In Coversation With: Maye Ruiz
MAYE Studio: A New Wave of Latin American Design
Across the design world, Latin America is being recognised for a fresh, fearless perspective, and few names embody this better than Maye Ruiz. Known for her vibrant use of colour and her ability to seamlessly fuse craft traditions with modern aesthetics, Ruiz has positioned herself at the forefront of the region’s creative vanguard. Her work reflects a broader movement within contemporary Mexican interior design: a celebration of heritage and handcraft reinterpreted through the lens of modern luxury.
In 2021, Ruiz founded MAYE, the collaborative design studio that carries her name. The practice was established to channel her risk-taking, feminine perspective into projects that feel both personal and daring. MAYE Studio works across residential and commercial interior design, but what unites the portfolio is a clear identity: spaces alive with colour, narrative, and cultural reference.
What has been a constant inspiration throughout your career?
Contrast has always been a constant in my work. Not only in color, but also in combining humble materials with more sophisticated ones, the handmade with the contemporary. Even when I’ve tried monochromatic spaces, I find it very hard, because I’m drawn to the power of opposites. I think I’m the same way, very black or white, it’s hard for me to live in the gray areas of life. I enjoy the drama that comes when opposites coexist.
Caso Cao, photography, Leandro Bulzzano
Your project Bekeb Bar (& The Fluxx Issue 4 Cover Star) has a very distinctive aesthetic language. What were the first sparks of inspiration?
From the start, we wanted to honor the client’s roots in Los Altos de Jalisco, a very special region in Mexico. Its high plateaus and red soils, perfect for growing blue agave, have made it the heart of tequila. Beyond agriculture, it’s a place with a strong cultural and religious identity, where temples, traditions, and a sense of community are deeply rooted, with baroque influences always present. The first spark came from the western world, especially fashion, which gradually translated into the interiors. Then came nostalgia: my father worked on a dairy farm, and without meaning to, the project started to move in that direction.
The textures, tones, and spatial rhythm of the Bekeb Bar feel both indulgent and refined. How did you approach material and colour selection, and what role do they play in shaping the atmosphere of the space?
Selection of materials and colors in Bekeb Bar:
We wanted something sophisticated and masculine, with a palette inspired by liquors and tobaccos: transparencies, layers, textures. I was very interested in the contrast between matte and shiny finishes: glossy ceilings against velvety, matte walls. The lighting needed to be warm, somewhere between yellow and cream, evoking ranch life. We also added natural greens and a touch of blue as an unexpected accent.
From architecture to art and even gastronomy, many cultural threads seem to converge here. Which design movements, cultural references, or personal experiences most informed the project’s visual and spatial identity?
A lot of my process is intuitive. Many references come from my childhood, visiting my dad’s ranch. The use of stainless steel, for example, reminded me of milk containers and milking machines. I also had in mind what a cantina should be: paneled ceilings, beams, but reinterpreted in a contemporary way. Another big inspiration was the Clemente Bar in NYC, with hand-painted murals. From there, I knew I wanted murals that told our own story.
Bars today are not only about cocktails but also about storytelling and cultural context. How does the Bekeb Bar reflect contemporary culture, whether through its design, its social function, or its relationship to the city it inhabits?
Even though Bekeb is in San Miguel de Allende, we wanted to root it in Los Altos de Jalisco. Mexico is very diverse, so I preferred to tell a specific story: that of El Bajío, where baroque is very present. Mexican baroque blended with charro culture, cantinas, and ranch life. The result is a contemporary space, but deeply anchored in that identity.
Luxury hospitality design is increasingly defined by intimacy, craft, and experience rather than opulence. How do you see Bekeb Bar contributing to this new narrative of contemporary luxury?
Since the beginning of my career, I’ve believed that luxury is not about opulence, but about experience and craftsmanship in every detail. At Bekeb, we worked with very small productions, all handmade. We even kept elements from the previous bar, like the floor, because it still told the story. For me, that is luxury: respecting the narrative and not changing things just to look new.
Along with the Bakeb Bar project, what other new projects have you completed this year or are working on for 2026?
This year we finished Mesonia, a project in collaboration with Mestiz, a suite designed by Daniel Valero that we brought to life in interiors. It was a very enriching process. Now we’re working on a hotel in Playa del Carmen, starting residential projects in the U.S, and developing another bar. Most of our projects have a commercial focus, but always with a very personal touch.
Can you tell us about a life-changing travel or adventure experience?
More than a trip, moving to Mexico City was the experience that most changed the way I see the world. It was a very “everyday” adventure because I lived there for four years, but it was a decision I made almost without thinking. It opened up my way of seeing life and design. To this day, it’s still a city that inspires me deeply.
Can you tell us about a favorite restaurant
Maybe I’ve romanticized this memory, but on one of my last trips with my husband, I became obsessed with Vivant 2 in Paris. It’s a tiny kitchen, and that’s what I love: small, cozy spaces have a special magic, and of course, the food is spectacular. On the other end of the spectrum, another favorite is Alfonsina in Oaxaca, Mexico – a completely opposite concept, in a large, open space with gardens. I love how both, in such different scales, manage to create memorable atmospheres around the table.
What's your go-to comfort food for snacking on in the studio or at home?
Lately, French fries for sure. Simple, indulgent, and perfect.
And can you tell us about a favourite cocktail bar?
I’m not really into cocktails, I prefer a good wine or mezcal on its own. But I’m lucky to work with Fabiola, my client at Bekeb, who I truly believe is one of the best mixologists out there. When it comes to cocktails, my favorite from her new menu is the fig leaf one, it has something slightly rustic, vegetal, yet delicate at the same time.
As for bars, I love that casual European vibe where the space spills out onto the street; where the bar is not just inside, but the experience goes beyond the door. One of my favorite places that shows this, is Folderol in Paris. They serve natural wines and homemade ice creams, the space is tiny, relaxed, lots of people standing; you don’t want it empty, you want the movement. That blurred line between inside and outside, that dialogue between space and street, for me is pure design, experience, and community.
What would you like to see more of in the design world?
More authenticity. I want interiors to reflect the identity of a place, a person, a cultural moment, not just copy-paste global trends.
What would you like to see less of in the design world?
Gray or greige monochromatic interiors. I understand the search for neutrality, but I think they often drain the life out of spaces. I’d love to see less fear of color, contrast, and strong narratives.
Photography, Leandro Bulzzano