Entering Cristina Jorge de Carvalho’s atelier, in the center of Lisbon, is to immediately dive into a feeling of luxury. The sense of exclusivity and elegance that the designer stands for is exactly what welcomes you upon arrival.

Founder and Creative Director of her eponymous studio for 25 years, Cristina Jorge de Carvalho also created a furniture line to meet the need for pieces that embody “understated luxury and a refined aesthetic.” A few centimeters can make all the difference in a space, because in a premium setting, every detail matters. “Details are not details, they are what make the design,” she explains.

After 25 years of work and recognition, Cristina Jorge de Carvalho’s dreams still revolve around luxury — and, above all, around the desire to make this concept increasingly organic and integrated into the places that host it.

Patino | Cristina Jorge de Carvalho

Francisco Almeida Dias

You have had a long career. When did you feel that interior design should become part of your life?

I have always liked architecture and interiors. Even during my university days, whenever I traveled to a city, I would visit the latest hotels and the newest restaurants — it was always something that fascinated me. Interiors and architecture attracted me naturally. I first studied Business Management, and after working for a few years in that field, I realized it wasn’t exactly what made me happy. So the natural choice was to go study Interior Design at the Inchbald School of Design in London.

What is a client looking for when we talk about luxury?

I believe luxury is, above all, about exclusivity. It’s about being able to create unique homes, but with an understated kind of luxury. I don’t know how to do opulent or extravagant luxury. What defines me is elegant simplicity — the choice of noble materials, iconic furniture pieces mixed with simpler ones. In essence, it’s about creating comfortable and unique spaces where people feel good and that reflect the dream they envisioned.

Every project conceived is absolutely exclusive and aims to reflect the client’s personality and lifestyle, as well as the needs of the space and the main inspirations — a trio of elements that forms the backbone of every work. The guiding thread that defines the projects lies in the balance between clean lines and the intelligent play of volumes, materials, and textures. It’s an eclectic and contemporary approach where design sobriety and comfort meet in perfect harmony.

And when the challenge is to decorate a show apartment, without a specific client, how do you translate that concept?

I really enjoy that kind of challenge — perhaps that’s also why I love working on hotels so much, because they are designed for many people. In a show apartment, the goal is to showcase the best of that space. The décor must enhance what’s most interesting about the apartment. The choice of pieces, their dimensions, and proportions are all thought out in detail. I always work with my client in mind, so the result must appeal to a wide audience while also serving the brand’s or developer’s goals.

Altis Prime | Cristina Jorge de Carvalho

Francisco Almeida Dias

And the style you seek in those projects — is it more contemporary?

Yes, it’s a more contemporary style of decoration, with clean lines and a focus on the essentials.

You mentioned the importance of dimensions. Is that care always present?

Always. Here in the studio, every decoration project begins with taking precise measurements of all the pieces: the height of the lamp in relation to the side table, its proportion to the sofa, the back of the sofa, and so on. These are essential details.

In fact, my furniture line was born out of the need to have pieces with specific dimensions and materials that I couldn’t find on the market. It’s very different to have a sideboard that’s two meters long or two meters twenty — it may seem irrelevant, but it makes all the difference. The collection emerged from that pursuit of the right pieces, with the right proportions and the materiality best suited to each project.

Comporta | Cristina Jorge de Carvalho

Espaço 3D

Has the real estate market changed a lot over the years?

I would say not really. We have very good Portuguese clients and also wonderful foreign ones — and not all foreigners are looking for luxury. In the end, the concept of luxury remains the same.

After 20 years of career, is there a project that you remember as being particularly special?

I remember a house in the Algarve for which I did the architectural project — although I’m not an architect, I do architecture, and fortunately my team translates all my ideas into the necessary drawings. That house gave me great pleasure, especially because the client, who was over 80 years old, allowed me total creative freedom. I designed a minimalist house and ended up winning the “Best Architecture Single Residence Portugal” award.

The Altis Prime is another project I loved doing — I handled all the architecture and interior design (this project won the “Best Hotel Interior for Europe” award). It was 17 or 18 years ago, and it still feels current. I also really enjoy the houses I design in Comporta, where there’s a very strong connection between nature and architecture. That relationship is always an essential starting point for me.

When you look at your work, what would you say defines your signature?

I would say it’s a seal of quality, excellence, and attention to detail. Nothing is overlooked. We always strive for exclusivity, harmony, and a very careful eye on every detail. We think of practically everything — if not everything.

Algarve | Cristina Jorge de Carvalho

Francisco Almeida Dias

And looking to the future, is there a professional dream you still wish to fulfill?

There are two things I would love to do. First, luxury branded residences — a concept that doesn’t yet exist in Portugal. Then, I’d love to develop five-star hotels in Africa. I believe the future of luxury hospitality will unfold there. It’s a continent where culture can engage in a dialogue with architecture and interior design. Africa allows for the creation of architecture deeply connected to the land, integrating furniture and interiors into an understated, refined, and very authentic kind of luxury.