Carina Chaz’s Vintage Sofa Is Filled With Memories of Her Grandmother

Born in the 1920s, Carina’s grandmother escaped Eastern Europe and immigrated to Chile before to the start of World War II. “She was a very individualistic woman who made her own money, which at the time was so different because there really was no place for women in business,” Carina says of her paternal grandmother who had to leave her family behind in order to flee Nazis. “At the end of the day, she really was my role model.”

Where? 

Her grandmother’s strong sense of self also came with a distinctive style that would stand the test of time. With the sofa’s quality more than intact, good design is pushed to the forefront of the conversation. “There’s really no wear,” Carina says. “If anything, it’s better than ever.”

With the often overwhelming amount of vintage sellers and dealers we see these days, the art of thrifting and the stories attached to it are often lost. Add in the new voices and perspectives brought in by pandemic-bred curiosity—or simply bandwagon mentality—and we’re left with an overly saturated market many times stripping away the originality and trading it in for trendiness. In Carina’s case, however, she’s able to not only track the lifespan, but also pay homage to the memories that predate her. “The sofa has this uniqueness where it was living with her for so long and now it’s taking a new shape by being in my space.” A sentiment that’s brought to life by the effortless mixing of old and new. Cue the mushroom pillow sitting pretty atop her living room’s centerpiece.

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After living in storage for four years, it was finally time for the star of the show to make its way into Carina’s newly purchased home. “Her wish was to give me her furniture,” Carina says of her and her grandmother’s mutual love for design. “Just her being such a predominant person in my life had such an impact on how I grew to be the person I am today.”