She was still a little girl, but Filipa Fleming already felt the curiosity that grown-ups feel when she peered into houses to see what was inside. There are signs that are given to you early on and the interior designer has never ignored them. Between fabrics, compositions and textures, she grew up and studied with the certainty that she was born to make spaces more comfortable. Born in Oporto, she lives in Lisbon, but has already lived outside Portugal on two occasions. Today, her name is already a respected brand in the market. A success owed to a range of factors, one of which is knowing how to build a team, because, as she says, «alone we’re not going anywhere».
How and when did you become interested in interior design?
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by houses and I remember, as a child, peeking inside them with great curiosity. And whenever I went to someone’s house, I just had to see all the rooms, especially the kitchens and bathrooms... This must be where my interest in endowing the height of comfort to these spaces comes from. What’s more, my mother had a furniture and decoration shop and I was delighted every time I went there. I loved the fabrics and I’d sit there, coming up with compositions, combining colours and textures. So, when the time came for me to decide on a course, I had absolutely no difficulty choosing. I went for Interior Design, because architecture, which entails a larger scale, didn’t interest me so much at the time... Today I think differently.
What are you inspired by? Has it varied over the years, or is there always a base that remains intact?
In actual fact, I find inspiration in everything. By default, and by nature. I’m very observant and thoughtful, I’m always thinking about something. Sometimes I go into a space to relax and enjoy the moment, but I just can’t do so, because I’m always observing everything, looking at the details, writing down ideas... But, if I had to give you one source of inspiration, I would say that it is travelling. It has always been and will continue to be inspiring for my work, whether I go for pleasure or for work. I love seeing and experiencing new things, being up to date with what is being done and what is going on in the field of art and design... I love visiting exhibitions, fairs and other events that are enriching and make me grow as a person and as a professional.
«We like to set things apart, to leave a personal mark on every project»
You were born in Oporto, but at a certain point you moved to Lisbon. What lay behind this move?
My husband’s work life was concentrated in Lisbon and, with our growing family (we have three children), it didn’t make sense for us to live far away. I love Oporto and we still go there whenever we can, also because a large part of my family has remained there, but I also really like Lisbon and I feel very happy in this city that we chose to live in.
Can you also tell us what led to you wanting to do the last year of your degree in Milan and, later on, to live in Brazil for four years?
Studying in Milan, the world capital of fashion and design, had always been a dream. The university was excellent, the teachers outstanding, so when the opportunity came about, I didn’t hesitate for a second! It was an incredible and very enriching experience.Going to Brazil, to São Paulo, had, to do with my husband’s work. It wasn’t easy at first, as I had to leave behind a few projects I was working on, but even then, I still managed to continue many from a distance. Brazil turned out to be another excellent surprise, because I took the opportunity to specialise in the area of events and set up a company in that field, which combined making cakes with flower arrangements. It was a project that I loved, that I miss a lot and, therefore, I can say that it was a wonderful experience. Apart from that, it was also enriching in terms of interior design. The houses there are fantastic, and the way Brazilians live their outdoor space is truly inspiring and had a huge influence on my work and my first big project when we returned: my family house, in Lisbon.
After returning you decided to ‘rebrand’ yourself. Why did you do this?
When we came back from Brazil, Portugal was in a growth phase and, to a certain extent, I wanted to "make up for lost time”. The image of my brand was outdated and it made perfect sense to renew it to make it more modern and up-to-date. I took the opportunity to do a complete rebranding and, besides the visual identity, I also changed the name, capitalising on my own name to create a new brand: Filipa Fleming - Interior Design. I believe that this way you can better transmit our concept, the range of services and sectors in which we work, because although we continue to focus on home interiors, we are also geared towards offices, shops and hotels.
«People have no notion of the ‘invisible’ work that is behind a project»
Your portfolio is packed with projects of great impact of which you can take great pride. Can you tell us about the ones that have been most challenging for you and why?
Every project is challenging and I am proud of all of them. Each project is a different challenge and each one is custom-created for one person, a family or a company. A few years ago, I did one that I loved, as much for its novelty as for its special character. I did the decoration for a mill, converted into a house, a very small space, where everything had to be thought down to the millimetre (literally) to optimise and make the most of the space. Recently, I did the renovation and extension of an office I had previously worked in. This type of project is always very challenging because, apart from creating an identity-based space for a company, we have to do it with the teams working there and, at the moment they leave, we have to finish the job in the least time possible. It requires a lot of logistics and organisation, but it’s very rewarding.
Apart from interior decoration, you are also known for creating your own pieces...
Yes, at a time when every house looks like the next, we like to set things apart, to leave a personal mark on every project we develop. It is a great privilege to create special pieces that are tailor-made for each space and each client, and that are adapted to a certain function and a certain environment. Each project is unique and each client has his or her own style, taste and personality, so it makes perfect sense to create exclusive pieces. Do people often ask you about your surname? As far as anyone knows, does it have anything to do with Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond...Very little to do with Ian Fleming! I think most people know the character much better than his creator. But I remember being asked, when I was younger, if I was related to Alexander Fleming (who discovered penicillin). Also, in science class I had to explain to my classmates why the teacher said, «Filipa, you are the one who is going to read aloud, since you are his cousin!»
What is the secret for someone to build a career in Interior Design as solid as the one you have built?
