In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Though Portuguese designer Alicia Meireles currently resides in London, the clear ocean waters of her childhood home are never far from her mind—a constant that’s reflected in this evocative flat lay, which she dubs “Eternal Summer.”
“Growing up in Portugal, the sea was never just scenery,” she says. “It had a way of meeting whatever mood I was in and quietly turning it into something better, a kind of alchemy I never understood. This is my attempt at building that feeling into a home—a dream beach cabin, the kind that I imagine settling into for good one day.”
Eschewing coastal tropes of driftwood and linen, the Own London creative director mined the ocean’s depths for less expected tones to evoke the contentment she remembers. Artwork by Sophia Loeb and a tapestry-inspired flatweave by Schumacher lean into the dusky hues of summer’s fading light, while the playful patterns in the Beni rug and Namay Samay upholstery fabric mimic the siren call of the waves. The tightly curled sheepskin of a midcentury armchair provides coziness for cool nights.
“I wanted to add warmth you can almost feel under your hand, textures that catch the light differently depending on the hour, and colors that go deep and saturated rather than fading into the background,” says Meireles.
Bringing each vignette to life is a curated mix of organic elements, from a cord-wrapped room divider and a sunbaked parchment pendant to a ceramic goat figure and drawer pulls cast in the shape of undulating sea stars. “Woven through it all are the pieces I've been collecting in my mind for years—furniture, lighting, tapestries and ceramics from the 20th century, each one carrying a little bit of my personality,” she says.
Here, Meireles explains what drew her to each of her selections.
1. CANE-HANDLED TEAPOT BY AKIKO HIRAI AT JW ANDERSON
“I’m a coffee drinker, but at night I switch to herbal teas with a book. This teapot makes my heart warm.”
2. 1960S VINTAGE COCOON CEILING LAMP BY FRIEDEL WAUER FOR GOLDKANT LEUCHTEN
“I love the glow on these lamps, and this one in particular caught my eye because of its spiral structure that gives a sense of movement.”
3. BESPOKE CAST BRONZE HARDWARE BY VAN CRONENBURG
“I have used these as cabinetry pull handles but also as bespoke taps in a bathroom. It’s cast from a real starfish, which I love. [Hardware] does feel like adding the last detail to a room, like adding jewelry in fashion.”
4. EU DESEJO O SEU BEIJO, 2025, BY SOPHIA LOEB AT PIPPY HOULDSWORTH GALLERY
“I spotted Sophia’s work while meandering through Frieze London in 2025 and connected immediately. Its scale, texture, thorough detail and captivating color left me stranded there wishing I could bring it home.”
5. FLOOR LAMP IN BRONZE BY STUDIO HAOS
“I discovered Studio Haos’s work whilst exploring the many studios now popping up on the Lisbon design scene. Their work is raw and beautiful. I find this piece very elegant, adding depth through the bronze color and drama as an uplighter.”
6. OX LOUNGE CHAIR IN BEIGE SHEEPSKIN BY ILLUM WIKKELSØ AT MORENTZ
“The perfect choice for my book reading at the end of a busy day. I appreciate the cocooning feel it gives, enhanced by the curved back and sheepskin upholstery.”
7. MIDCENTURY TABLE LAMP BY OSCAR TORLASCO FOR LUMI
“It’s hard to beat the Italians on midcentury lighting. This is one of my favorites for the shape of the arm and how it connects with the shade, as well as the color of the shade and how it relates to the iconic green glass of the base.”
8. FAIRUZA FLATWEAVE IN FOG BY SCHUMACHER
“This tapestry-inspired fabric is perfect for a dining banquette or a large ottoman with its large tribal-inspired pattern that blends into everything else smoothly.”
9. JHINUK PRINTED LINEN IN TEAL BY NAMAY SAMAY
“I love a small-pattern fabric, and this one is a favorite with its watercolor effect and fun mint green shade.”
10. BESPOKE NATURTEX CORD-WRAPPED ROOM DIVIDER
“Often there is a need to zone a large space into smaller ones, creating a room within a room. I like working with raffia and cord—there’s something very soothing about the texture and color. I recently used it as a partition wall between dining and living spaces in one of my projects.”
11. CABRA CERAMIC OBJECT BY ROSA RAMALHO
“Ceramic art is in my bloodstream, and I feel very grateful to have grown up surrounded by the work of amazing artists, including Rosa Ramalho, who revolutionized the world of figurative pottery. I’m already a proud owner of this piece from the 1960s.”
12. LILJEVALCHS SOFA BY JOSEF FRANK AT SVENSKT TENN
“All Josef Frank designs have a timeless feel without being boring. This sofa ticks all the boxes: It’s stylish but also comfortable and inviting, which is a very hard combination to find in sofas these days. This is one of the most comfortable sofas I have ever sat on—a true example of style meeting comfort.”
13. ARRABIDA SIDEBOARD BY BARRACUDA INTERIORS
“I’ve been following this shop in Comporta, Portugal, for a while, and their editions are spot on. What drew me to this piece was the rattan in this deep warm brown color. It’s not very common yet feels like it belongs. The cast bronze handles are the cherry on the cake.”
14. ONDINE RUG BY GARCÉ DIMOFSKI FOR BENI RUGS
“I just love how it’s bold yet so effortless. It’s simple with only two colors yet full of warmth. I also love a border rug that allows other pieces to breathe without fighting [them].”
15. COCKTAIL TABLE IN INTERNATIONAL KLEIN BLUE, GLASS & CHROME BY YVES KLEIN AT 1STDIBS
“Klein Blue has been one of my top three colors for a long time—I just can’t get enough of it! When I first saw this table, my attention shifted. I love how it can draw everybody in and still give a sense of calm.”
16. GLAZED CERAMIC TILES BY NEW TERRACOTTA
“A project of mine is not complete without a glazed tile injection somewhere. These bounce back energy into the room, and their imperfections create a rhythm that is tactile. I’ve designed and commissioned bespoke tops for dining, coffee and side tables using these.”
17. 322 ROOM DIFFUSER IN BEACH FIRE BY L:A BRUKET
“I discovered L:a Bruket a few years ago on a trip to Stockholm, and it’s been a presence in my living room ever since. This scent reminds me of the colder months growing up in Porto, where the sun would shine during the day but we would need to wrap up at night. It’s not really a woody and smoky kind of scent; it’s a little warmer and less intense.”
Withdraw Consent / Manage Privacy Preferences