Where do you shop for deco and design around Laguna Garzón? Portal Garzón's selection gathers five shops with pages on the portal: the Persian rugs of Marhaba Carpets and the one-of-a-kind vintage of Mutate in José Ignacio, the design flea market of Santas Negras in La Juanita and the South American art of La Casa de las Hermanas in Pueblo Garzón — plus Bajo el Alma to dress yourself. Here it is, shop by shop: what each page publishes and why the stop is worth it.
A bit of context explains the circuit: these shops are nothing like a mall. Across José Ignacio, La Juanita and Pueblo Garzón — three villages with characters of their own, linked by Route 10 and Route 9 — a scene of designer deco has taken shape, built on personal curation, pieces that don't repeat and makers with names. The next step is always each shop's page, where you'll find the direct contact and WhatsApp.
Marhaba Carpets (José Ignacio): Persian rugs and natural fibres
If what your house is missing is a rug, Marhaba Carpets is the area's reference: 14 years in Montevideo and Punta del Este with a strong lead in Persian rugs, and since 2017 also products from India — jute, cotton and linen rugs — a whole world of handmade textiles and fibres. Its José Ignacio store lists hours Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm; the direct phone number is on its page.
Mutate (José Ignacio): one-offs facing the square
Mutate opened in 2003, run by Santiago Barriola and Gonzalo Massa, and is one of the shops with the most personality in José Ignacio. On Las Garzas street, facing the square, it mixes men's and women's clothing with 1950s modernist furniture, Nordic design, vintage glass and flea-market finds. The house rule: nothing comes from mass production — everything is a one-off or an exclusive find, so whatever you take home, nobody else will have. It opens in season, when the village is at its best, and is a constant in the area's international guides.
Santas Negras (La Juanita): the design flea market
Across the bridge in La Juanita, Santas Negras is the project of Patricia Torres, a Uruguayan interior designer, and Paula Martini, an Argentine textile designer: a kind of design flea market with decorative objects, textiles from weavers in Uruguay's interior, pieces recovered with local artisans and finds brought from Scotland, Mexico or Vietnam, all chosen with the eye of two of the region's most sought-after decorators. The shop sits at Camino Saiz Martínez and Los Lobos, on the same property as the restaurant Tres, and is open all year, every day from 11 am to 8 pm — a valuable detail in an area where much of the circuit is seasonal.
La Casa de las Hermanas (Pueblo Garzón): South American art and design
Inland, La Casa de las Hermanas is the mandatory stop if you want to take home something from Garzón that isn't a photo. Founded in 2022 by American Amber Wright, it works as a concept store for South American art and design: ceramics, textiles, vintage pieces and clothing for adults and kids, with a curation that already gathers more than 25 makers from Uruguay and Argentina, among them brands like Ound, Lanas Garzón, Tierra Negra and Gauderia. Since the 2025 summer season it lives inside La Pulpería, the fuchsia building facing the main square; the ideal plan is to pair the visit with a coffee and linger over the shelves — every piece has a named maker, and in season the shop adds events with live music. It fits perfectly if your day takes you to Pueblo Garzón, the wine village of Bodega Garzón.
And to dress yourself: Bajo el Alma (José Ignacio)
The circuit rounds off with Bajo el Alma, the shop where fashion designer Paula Martini shows her elegant garments in José Ignacio. She arrived in this corner of southeastern Uruguay more than two decades ago, and her designs — inspired by Uruguay's craft tradition and the elegant simplicity of the oceanside setting — have become a brand of their own, with pieces for every season. Open every day from 12 to 8 pm.
How to choose, depending on what you're after
- A rug that pulls the living room together: Marhaba Carpets, in José Ignacio — Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm
- A vintage piece nobody else will have: Mutate, facing the José Ignacio square, in season
- Deco and textiles all year round: Santas Negras, in La Juanita — every day, 11 am to 8 pm
- A gift with a named South American maker: La Casa de las Hermanas, on the Pueblo Garzón square
- Designer clothing for yourself: Bajo el Alma, in José Ignacio — every day, 12 to 8 pm
The stops spread between the coast and the countryside: the guide to the villages of Laguna Garzón helps you plan the circuit, and the shopping guide for the area completes the map with art galleries, boutiques and grocers.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy rugs near José Ignacio?
Marhaba Carpets is the area's reference: 14 years in Montevideo and Punta del Este with a strong lead in Persian rugs, plus handmade jute, cotton and linen rugs from India since 2017. Its José Ignacio store lists opening hours Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm; the direct contact is on its page on the portal.
Which deco shops in the area are open year-round?
According to their pages, Santas Negras in La Juanita is open all year, every day from 11 am to 8 pm, and Bajo el Alma in José Ignacio every day from 12 to 8 pm. Marhaba Carpets lists Thursday to Sunday, and Mutate opens in the summer season. It's worth confirming by WhatsApp through each page before you go.
Are there design shops in Pueblo Garzón?
Yes. La Casa de las Hermanas, founded in 2022 by American Amber Wright, is a concept store for South American art and design inside La Pulpería, the fuchsia building facing the village's main square. Its curation gathers more than 25 makers from Uruguay and Argentina, and in season the shop adds events with live music.
What makes these shops different from a mall?
Personal curation. At Mutate nothing comes from mass production: everything is a one-off or an exclusive find. Santas Negras gathers textiles from weavers in Uruguay's interior and pieces recovered with local artisans. At La Casa de las Hermanas every piece has a named maker, and Marhaba Carpets deals in handmade rugs and fibres.
Sources: the pages already published on Portal Garzón for each shop mentioned (Marhaba Carpets, Mutate, Santas Negras, La Casa de las Hermanas and Bajo el Alma) and the portal's guides to shopping and the villages. This selection is Portal Garzón's curation, not a ranking; confirm hours and availability directly with each shop through its page.