As in any other area of activity, I believe that the secret is a lot of work, commitment, research and, above all else, an excellent team. Often, people have no notion of the ‘invisible’ work that is behind a project. The number of people involved is enormous, and managing to reconcile everything is the greatest challenge, but also the most interesting. And that can only be achieved with very good partners, alone we’re not going anywhere.
How and when did you become interested in interior design?
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by houses and I remember, as a child, peeking inside them with great curiosity. And whenever I went to someone’s house, I just had to see all the rooms, especially the kitchens and bathrooms... This must be where my interest in endowing the height of comfort to these spaces comes from. What’s more, my mother had a furniture and decoration shop and I was delighted every time I went there. I loved the fabrics and I’d sit there, coming up with compositions, combining colours and textures. So, when the time came for me to decide on a course, I had absolutely no difficulty choosing. I went for Interior Design, because architecture, which entails a larger scale, didn’t interest me so much at the time... Today I think differently.
What are you inspired by? Has it varied over the years, or is there always a base that remains intact?
In actual fact, I find inspiration in everything. By default, and by nature. I’m very observant and thoughtful, I’m always thinking about something. Sometimes I go into a space to relax and enjoy the moment, but I just can’t do so, because I’m always observing everything, looking at the details, writing down ideas... But, if I had to give you one source of inspiration, I would say that it is travelling. It has always been and will continue to be inspiring for my work, whether I go for pleasure or for work. I love seeing and experiencing new things, being up to date with what is being done and what is going on in the field of art and design... I love visiting exhibitions, fairs and other events that are enriching and make me grow as a person and as a professional.
«We like to set things apart, to leave a personal mark on every project»
You were born in Oporto, but at a certain point you moved to Lisbon. What lay behind this move?
My husband’s work life was concentrated in Lisbon and, with our growing family (we have three children), it didn’t make sense for us to live far away. I love Oporto and we still go there whenever we can, also because a large part of my family has remained there, but I also really like Lisbon and I feel very happy in this city that we chose to live in.
Can you also tell us what led to you wanting to do the last year of your degree in Milan and, later on, to live in Brazil for four years?
Studying in Milan, the world capital of fashion and design, had always been a dream. The university was excellent, the teachers outstanding, so when the opportunity came about, I didn’t hesitate for a second! It was an incredible and very enriching experience.Going to Brazil, to São Paulo, had, to do with my husband’s work. It wasn’t easy at first, as I had to leave behind a few projects I was working on, but even then, I still managed to continue many from a distance. Brazil turned out to be another excellent surprise, because I took the opportunity to specialise in the area of events and set up a company in that field, which combined making cakes with flower arrangements. It was a project that I loved, that I miss a lot and, therefore, I can say that it was a wonderful experience. Apart from that, it was also enriching in terms of interior design. The houses there are fantastic, and the way Brazilians live their outdoor space is truly inspiring and had a huge influence on my work and my first big project when we returned: my family house, in Lisbon.
After returning you decided to ‘rebrand’ yourself. Why did you do this?
When we came back from Brazil, Portugal was in a growth phase and, to a certain extent, I wanted to "make up for lost time”. The image of my brand was outdated and it made perfect sense to renew it to make it more modern and up-to-date. I took the opportunity to do a complete rebranding and, besides the visual identity, I also changed the name, capitalising on my own name to create a new brand: Filipa Fleming - Interior Design. I believe that this way you can better transmit our concept, the range of services and sectors in which we work, because although we continue to focus on home interiors, we are also geared towards offices, shops and hotels.
«People have no notion of the ‘invisible’ work that is behind a project»
Your portfolio is packed with projects of great impact of which you can take great pride. Can you tell us about the ones that have been most challenging for you and why?
Every project is challenging and I am proud of all of them. Each project is a different challenge and each one is custom-created for one person, a family or a company. A few years ago, I did one that I loved, as much for its novelty as for its special character. I did the decoration for a mill, converted into a house, a very small space, where everything had to be thought down to the millimetre (literally) to optimise and make the most of the space. Recently, I did the renovation and extension of an office I had previously worked in. This type of project is always very challenging because, apart from creating an identity-based space for a company, we have to do it with the teams working there and, at the moment they leave, we have to finish the job in the least time possible. It requires a lot of logistics and organisation, but it’s very rewarding.
Apart from interior decoration, you are also known for creating your own pieces...
Yes, at a time when every house looks like the next, we like to set things apart, to leave a personal mark on every project we develop. It is a great privilege to create special pieces that are tailor-made for each space and each client, and that are adapted to a certain function and a certain environment. Each project is unique and each client has his or her own style, taste and personality, so it makes perfect sense to create exclusive pieces. Do people often ask you about your surname? As far as anyone knows, does it have anything to do with Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond...Very little to do with Ian Fleming! I think most people know the character much better than his creator. But I remember being asked, when I was younger, if I was related to Alexander Fleming (who discovered penicillin). Also, in science class I had to explain to my classmates why the teacher said, «Filipa, you are the one who is going to read aloud, since you are his cousin!»
What is the secret for someone to build a career in Interior Design as solid as the one you have built?
As in any other area of activity, I believe that the secret is a lot of work, commitment, research and, above all else, an excellent team. Often, people have no notion of the ‘invisible’ work that is behind a project. The number of people involved is enormous, and managing to reconcile everything is the greatest challenge, but also the most interesting. And that can only be achieved with very good partners, alone we’re not going anywhere.
