A Dose of Vitamin D (for Delight!): Claudia Geoly of ByCloudia

One of the greatest joys of leading OTTRA is the people we are lucky to meet. People that are creative, risk-taking, and passionate about their work. People that have so much positive energy you can’t help but feel uplifted after a quick phone call that’s turned into an hour. These encounters are all gifts, and rewards in a business that isn’t always easy. 

Claudia Geoly, the force behind Austin-based gallery ByCloudia, is one example. A few years ago we crossed paths, just as she was launching a gallery of bespoke vintage homewares, furniture, and art. Without hesitation, we sent her a few tables to use as part of her shows, and it’s always a delight to see how she’s styled them next to, say, a pair of Art Deco burlwood club chairs, or as a base for a whimsical Ettore Sottsass lamp. 

Claudia often refers to “the family,” an ever-growing list of business owners-turned-friends that she loves to support and promote. We are honored to have a spot on that list, and to return the favor. And we hope you’ll give her a follow on Instagram and follow her next steps, including a beautiful new gallery that’s officially opening in January 2025.

Claudia Geoly, of ByCloudia, and a delicious tablescape she created.

OTTRA: Tell me a bit more about your roots and what led you to where you are now.

Claudia: I grew up going back and forth between Texas and Mexico. My grandparents were tailors in Houston, and I have vivid memories of being in their shop…the smell of the threads, the sound of the big scissors hitting the table. Very early on, I opened myself up to listening to all of my senses.

During the summers we traveled to Monclova in Mexico, where I was born.  My dad would drive our family from Houston to Monclova and we had the open road to see and feel life outside our metropolitan city. My maternal grandmother was a healer and was always creating herbal remedies with beautiful scents—and  some not so beautiful! I called them potions. And there were all sorts of people on the streets creating and selling things. There was so much color. If you see my home now, you’ll see that mixed palettes are neutral to me! I’m sure it’s because of all the color I grew up with.

I ended up in culinary school and was a pastry chef in California for a long time. And this still shows up in my work now, because I love setting a table. I love bringing together the food and all the tableware I’ve collected, and setting a mood that touches all the senses. So this naturally extended to what I do now, bringing together pieces that I love, that bring good energy to a room.

I know you have four storage units of art and antiques and vintage pieces. Do you have any favorites?

I gravitate to pieces where you can see someone’s hands in it—like fingerprints in ceramics, or the vibrant blue that you applied to the Rocking Chair I have. It just feels good! I have had this bar cart from the 1950s that I could see the wave in the glass and the bent brass that someone touched to create. I love it. 

A painting by local artist Robert Wymer and one of the many four-legged creatures (animals, and also unique chairs) you'll see.

I love to see the ways you breath new life into upholstered pieces, especially the bold and colorful patterns. Tell me more about your thought process with these projects.

This might be a silly way of looking at it! I’m not a designer by trade. I pick fabrics the way I pick clothes.  So when I look at a sofa, I ask ‘how would I wear it?’ I found a pair of curved Thayer Coggin sofas and had them reupholstered in fabric by Counterpart Studios. Counterpart Studios is collaborating with Fort Lonesome, which creates legendary cross stitch jackets and suits. So of course I fell in love with the design and the story behind the creations . Plus, becoming an Elvis Presley fan as a girl, the fabric design reminds me of Nudie Cohn’s ornate Nudie Suits. Remember, my grandparents were tailors so, YES, I learned early about the Nudie Suit! It was only natural for me to gravitate to cover an iconic furniture design with a legendary fabric design.

I take a huge risk with these sorts of projects, but if I don’t put that risk out there and let people know who I am, it wouldn’t be me! I’m doing it because I like it and hope someone else will sit on it, smile, and have a good day with it!

What do you love about doing business in Austin? 

I’ve met a lot of people just by walking into shops or calling. People like Nak and Walter from Nak Armstrong Fine Jewlery, Molly Nutter and Susie Davis from ByGeorge, and Amber Wolfe from D&W Lighting. They’ve all become friends. They are all creatives that started somewhere, and they’re all true to their art. I love that it’s not competitive…it’s much more holistic. The first time I met Fern Santini—who is a force—she told me it takes a village and I really believe that. It’s surrounding yourself with that collaborative energy and also mirroring that energy back to others.

One of the things I admire about you is how fearless you've been with your business. What advice can you offer to someone starting out on their own? 

Decide what you want to try out. And then try it. Ask questions. Ask the five Ws. Say hello. Always be open to being coachable. Nobody wants to talk to someone who knows everything! And have fun.

Thanks, Claudia! We’re so lucky to know you.