Studio with Soul: when Brazilian design begins to heal the way the world lives
- Sona Times - Editorial
- Oct 16
- 3 min read
In the great cities of the world, spaces grow smaller, days move faster, and silence becomes rare. Amid this frenetic rhythm that exhausts the senses, a Brazilian methodology is gaining attention for offering something beyond aesthetics: emotional healing through space.
Created by architect Glaucio Gonçalves, the IDECOR methodology was born from a clear purpose: to transform houses into homes that embrace who people are and sustain who they are becoming. “More than decorating, the goal is to restore the home’s original function: to be a shelter, a mirror, and a source of support for those who live in it,” says Glaucio.
With the integration of IDECOR and the Decor Map, the concept evolves into something greater — a system that restores a sense of balance between past, present, and future.
“When a space reflects the emotional time of its resident, it stops being a backdrop and becomes an active part of their well-being,” the architect explains.
The foundation of the method is simple yet profound: every human being carries silent pains that influence choices, behaviors, and even the way they inhabit their homes. According to Glaucio, these pains are born from universal fears. The fear of being abandoned creates cold, impersonal spaces. The fear of trusting and being disappointed results in rigid homes where protection replaces warmth. The fear of not being accepted leads to standardized, soulless interiors. The fear of rejection causes people to hide their true identity. And the fear of losing control gives rise to spaces ruled by order but devoid of life.
IDECOR transforms these fears into three essential sensations: care and belonging, structure and balance, freedom and expression. “These dimensions make the space function as an emotional extension of the resident,” Glaucio explains. “The house begins to speak to those who live in it, offering calm in moments of anxiety, structure in times of confusion, and lightness when life feels heavy.”
For him, design is not just form — it is the translation of human emotion. The cozy and comforting style, for example, heals the fear of loneliness. It brings soft textures, enveloping scents, and warm lighting that invite stillness. “It’s the kind of home that embraces you, where the body rests and the mind slows down.”
The organized and essential style heals the fear of chaos. Clean lines and visual order restore clarity and focus, proving that beauty can also be simple.
“Balance is the new luxury,” he says. The different and creative style heals the fear of not being accepted, allowing unique combinations of colors, stories, and forms. “It’s when being different stops being a risk and becomes a strength.”
When these three styles coexist, the home begins to reflect what the body and mind both seek: peace, pleasure, and truth. In this harmony, the space becomes therapeutic, quietly healing what the resident cannot always name.
The Decor Map, in turn, organizes the home according to the timeline of life.
The entrance represents the past, with its roots and memories. The living room and kitchen symbolize the present — spaces of connection and togetherness. The bedroom and bathroom point toward the future, expressing rest and the desire for transformation. “When these times become disconnected, the home loses coherence, and the resident feels the same: a lack of meaning, direction, and peace,” Glaucio observes.
Applied intentionally, the Decor Map realigns these dimensions, allowing the home to communicate, almost poetically: “You belong here. Your life is flowing. You can dream again.”
When IDECOR meets the Decor Map, a kind of living organism is born, where aesthetics, function, and emotion walk together.
IDECOR is flexible; it understands the pains and desires of each person and activates the right emotional style in each room. The Decor Map is fixed and ensures coherence between past, present, and future. “The combination of the two creates homes that heal the past, sustain the present, and inspire the future,” explains the architect.
At that point, the house ceases to be a physical space and becomes an emotional experience.
“When the method is applied, the house begins to care for the person as much as the person cares for it,” says Glaucio. “It’s the perfect encounter between the human and the habitat.”
Studio with Soul was born as a manifesto and today has become a global language — a response to the superficiality of contemporary living. “The world is ready for a new way of inhabiting, with purpose, balance, and emotion,” he says. “In the end, we all want the same thing: to live in a space that recharges us, welcomes us, and awakens what is most human within us.”
Studio with Soul, where difference comes alive and the home becomes healing.
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