Despite the project carrying Gracinha’s surname and history, today it is impossible to speak about Viterbo Interior Design without mentioning managing partner Miguel Stucky Vieira da Rocha. They are wife and husband, and a passionate team — passionate about each other and about their mission to create truly lived-in spaces, where design is emotion, memory, and functionality in equal measure.
With a life shaped by the universe of artistic creation, Gracinha Viterbo has become one of the most remarkable figures in interior design. She studied Interior Architecture at Central Saint Martins and at Chelsea College of Arts, in London, later specializing in Decorative Arts at the prestigious Inchbald School of Design. She joined the team of iconic South African designer Kelly Hoppen before returning to Portugal in 2000 to work alongside her mother. In 2008, she took on the creative leadership of Viterbo Interior Design with her husband Miguel. Gracinha leads the aesthetic narrative, with her sensitive, almost cinematic eye. Miguel ensures rhythm and structure, making sure dreams are translated into finished work — without noise, without upheaval, with the lightness that only rigor allows.
Over the years, Viterbo Interior Design has accumulated very special collaborations, such as creating wallpapers with De Gournay, and partnerships with brands like Nespresso and Star Alliance. Yet Gracinha admits there is still a dream project she would love to undertake. Her answer transports us into a universe of luxury and dreams, summarizing her work in a single idea: a train. “A project that would bring together movement, landscape, narrative, and experience.”
In your childhood, did you already feel this could be your path?
Very early on. I usually say I was born into this world — literally from the womb. I remember being very little and playing games with magazines like House & Garden or American AD, which were practically the only ones available here at the time. I would compare things: what was beautiful, what wasn’t, what worked aesthetically and what didn’t.
Later, perhaps around the age of 10, I clearly remember reading The Fairy Oriana and being completely enchanted by a very specific scene: a moment when Sophia de Mello Breyner writes a dialogue between pieces of furniture that are unhappy with the way they are arranged. The chair bumping its elbow against the sofa, the sofa complaining, the mirrors that could no longer see the ballerina. I remember everything in detail. And I kept thinking about it for years. To this day, I still think I have to keep them happy — because when no one is there, no one should be complaining.
Then came the Ralph Lauren phase, which I still admire greatly. I remember asking for a dark plaid fabric, very Ralph Lauren, and one day waking up to everyone at home complaining because I had nailed that fabric across my entire bedroom. And it stayed that way for years.
I also have very strong memories of playing in a quarry as if it were a playground (today I think it was not safe at all), of being in drafting offices that at the time were rooms and rooms filled with draftsmen painting plans by hand, of accompanying site managers, of going to contractors’ warehouses. I was exposed to every phase of a project, from the first sketch to the final delivery. All of that naturally shaped my path.
I clearly remember reading The Fairy Oriana and being completely enchanted by a very specific scene: a moment when Sophia de Mello Breyner writes a dialogue between pieces of furniture that are unhappy with the way they are arranged. The chair bumping its elbow against the sofa, the sofa complaining, the mirrors that could no longer see the ballerina. And I kept thinking about it for years. To this day, I think I have to keep them happy — because when no one is there, no one should be complaining.
What does creating and designing an interior involve?
It involves a great deal of emotion. From my side, at least, it is a total surrender — I give myself 300%. Before thinking about aesthetics, about anything visually beautiful, there is always the psychology of the moment we are creating. A space is a moment. And that moment will belong to someone else. It is not ours.
I usually say that I create without ego. And when I choose people for our team, I choose people who also do not have that need for ego. They are artists — sometimes they almost suffer while creating — but here, we do not suffer; that is a rule. There must be passion, but a gentle, natural passion. And the psychology behind the moment we are creating is, for me, the most important foundation of any interior project.
When you design a space, is it about you or about the client?
It is entirely about the client. About the other person. It is an absolute surrender. We are creating a story that belongs to someone else, and we must make it real.
Each project is a great conversation — a long conversation between us and the client. In private homes, this is even more evident. It has nothing to do with public projects. We truly have to get to know the person on the other side. Whoever walks into our office does not enter as a professional. They enter as a human being. Who is that bank director when he arrives home, takes off his shoes, and relaxes? Who is that woman when she comes home? Who is that bank president when she closes the door and is in her own space? Who are these people inside their homes? The walls belong to them. And we are creating for them. That is what matters most.
Each project is a great conversation — a long conversation between us and the client.
You often speak about the home as a refuge. What does that mean?
It means creating a place where a person can truly be themselves. A place of authenticity, direction, truth, and connection. A space where someone feels at home, surrounded by what they love: the art they collect, the music that is playing, the fragrance in the air. We can help people connect even more deeply with their senses. But we are never the protagonists. We are simply a bridge. A medium to create something that is not ours, but that will endure and intensify in whatever way the person chooses over time.
That is why I so often say: there are no trends. There are clients. There are style references. People have memories, stories, lived experiences. And all of that is constantly growing.
How do you handle the technical side of a process that seems so emotional?
It is essential to understand that this is not just dreams and everything pink. There is a highly demanding technical process, deeply professionalized. Our team is multidisciplinary and international. We have people from various nationalities, specialists in very specific areas, all highly professional in their talent. We create personalized teams for each project, because there is no identical client, no identical family, no identical place.
