16th July 2026 | IN DESIGN ADVICE | BY SBID Share Tweet Pinterest LinkedIn Nini Andrade Silva, Founder & Creative Director at Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, has given her insights into the industry. Nini Andrade Silva is a Portuguese interior designer and Founder & Creative Director of Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, an interior architecture and design studio working across luxury hospitality, private residences, cultural spaces, bespoke furniture and collectable design. Born in Funchal, Madeira Island, Nini graduated in Design from IADE in Lisbon and developed her international perspective through academic and professional experiences in New York, London, Paris, South Africa and Denmark. Over the course of her career, she has collaborated with leading international hospitality groups and brands including Marriott, Hilton, Belmond, Accor, Highgate, IHG, Barceló and Meliá, creating interiors where operational excellence, cultural identity and emotional experience come together. Her work has been featured in international publications including The New York Times, Financial Times, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper and Condé Nast Traveller. She has received institutional recognition from Portugal and Colombia, and continues to contribute to the global design conversation through conferences, exhibitions, judging panels and thought-leadership initiatives. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva Photography: Nick Bayntun Why did you want to work in the interior design profession? I wanted to work in interior design because I have always felt that space has the power to transform people. I grew up in Madeira, where the horizon was the Atlantic, an endless line that taught me, from a very early age, that there is always something beyond what is immediately visible. That relationship with landscape, memory and emotion became the foundation of my way of designing. One of my strongest childhood memories is of the garotos do calhau, the boys who spent their days on the beach rocks and dived into the sea to catch coins thrown from cruise ships. There was courage, instinct and beauty in that gesture: the body, the rock and the ocean in direct dialogue. That image stayed with me and perhaps explains my attraction to organic forms, to spaces that feel shaped by nature, never perfect, but always true. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most? What I enjoy most is transforming an initial idea into a complete experience. In interior architecture, a project begins with listening: to the client, to the site, to the brand, to the culture and to the people who will inhabit the space. From that point, we build a concept that can guide every decision, from spatial planning and materials to bespoke furniture, lighting, FF&E and final styling. I also love the tension between creativity and precision. A beautiful interior is never only about aesthetics; it must function, endure and respond to real needs. This is especially important in luxury hospitality design, where a hotel, resort, restaurant or spa must create emotion while also meeting operational standards, maintenance requirements, guest comfort and brand expectations. Photography: Danie Levin What has been your most memorable career highlight from the past year? One of the most meaningful highlights was joining the AHEAD Europe 2025 judging panel. Hospitality design has always been a central part of my work, so being invited to evaluate projects within such an important international platform was both an honour and a responsibility. It was a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the future of hotels, guest experience, interior architecture and the emotional dimension of hospitality. Another very special moment was the creative direction of Made in Portugal naturally at Paris Design Week 2025. Representing Portuguese design, craftsmanship and industry on an international stage is something very close to my heart. Portugal has a profound creative identity, and I believe our materials, makers and designers have a voice that deserves to be seen globally. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva What are your favourite types of projects to work on and why? I am especially drawn to hospitality projects because they are complete worlds. A hotel is not just a sequence of beautiful interiors; it is a living experience made of arrival, service, intimacy, comfort, discovery, memory and emotion. Designing for hospitality means thinking about the guest journey from the first impression to the smallest detail inside a room, suite, restaurant, lobby or spa. I also enjoy projects with a strong identity — boutique hotels, resorts, heritage buildings, cultural spaces and private residences where the client wants something truly bespoke. These projects allow us to create narratives rooted in place, using materials, art, craftsmanship, custom furniture and sensory details to build spaces that feel unique rather than standardised. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva What are the most challenging aspects of working in interior design? One of the greatest challenges is protecting the essence of the concept from the first idea to the final installation. Interior design involves many layers: architecture, budgets, deadlines, suppliers, procurement, technical drawings, FF&E, contractors, regulations and client expectations. The designer must keep the emotional vision alive while making sure every practical decision supports the final result. In hospitality interiors, the challenge is even more complex because beauty has to work very hard. A hotel space must be memorable but also durable, efficient, safe, comfortable and aligned with the operator’s standards. The most demanding part is balancing poetry and performance, creating interiors with soul that can also function perfectly every day. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva What do you wish you knew before working in the field? I wish I had understood earlier that design is not a straight line. When we are young, we often believe that creativity is about having immediate answers. With time, I learned that the best ideas need listening, research, patience and sometimes silence. A project becomes stronger when we allow the place, the client and the material to speak before imposing a style. I also learned that interior design is deeply collaborative. A successful project depends on designers, architects, engineers, artisans, suppliers, project managers, hotel operators and clients working together. The role of the designer is not only to imagine, but to guide complexity, to make sure that the concept, the technical process and the final atmosphere remain coherent. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva If you could give one tip to aspiring designers, what would it be? Do not begin with style. Begin with meaning. Style can be seductive, but it is often temporary. Meaning is what gives a project depth. Before choosing colours, furniture or finishes, ask what the space should express, who it is for, where it belongs and what emotion it should leave behind. I would also tell young designers to learn the technical side of the profession with the same passion they give to creativity. Understand materials, construction, FF&E, budgets, procurement, lighting, ergonomics and how people actually use space. The most powerful designers are those who can dream with freedom but deliver with rigour. Atelier Nini Andrade Silva How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead? I believe the industry is moving towards a more human and experiential form of design. Clients are becoming more conscious of the emotional quality of spaces. In hospitality, in particular, luxury is no longer defined only by expensive materials or visual impact. It is increasingly defined by authenticity, comfort, wellbeing, cultural identity and the ability to create a memorable guest experience. Technology and artificial intelligence will continue to influence how we research, visualise and manage projects, but they will not replace sensitivity. The future of interior design will belong to studios that can combine innovation with craftsmanship, sustainability with beauty, and efficiency with emotion. The challenge will be to use new tools without losing the human soul of design. What does being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer mean to you? Being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer is important because it recognises interior design as a serious professional discipline, not only as an aesthetic practice. Behind every successful project there is technical knowledge, ethical responsibility, experience, coordination and a commitment to quality. Accreditation reinforces that design must be beautiful, but also competent, reliable and professionally delivered. For me, SBID represents a connection to international standards and to a wider community of professionals who value excellence in interior design. As Founder and Creative Director of Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, it is meaningful to be part of a platform that defends the credibility of our profession and recognises the balance between creativity, rigour, experience and trust. Nini Andrade Silva, Founder of Atelier Nini Andrade Silva About Atelier Nini Andrade Silva Atelier Nini Andrade Silva is an internationally recognised interior architecture and design practice delivering luxury hospitality, residential, commercial, and cultural projects worldwide. Led by acclaimed designer Nini Andrade Silva, the studio is renowned for creating distinctive spaces that blend contemporary design excellence with local identity, cultural authenticity, and operational functionality. With extensive experience collaborating with leading international hospitality brands and developers, the Atelier specialises in luxury hotels, resorts, branded residences, heritage transformations, and bespoke interiors. Its multidisciplinary approach combines creativity, technical expertise, and a strong sense of place to create memorable and commercially successful environments. Visit Profile If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.