Alexandra Champalimaud

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For a private residence in New York’s Flatiron District, Champalimaud merges lightness with substance. The room’s pale palette is not overwhelmed by stronger pieces such as Hervé Van der Straeten’s structured sconces.

Photo by Richard Powers

The bar area of the same home expresses a glamorous mood with Deborah Turbeville’s sultry fashion photography from the Cynthia-Reeves gallery.

What inspired your love of design? 
The beauty and order of classical buildings in Europe, their richness and fine proportions. I was exposed early on to a great art museum in Lisbon, the Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva, which has craft workshops for gilding, silver-welding, inlay, and lacquering. It gave me a wealth of knowledge I could apply to the modern world. 

Do you have a guiding vision? 
A subtle, sophisticated elegance; fun, layered, and mood-changing. Classical order and proportions infused with a modern sensibility. I create an individual style that elevates people’s emotions.

What is the relationship of houses to hotels?
We are currently designing high-end condos in association with top architects in New York, and recently created houses in Aspen, Denver, and Martha’s Vineyard. Doing residential work teaches you what people want to experience in a hotel suite and how they live—in every age group. I design with a lot of intuition and knowledge; making people happy has become second nature for me. 

Do you create your own products?
We’ve done designs for the Rug Company, and many different fabrics for Holland & Sherry, a venerable British firm. We are developing new lines of furniture and lighting, which we’ll release under our own name and in partnership with different companies.