We like to think of it as an orchestra: each musician must play their part correctly so that, in the end, the music makes sense for that client.
It is very beautiful — and I very much enjoy, together with Miguel — building those teams that will work on that specific project. Both the more emotional and psychological side and the technical side — lighting, air conditioning, engineering, technical drawings — everything works in layers. It is a web. An orchestra that only at the end plays music.
Is working as a couple and as a family a challenge?
Of course it is challenging. Working with family always has its ups and downs. But there is a deep respect between us. There is space to disagree, to debate ideas, to pause and listen more carefully. And then we always return to what matters most: what is best for the project, for the client, for the team.
I have a very emotional and creative side. Miguel has a more structured, rational side. He translates emotion into method, organization, and management. We complement each other.
It is a true partnership. Sometimes it is a very refined dance; other times it is a more intense debate — but it is always a partnership.
Miguel, what is it like to work as a family every day?
Miguel Vieira da Rocha: It is easier than it seems. Each of us has our role very clearly defined. We are all very different, but we respect one another deeply.
It is that respect that allows us to create and work together. We have many technical and conceptual discussions, but that is part of the creative process.
The important thing is knowing how to separate things: there is what is personal, and there is what is professional. And we manage to do that well. Gracinha has an extremely strong creative side, and I am more focused on management and clients. It is a rich dynamic.
How do you ensure that bridge between the creative world and the client?
Miguel Vieira da Rocha: Listening is essential. Every client has a story, a desire, an expectation. And my role is to ensure that we can translate all of that into a feasible project, within the defined timelines and budgets.
We are very demanding, but we are also very transparent.
When a client chooses us, they know they have a team by their side from beginning to end. From the first sketch to the last cushion. It is not just design — it is a complete experience.
How does Miguel influence your day-to-day work?
Miguel has an absolutely central role, even if it is often invisible. He is behind the scenes ensuring everything runs smoothly, that there is consistency, that the client feels supported and secure. When I became a mother, his role became even more decisive. It was Miguel who helped structure everything so that I could continue creating and being present without feeling overwhelmed. Together, we created a family and professional structure that allowed us to maintain balance.
Very often, he is the one who says: “Let’s stop and listen more carefully.” And that changes everything in a project.
How do you define luxury?
Luxury is something very personal — each person has their own definition. For us, luxury lies in service. In a complete, professionalized service where we provide answers and solutions, and do not bring problems to the client.
Luxury is the client not feeling the headaches of a project, of logistics, of construction. We are here to solve things. So that the client has an unforgettable experience from beginning to end. From personal growth — discovering parts of themselves they did not know — to the aesthetic side, where we work with artisans, carpenters, metalworkers, and specialists whom the client alone would hardly find.
Then there is all the logistics: installation, receiving, quality control, execution at the highest level. And at the end, a gentle handover. A return home with an emotional impact even stronger than it would have been had they gone through everything alone. That, for us, is luxury.
Have there been any particularly remarkable projects throughout your journey?
It may sound a little cliché to say this, but all of them are. Each has something special.
I feel I am at a stage where I could already be preparing a second book, because I am very aware of how fortunate we are and of the natural way certain people come to us. I often say — and it is true — “we have the coolest clients.” We have clients from all over the world, with completely different styles and stories.
From a 10,000-square-meter home in Bangkok, which is practically an entire city block, to a 70-square-meter studio in Lisbon.
It is not the size that matters. It is the people. Their stories. Art collectors, professionals from the financial world, hospitality, and the restaurant industry. Demanding people who respect our work and trust us 100%.
Cabana Sass, in the Algarve, was a wonderful project — a restaurant group from Monaco. Pastéis de Belém is another very special example, a true national icon, and we are now moving forward to the second phase. In all of them there is a beautiful exchange: we give, but we also learn so much.
What differentiates Viterbo from other studios?
Miguel Vieira da Rocha: The ability to adapt. We do not have a single style that we impose. What we have is a way of working — we listen, we design, we propose, we adapt, we redesign. We are prepared to create contemporary, classic, minimalist projects, or spaces filled with history. And Gracinha has an extraordinary ability to capture the client’s essence. Our challenge is then to transform that essence into a feasible, beautiful, and functional project.
What is most challenging in this sector?
Miguel Vieira da Rocha: Managing expectations. There are many images, many ideas, a great deal of inspiration on social media — but not everything is applicable, viable, or even desirable. Sometimes what the client wants is not what they need. Our job is to show the path, explain the options, and present solutions.
And then there is the logistical side: suppliers, deadlines, construction, teams. That is a world of its own. But that is where my role is essential — ensuring everything runs smoothly, without upheaval.
And what is most rewarding?
Miguel Vieira da Rocha: Seeing the clients’ faces when they enter their home for the first time after the project is completed. It is magical. That emotion, that sparkle in their eyes. We know we were part of something very important. And that makes everything worthwhile.
Is there any dream or project you would still like to bring to life?
Gracinha Viterbo: Yes. A train. Trains are now very closely linked to luxury hospitality, such as the Belmond projects, and I think it would be a beautiful challenge for Viterbo. A project that would bring together movement, landscape, narrative, and experience. It would be extraordinary.