Alfama Chic, a Story of Light and Passion
Welcome to ALFAMA CHIC, a house where light becomes a way of life. Born from a Franco-Portuguese passion, our brand pays tribute to Lisbon’s gentle charm and the timeless elegance of crafted design. Each creation illuminates a space and evokes an emotion.
The House of ALFAMA CHIC
ALFAMA CHIC is a Portuguese brand based in Lisbon, specialising in the creation of reimagined vintage-style lighting.
It was born from a deep appreciation for timeless objects and the desire to give them a second life — one that is both aesthetic, functional, and sustainable. Each piece tells a story and reflects a creative and responsible approach.
Our designs are inspired by a retro or vintage style that never goes out of fashion. They pay tribute to an era when design was made to last — combining elegance and simplicity. We carefully source, restore, or reinterpret each shape with an eye for detail, blending authentic materials, skilled craftsmanship, and contemporary touches.
Our passion for vintage design is driven by one mission: to reveal the hidden beauty of forgotten objects, elevate them, and allow them to shine once more — bringing soul, warmth, and character to modern interiors.
Our origins
Alfama Chic is the story of a Franco-Portuguese couple brought together by a shared love for emotionally resonant objects, the art of treasure hunting, and the unique charm of authentic interiors.
Catarina, born in Lisbon, spent over two decades in France, between Paris and Lyon. With a degree in international business, she built her career in that field before returning to her first passion: interior decoration.
At her side is Benjamin, originally from France, with a solid background in strategic marketing and deep expertise in digital. Always drawn to design and architecture, he finds inspiration in lines, materials, and atmospheres.
Together, they share a taste for vintage objects, creative repurposing, and showcasing the past. In 2022, they decided to settle in Lisbon. A stroll through the iconic Feira da Ladra market, in the heart of Alfama, sealed their project. Enthralled by retro lamps full of character, they imagined a brand that reflects their style.
This is how Alfama Chic was born: a Lisbon-based studio reimagining vintage lighting with natural marble, sourced or reissued glass, and one-of-a-kind pieces handcrafted with care. Each creation is designed as a bridge between past and present — to illuminate interiors with poetry, uniqueness, and soul.
our mission
At ALFAMA CHIC, everything begins with an emotion — the one felt when standing before an old lamp, weathered by time, steeped in forgotten stories. Portuguese and French, united by the heart, Catarina and Benjamin share a sincere passion for objects from the past — their elegance, their delicate lines, their quiet mystery. Every vintage glass globe, every marble base, every retro switch or twisted cable evokes the gestures of a bygone era — a candlelit dinner, a hushed study, an art deco living room.
Bringing these pieces back to life means preserving a memory, reinventing the light. We love to imagine their first uses, to guess the interiors they once illuminated, and to offer them a new stage — with respect for traditional techniques and a level of refinement rarely seen today.
Our creations are more than lighting pieces: they are witnesses. Silent guardians of a past age, reinterpreted with care and precision, to speak to the present without betraying their soul. Through each light, we honour authenticity, the understated elegance of past times, and this enduring love story with the past that connects us — you and us.
Creating with Purpose, Designing to Endure
Our lighting pieces embody eco-conscious production, designed to minimise environmental impact. We carefully choose sustainable, local materials such as: Brass with timeless charm, Portuguese marble sourced from the quarry offcuts of Estremoz, in the east of the country (Évora).
Every detail follows a logic of preservation, reuse and enhancement, reflecting a strong commitment to the environment. Our partners were chosen for their skills and their shared eco-responsible values.
We offer a curated collection of lighting pieces — table lamps, hanging pendants, and corded lights — elegant and delicate, shaped with vintage or reissued glass globes inspired by traditional techniques. In doing so, we honour the Portuguese glassmaking heritage while adapting it to contemporary interior needs.
This is a house, a signature of character, where each creation celebrates the elegance of a bygone era. It’s an invitation to experience light differently — softer, more sustainable, imbued with refinement and memory. A light that does more than illuminate — it evokes, tells a story, and elevates the space. These are not just decorative objects, but true witnesses of time, subtly reimagined for our modern world.
Our concept
Through your interiors and your decor choices, we write a new chapter of our journey together. By welcoming our creations into your home, you extend the artisanal gesture that inspires us — a gesture born from heritage, crafted with care, and carried across time and borders. Each light finds its place in a life, an atmosphere, a space, becoming a subtle yet precious witness to the bond between the brand and your story.
ALFAMA CHIC is not just a brand. It is a house, a signature of character, where each creation celebrates the elegance of a bygone era. It is an invitation to experience light differently — softer, more sustainable, filled with refinement and memory. A light that does more than illuminate — it evokes, tells a story, and elevates.
