ABOUT
Karu: ‘traveling to faraway lands’ in the native Quechua language of the Incas.
Karu is an award-winning design studio specialising in bespoke architectural environments, furniture and objects that promote a deep sense of wellbeing. Channeling founder Mélanie Murata’s multi-cultural background and broad expertise, she deciphers eternal architectural forms into contemporary, harmonious experiences. In the Incan Quechua language, Karu refers to the idea of traveling to faraway lands. This sentiment derives from Murata's heritage and describes her illustrious career path.
Karu is a blend of South American spirit, American Ethos, Mediterranean passion, and Asian precision. Born in Peru; raised in Naples, Florida; trained in Italy; and having lived in cities such as Milan, Los Angeles, Florence, and Tokyo, Mélanie Murata draws inspiration from a wide range of sources. The designer coalesces these diverse cultural influences in succinct concepts that she then carries out with exacting standards.
The Karu design philosophy reflects the lands, peoples, and cultures that have inspired her on her life journey. Instinctively absorbing aromas, creating connections, and expressions through the sensory language of the visual, the tactile, and the sublime. Naturally, Mélanie has always remained true to the wabi-sabi and ancient philosophy of the Andes, where her ancestors practiced sacred rituals. From there, her family moved to America, where she cultivated the mindset of ‘everything is possible’. In university, Murata studied abroad in Florence and that moment evoked a spark of interest in architecture and design.
The multidisciplinary designer skillfully implements timeless materials by translating old-world artisanal techniques into innovative contemporary applications. Murata and her team meticulously craft new construction, design-build, and historic renovation projects. Catering to a discerning clientele and several high-end galleries worldwide, Karu specializes in limited edition furniture and art collections that demonstrate the same prowess and sensibilities.
MéLANIE MURATA, PRINCIPAL & DESIGN DIRECTOR
Mélanie Murata is a designer, interior architect, author, and artist with studios between Florence and Los Angeles. Murata founded award-winning firm Karu in 2019 and works with select clients in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. With a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in interior architecture from America, and having studied Architecture in Florence, Murata cut her teeth working at world-renowned architecture firms like Gensler and Lissoni & Partners. She established Karu to extoll the virtues of timeless design and also to push contemporary practice forward.
The designer has exhibited at the Salone del Mobile and Art Basel. She has also contributed to academic publications and lectures on interior architecture. Having been featured in Architectural Digest and Interior Design magazines, Murata received a 2021 Hospitality Design Magazine Award. Her affinity for thoughtful travel, sustainable design, and cultural intelligence are principles that guide her and her team in creating a new luxury that celebrates a deep sense of wellbeing and authenticity.