Listener Spotlight: Global Style with Maria Resto
In this episode, I talked with Maria Resto, a longtime listener whose Chicago home reflects her love of travel, vintage finds, and evolving style. She shared how over 25 years she’s layered antiques, global pieces, bold textiles, and personal items—like a burgundy sofa and a juju hat—learning through trial and error to create rooms full of character. Maria also plans to highlight more of her Puerto Rican heritage, blending family history with her eclectic style. What excites her most is that a home can keep changing, staying personal and never truly “finished.”
Watch this entire episode on YouTube HERE
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I had such a treat on the podcast today—Maria Resto joined me to talk about her home in Chicago. Maria’s been listening to The Slow Style Home podcast for a while, and when she filled out my style worksheet, she said her look was “passionate, full of global finds, antiques, muted colors, and a little bit of the unexpected.” After seeing her rooms, I can tell you she knows herself well.
A Living Room That Tells Stories
Maria started with her living room. Picture this: buttery yellow walls, a deep burgundy tufted sofa with carved arms, and layer after layer of pieces that carry stories. Moroccan table lamps glow on either side of the sofa. Above them hangs a peacock mirror, flanked by wood plaques from Bali.
There’s a sewing machine table from her brother (she’s planning to give it a marble top one day), a tall bookcase crammed with books, and a helmet with feathers she bought from a local shop called Global Attic. A Moroccan rug ties it all together, and the “coffee table” is actually three small tables pushed together. Simple, clever, and it works perfectly.
Learning as You Go
Maria laughed as she showed me older photos. The sofa used to be floral. The gallery wall was way too spread out. The accessories didn’t always land quite right. But she kept moving things around, reupholstering furniture, swapping out rugs, and slowly learning what she loved.
She said something I completely agree with: “Style evolves.” You live with what you have, change it when you’re ready, and let your home grow with you.
Bringing in Heritage
One thing Maria wants to do next is highlight her Puerto Rican heritage. She already has a few pieces—like a burlap wall hanging with the coquí frog and a carved trunk from her husband’s family—but she wants to add more. She told me she’s thinking about bringing in a machete like the one her grandfather used to cut sugar cane. It might look simple to someone else, but for her, it’s a piece of family history.
Textiles, Art, and Travel Finds
The bedrooms and guest rooms are full of textiles from all over: a Kantha quilt from India, pillows from Thailand and Poland, an Otomi pillow from Mexico, indigo throws, and rugs layered on rugs. Above the bed is a juju hat she scored years ago. One room even has guitars on the wall, including a Puerto Rican one, and a beat-up but beautiful cabinet she found in an alley.
Maria’s art collection has grown slowly, too; portraits, abstracts, landscapes. She moves them around often, so nothing ever feels stuck.
Why She Loves Slow Style
What Maria loves most is that her home will never be “done.” For her, that’s the whole point. A home isn’t a checklist or a one-time project; it’s something alive that grows and shifts right along with you. She loves the idea that the same sofa can sit in the same spot for 20 years, but with new textiles, different art on the walls, or a new lamp in the corner, the whole room can feel brand new.
Maria sees her home as a place to keep experimenting, a room might start with a rug from Morocco, then get a throw from India, then a painting she finds on a weekend trip. She plays musical chairs with her art, swaps in fresh flowers, and changes out pillows when the mood strikes. For her, this slow, steady evolution isn’t about chasing trends or getting it “right.” It’s about letting her rooms tell her story, layer by layer, for years to come.
Until Next Time
-Zandra
