. It blows my mind that nature can make something green, then something super red, or all these different organic shapes. I use these discoveries in my work. I experiment with fruits and vegetables, bringing them onto tables, and then I eat them and try new flavors — things I never had at home growing up. It’s creative, and also a way to discover other cultures through food.
When I feel creatively blocked, I travel. I observe, I speak to people from other cultures, and I go to cities like Paris or Copenhagen, where everything seems touched by beauty and intention. I look at what others are doing and ask myself how I can bring that energy and soul into my work. My creativity is really rooted in intuition. I love mixing things that don’t seem to belong together — flowers and foods, unexpected elements on tables, antiques with bold modern pieces. Harmony lives in contrast.
When you begin designing, what anchors or guides your creative process and helps you translate inspiration into form?
I love creating spaces and moments that tell stories and I want to keep creating experiences that move people, make them pause, and feel something real. I love when people say, “I never imagined it like this, but now I cannot imagine it any other way.”
What's one element you keep on coming back to with your work?
Flowers are a huge part of my universe. They’re never just decoration — they elevate a table and bring the magic and final details. Lately, I’m also working with fabrics and food. Textures, colors, and the stories they carry are fascinating.
You’re now planning your own wedding, how are you bringing your philosophy of design into something so personal?
When I work on a wedding, my job is to translate someone’s inner world into a tangible scene or table. It’s about listening deeply to someone’s dream or soul and creating something cohesive and unforgettable. But I’m currently working on my own wedding, which is really exciting. The table we created today is inspired by what I want to do for my wedding. I had a deep connection with my grandmother, so I decided to honor her and the women who raised us. I’m using antiques from her, including crocheted tablecloths she made while watching TV. All the tablecloths for my wedding will be hers. For me, that’s magical and gives a very personal touch. After years of creating events for others, I want something that feels intimate and meaningful for me, but also magical and transcendent.
