The New York-based studio, established by Portuguese-born designer Alexandra Champalimaud, is known for creating some of the world’s most distinctive properties. Champalimaud provides sophisticated design solutions to international clientele, transforming context and heritage into compelling stories and unparalleled experiences.
Surface Says
Champalimaud’s work has a depth that transcends sheer aesthetics—heritage, personality, and memories yet to be made come alive in her spaces.
The Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
Champalimaud maintained the hotel's glamorous individuality through design that merges subtle references to the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s with modern fixtures and finishes. Hotel Bel-Air has been named Best Hotel in Los Angeles by Travel and Leisure’s 2017 World’s Best Awards.
The rich history and exotic tastes of its initial owner, a scholar of Persian art, were an inspiration for Champalimaud's design. While respecting the character of this extraordinary space, Champalimaud integrated luxurious design, décor, architecture, and cutting-edge technology in an artful marriage of East and West.
Champalimaud has created a journey of discovery as guests venture from restaurants and bars, to the library, society salons, and drawing rooms. The effect is something between a museum and a modern theater experience: while each venue is dramatically distinct, the overall design is a modern spectacle of Indonesian social life.
"I am intrigued by the way light works its magic, sifting color, form and mood of the composition. With this rug, I focused on this journey of light in order to exaggerate the shadows and create depth at each plane." —Alexandra Champalimaud. Hand-knotted Tibetan wool rug available through The Rug Company.
The New York-based studio, established by Portuguese-born designer Alexandra Champalimaud, is known for creating some of the world’s most distinctive properties. Champalimaud provides sophisticated design solutions to international clientele, transforming context and heritage into compelling stories and unparalleled experiences.