The Design Questionnaire with Inez Fino

luxury Apartament dining room design Estoril inez fino

In this edition of Love Happens’ Proust-style Design Questionnaire (now for the first time coming to our online edition!), join us for a peek inside the creative design mind of Portugal-based interior designer Inez Beja Fino!

Inez Fino
Inez Beja Fino

Raised in a World of Design

While growing up in the UK design played a prominent role in Inez Fino’s life. She spent weekends at antique fairs, auctions and visiting castles and palaces with her family. And many days and nights at the exceptionally beautiful city and weekend homes of her great-grandmother. These homes, Biester Chalet in Sintra and Palacio Ratton in Lisbon, known today as Tribunal Constitucional, are stunning estates that despite Portugal’s 25 of April Revolution remained up and running until her great-grandmother’s death when Inez was 14.

Biester Chalet in Sintra
Biester Chalet in Sintra

In addition to spending much of her childhood surrounded by exquisite traditional architecture and decor, Inez’s mother, Verónica Mayer de Carvalho Beja Fino, was one of the first women to practice interior design in Portugal. Inez has always looked up to her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother, and strives to follow in their footsteps.

A Career in Design

After graduating with a degree in Interior Design from the Regents Academy of Fine Arts in London, Inez began a collaboration with an esteemed Portuguese interior designer. During this time she was trusted to help complete a number of high-end projects such as the Prime Minister’s official residence, the palace of São Bento, a boutique hotel, an embassy, and a high-profile individuals’ home. In 1996 Inez began freelancing and then went on to establish her own company, Inez Fino Interiors.

fun living room Design concept for an apartment in Estoril by inez fino interiors
Design concept for an apartment in Estoril

As CEO and Chief Creative Director of her firm, Inêz brings her twenty plus years of experience working for some of the most prestigious clients around the globe and an acute eye for detail to each of her unique projects.

A Peek Inside the Fabulous and Inspiring Mind of Inez Fino with 10 Proust-style Questions

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Peace of mind, stability, good health, surrounded by your loved ones.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Giving my daughter a sweet 16 party she would remember for the rest of her life.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

One of my dogs.

What profession does your alter ego have?

I would have loved to be a famous Hollywood actress.

The project you will never forget.

The interiors for one of our former prime minister António Guterres official residence in Palacio de S. Bento, Lisbon, who now is Secretary General for the United Nations.

Outside the Palacio de S. Bento, Lisbon, Portugal
Outside the Palacio de S. Bento, Lisbon, Portugal

The most timeless design.

Anything with a De Gourney wallpaper, especially anything Chinoiserie.

Your muse or icon.

My Mother

Inez Fino's mother, Verónica Mayer de Carvalho Beja Fino, one of the first women to practice interior design in Portugal.
Inez Fino’s mother, Verónica Mayer de Carvalho Beja Fino, one of the first women to practice interior design in Portugal.

The biggest design faux pas.

Bad lighting projects!

Your design motto.

It is the stories and experiences of each client that should be reflected in their own space, telling their life course and their dreams. This is how unique and exclusive spaces are created, where the client finds the memories of his past, those that make him happy in his present and tells those they invite into their space where they want to go in their future.

Love happens when….

God wants to surprise you.

Explore More Beautiful Designs by Inez Fino

Main living area apartment design concept in Quinta dos Alcoutins, Lisbon by inez fino
Main living area design concept for a penthouse in Quinta dos Alcoutins, Lisbon
Main living area design concept for a penthouse in Quinta dos Alcoutins, Lisbon
Terrace design concept for a penthouse in Quinta dos Alcoutins, Lisbon
Terrace design concept for a penthouse in Quinta dos Alcoutins, Lisbon
floor screen with brass butterflies by koket
Blue Palace master bedroom design for a luxury five-star hotel in Praca da Algeria by inez fino
‘Blue Palace’ master bedroom design for a luxury five-star hotel in Praca da Algeria
'A little bit of Africa in Lisbon' in an apartment at Dafundo, Lisbon
‘A little bit of Africa in Lisbon’ in an apartment at Dafundo, Lisbon
Landscape design by Inez Fino
Landscape design by Inez Fino

Intro by Anna Beck Bimba / All Photos Courtesy of Inez Fino

Explore more of Lh’s Proust-style Design Questionnaires!