Between memories, craftsmanship and a blend of styles: the expressions of Felipe de Almeida

Felipe de Almeida is one of the great representatives of the "house that feels like a home" philosophy within CASACOR São Paulo 2026. The interior designer grew up in a family connected to culture and, despite these influences, chose to study Business Administration at university, later specializing in Managerial Marketing. Years later, he pursued a graduate degree in Interior Design and founded the studio that bears his name in 2019.

Felipe de Almeida - Casa Memórias Essenciais. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2026. (Bia Nauiack/CASACOR)

His work stands out for its appreciation of memories, artisanal craftsmanship, and the blending of different styles within the same project – what he calls the "Felipe de Almeida style." The professional had already taken part in CASACOR in 2023 and, three years later, returned to the show with one of the projects that received the most praise from the public: the Casa Memórias Essenciais.

Felipe de Almeida - Casa Memórias Essenciais. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2026. (Bia Nauiack/CASACOR)

The 115 sqm project integrated living room, office, game room, linear kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom with the proposal of "translating the importance of memory and how much it impacts the daily life of those who enjoy the spaces." Designed for a couple in their 50s, the Casa Memórias Essenciais featured the Ancestors' Shelf as one of its most special elements. Below, a conversation about the project, career, and inspirations of Felipe de Almeida.

1. What were the main challenges of participating in CASACOR 2026? And the main achievements since then?

Felipe de Almeida: I think the main challenge of participating in CASACOR is bringing to life everything I believe in as an interior designer in such a short period. There are some other challenges as well: dealing with the various suppliers; the design phase, meaning what is designed versus what is executed; the challenge of our neighbors, because it's not exclusively my project — we have my work alongside those of the other architects and designers next door.

And the achievements are many. One of them is delivering this signature design, which has personality, which shows where it comes from, where I took risks in many ways, from the aesthetic point of view to the design solutions presented. It was a huge victory!

I also won over the enchantment of the general public and critics, who recognize the work done with great care. Ultimately, I celebrate the establishment of this type of design: the house that feels like a home, which has everything to do with the theme of CASACOR 2026, Mind and Heart.

Felipe de Almeida - Casa Memórias Essenciais. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2026. (Bia Nauiack/CASACOR)

2. What was the most special element of your project at CASACOR São Paulo 2026?

FA: There were several special elements in my project, but the most special of all is the ancestors' shelf. I've seen many studios talking about memory these days, but this has been a pillar of my studio for many years – it even appeared in my project at CASACOR 2023. It's a very personal signature that I bring to my projects. It's an extremely special element because it genuinely translates what I consider most important in an interior design project.

Another element that was very relevant in my project was the handmade work, which permeated the entire space. You'd look at the bathroom and see an artisanal mosaic, there was the fabric upholstery, had a fireplace entirely designed by hand, some very detailed décor items. It was something very important in this project.

3. What did you discover while doing CASACOR that people watching from the outside can't even imagine?

FA: People would enter my space and think that many items that were there were given. What they don't know is that we receive a completely raw space and that we have a short time to develop everything that was thought out.

Another thing I discovered doing CASACOR is that many architecture and interior design professionals who don't develop the type of work I do, with the styles I bring, recognized the beauty of a project thought out to the smallest details – with mixes of styles in an authorial way. There's no way people won't identify with what genuinely belongs to the human being, and I think what I brought to my project said a lot about that.

4. How does your creative process work when designing a new project?

FA: It is a bit complex, because there is a lot of feeling and letting myself be carried away. But there are some elements that were fundamental for the development of my project at CASACOR. When I was thinking about the project, I imagined a couple around 50 years old, well-traveled, whose children had already left home, who like the arts, have a lot of personality, like astronomy and astrology, textures, mixing styles and elements... When I create a persona, it already helps me in the creative process. In that sense, there were three very important elements: the dog-print fabric on the sofas, the contemporary painting by Felipe Sanatore and the fireplace. They were central in my process of thinking about the project by determining the flow and style of the project.

Another thing that is part of it is that I like to do a mix of styles. Many people asked me what style that was and I said "it's the Felipe de Almeida style." There was classic, contemporary, rustic-chic, European, Brazilian, maximalism... So, my creative process has multiple facets and I combine them in a way that becomes harmonious.

5. What does an interior designer need to have to stand out in today's market?

FA: I don't think professionals need to follow fads, because fads are fleeting. Fads have to be used intelligently. You need to have the ability to look at what is being put out there and translate that into the design you believe in. Another thing is listening, which is knowing how to interpret a briefing according to the clients' personality. Professionals don't have to make projects for themselves, they have to be thought out for the clients.

Lastly, I would say they need to take risks. You can't stay in a market where we see things looking more and more the same and do more of the same – whether in layout, colors, textures, or furniture. With a lot of balance, of course, but people need to take risks.

Felipe de Almeida - Casa Memórias Essenciais. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2023. (Evelyn Muller/CASACOR)

6. What professional dream would you like to achieve?

FA: I would like to be able to bring this type of design that I do to more people and, mainly, to have a social project where I could apply this vision to communities. The world needs more beauty and, more than that, I know that the type of design I develop contributes directly to neuroarchitecture, the well-being of the people who enjoy the spaces.

Another dream is to take "sabbatical periods" to always be able to study (even more!) some architectural styles, to specialize in certain design models to execute more and more. This needs time to materialize: reaching a deeper level of technicality and art and being able to translate that into the projects.

Projeto de Felipe de Almeida (CASACOR)

7. Recommend a book, film or even a destination that shaped your creative eye.

FA: What I would give as a tip is: the creative eye needs to be constantly trainedand, often, you don't need to turn to a book, movie or destination — it's right in front of you, in everyday life. Of course, those things can contribute a lot. Travel, when you step out of your sphere and go somewhere that stimulates you, helps grow this creative eye. But there are other things that, when observed with a careful eye, are capable of shaping what you can bring. It doesn't have to be anything extraordinary. Take my projects at CASACOR, for example — it's not a conceptual project; I wanted to create a real projects, even though it's the largest architecture and interior design showcase in Latin America. It's a projects where people could see themselves and reproduce it.

Projeto de Felipe de Almeida (Romulo Fialdini/CASACOR)