Bea Pernia Unveils a Sensory Sanctuary at Design Miami

At Design Miami, where innovation and craft converge in an atmosphere that feels both global and intensely intimate, the booth presented by Miami based designer Bea Pernia emerged as one of the fair’s defining statements. Known for her sculptural approach to interiors and her poetic command of materials, Pernia introduced a new body of work that captured the quiet power of design to shape emotion, presence, and memory. Her installation unfolded not as a traditional fair booth, but as a serene and immersive sanctuary. It invited visitors to pause, breathe, and touch.

This new collection, sourced from your folder as the Bubble Collection, continues Pernia’s deep exploration of organic form, natural materials, and meticulous craft. Each piece resonates with her signature dialogue between solidity and softness, precision and sensuality. Her work has long existed at the intersection of art and utility. The Bubble Collection expands this language through silhouettes that feel fluid and delicate despite their grounding in stone, wood, and metal. The result is a world that feels lifted from nature yet unmistakably contemporary.

At the center of the booth, the Bubble Console captured immediate attention. Carved from richly veined stone and softened by its cloud like curvature, the piece acts as both sculpture and function. It embodies the collection’s central idea. The tension between permanence and movement. The sense that solid material can appear as weightless as air. The console’s polished surface reflects light in soft waves. As fairgoers approached, the piece seemed to reveal new dimensions from every angle.

Across the space, the Bubble Side Tables and Bubble Dining Table expanded this visual language. Their rounded, almost liquid silhouettes recall water droplets suspended in time. Pernia’s mastery lies in her ability to create objects that feel alive, as if they might shift or float. Her pieces maintain a quiet presence that resonates emotionally. They are graceful, tactile, and deeply architectural. In a fair where maximalism and spectacle often dominate, the Bubbles read as a whisper that commanded attention.

"The booth for Design Miami 2025 is an immersive expression of my Bubble Collection. I wanted to create a space that feels organic, soft, and almost otherworldly a place where materiality becomes emotional. The foundation of the booth is marble, which I chose for its calming presence and timeless texture. It anchors the entire environment with a sense of natural elegance," shared Bea Pernia.

"At the center, I introduced a chrome octopus sculpture, which becomes the heart of the booth. The octopus represents intelligence, adaptability, and fluidity all qualities that inspired the Bubble Collection. I love how its reflective surface interacts with the surrounding travertine, green, rosa and Carrara marble  and with the movement of people inside the booth. It becomes both a symbol and a conversation piece. Overall, the design is about celebrating organic forms, natural materials, and the poetry of craftsmanship. I wanted visitors to feel as if they’re stepping into a living organism something familiar, yet completely unexpected."

The gentle curves of the collection found harmony with the booth’s serene spatial composition. Pernia approached the installation as an environment rather than a product display. Soft lighting washed across the pieces with a diffused glow. The palette of stone, warm metal, and textured seating created a meditative rhythm. The result was a living room of the future. One defined by refined minimalism, sculptural intention, and a reverence for natural material.

What distinguished Pernia’s booth was her insistence that luxury is a feeling. It is the sensation of running a hand across a cool marble curve or observing the way light pools across a bronze surface. Her work prioritizes touch and atmosphere. In this way, the Bubble Collection aligns with the designer’s broader philosophy. Environments should elevate the human experience and bring joy through their physical presence.

This ethos is woven throughout her international portfolio, which includes private residences, boutique hospitality, and collectible design. Pernia’s studio has become known for an elegant restraint paired with bold materiality. Whether through a slab of Nero Marquina, a sculpted wood form, or custom metalwork, she consistently creates spaces that feel warm, grounded, and quietly powerful. Collectors and design aficionados have gravitated toward her pieces because they feel both timeless and forward looking. Familiar yet new.

At Design Miami, this sensibility evolved into an even more poetic expression. The Bubble Collection is reflective of Pernia’s fascination with nature’s geometries and her ability to translate organic inspiration into refined design. She has often spoken about her respect for the natural world. Here, that admiration becomes a meditation on lightness and form. There is a sense of luminosity that surrounds the collection. A softness that counters the usual heaviness of stone based furniture. The pieces achieve a sculptural buoyancy that feels almost paradoxical.

The booth became not only a presentation of objects but also an experience of contemplation. Guests lingered around the pieces. Many traced the smooth curves with their fingertips. Others photographed the installation from multiple angles. The collection encouraged prolonged engagement. It asked visitors to slow down in a setting where speed and stimulation typically dominate.

This ability to create emotional connection is the hallmark of Pernia’s work. The Bubble Collection embodies an instinctive understanding of how form affects the body. The rounded edges invite interaction. The seamless transitions between surface and support create a calming visual flow. The space felt meditative. Almost like a sculptural landscape meant for stillness and reflection.

For Miami, a city defined by water, natural light, and fluid movement, Pernia’s collection feels especially resonant. It speaks to the language of the coast. The rounded silhouettes recall the smooth stones that wash ashore. The luminous materials echo the reflection of sun on water. The installation captures the rhythm of Miami’s natural world while translating it into collectible design of the highest caliber.

As Design Miami continues to evolve into a global platform for both established and emerging designers, Pernia’s booth serves as a reminder of the power of subtlety. Grandeur does not always require volume. Sometimes the most impactful gesture is quiet. A curve. A shadow. A softened plane. Pernia’s work champions refinement over theatrics. It is a sophisticated counterpoint to the excess often associated with contemporary design.

For collectors and design leaders in attendance, the Bubble Collection marked a significant departure for the designer. It represents a maturation of her sculptural vocabulary while remaining true to her signature focus on materiality and form. The pieces feel destined for both residential and gallery contexts. They are functional yet inherently collectible. They hold space with authority and gentleness.

In a fair that celebrates the vanguard, Bea Pernia offered something rare. A moment of serenity. A new kind of luxury rooted in emotion, craft, and connection to nature. Her booth was a sanctuary in the middle of the global design world and a testament to the quiet power of beauty.

By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Ton Gomes