Africa-Press – Cape verde. Interior decoration in Cape Verde has undergone a transformation, with many families adopting a more minimalist and modern style. Especially during Christmas, the desire to have a well-decorated home leads many to invest more in the home, using savings made especially for this purpose.
In past decades, the typical decoration of Cape Verdean homes was marked by the presence of the emblematic glass cabinet, filled with carefully arranged glasses, accompanied by a three-piece sofa set, a TV table and a coffee table.
Today, however, a new style is gaining ground: minimalism and modernity have won over families, who seek more organized and functional environments.
However, this change does not diminish the importance of Christmas, a time when Cape Verdeans spare no effort to make their homes beautiful and welcoming, investing in details that bring warmth and elegance to welcome family and friends.
In this report, Expresso das Ilhas spoke to Síntia Mascarenhas, a housewife who is passionate about interior design and who was shopping in the streets of the capital to make her home more comfortable.
“To begin with, I have always enjoyed decorating my home, keeping every detail organized. This year, what motivated me to decorate for Christmas are memories from my childhood and also because I want my children to have the same good memories that I have. I want to see their happy faces, their excitement, their joy of going out to shop, organizing everything,” she says enthusiastically.
To make the occasion special, Síntia invested in new curtains, themed cushions, Christmas tree decorations, bright lights and even small changes to the overall decor of her home.
“The smallest details make all the difference. I love doing all of this and always taking care of my home, adding the touches that make all the difference. For me, it is therapy,” she describes.
Despite taking care to keep her home organized and decorated, Síntia admits that the cost is not a concern.
“I don’t worry about the price, the important thing is to enter my home and feel peace and happiness. Having my home the way I want it is priceless,” she says.
Although she has lost count of the amount spent on decoration, Síntia admits that she invested more in 2024 than last year, buying items little by little and planning ahead. She says she intends to continue decorating in 2025.
More than aesthetics
Solange Soares is another example of how interior decoration has become a central aspect in the lives of many Cape Verdeans, especially during the festive season.
As she says, decoration is not just aesthetics, but also a way of expressing one’s personality and creating an environment of peace and harmony.
“I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started to get interested in decorating my home, but I believe that there comes a time in life when we realize the importance of investing in our environment. Being in an organized space that reflects our personality and transmits peace”, she says.
Christmas is a time that Solange considers special, not only because of its festive meaning, but also because of the unique opportunities that arise.
“The festive season brings with it an incredible variety of options and promotions. Many items that we could previously only buy online are now available in local stores, at more affordable prices”, she explains.
A fan of the minimalist style, Solange prefers neutral tones such as nude, brown, pink and white, which, in her opinion, provide a serene environment.
“I don’t follow a rigid concept of decoration, I prefer to adapt trends to the pieces I already have at home”, she says.
This interviewee reveals that she uses creative tricks to save money, such as renewing furniture with wallpaper. In fact, she says, that’s what she did with her old TV stand. She bought wallpaper in light tones and stuck it on the table, which now looks like new.
Despite planning to spend more in a controlled manner, Solange admits that this year her investments exceeded expectations.
“I spent between 50 and 60 thousand escudos, including some equipment for the house. Initially, I planned to spend only on the basics, such as curtains, rugs and Christmas decorations, but we ended up going beyond that”, she confesses.
For this housewife, decorating the house goes beyond simple tasks, it is a therapeutic and rewarding process.
“I dedicate myself entirely, I spend hours without feeling the time pass, and the result is always rewarding. The pride and satisfaction in seeing the transformation are simply indescribable”, she says.
For next year, Solange intends to continue updating details throughout the months, avoiding high expenses during the next festive season.
The House as a Mirror of Personality
Tiana Silva became interested in decoration from the moment she decided to renovate her parents’ house.
“After the interior painting was finished, I started to decorate the house.“I realized that the space ‘called for’ a new decoration, more modern and in line with the new atmosphere of the house”, recalls Tiana, who says that she was given the mission of revitalizing the space, at her mother’s request.
Since childhood, decorating was a family tradition. “Every three months I would help my mother change the house’s arrangements, and preparing the house for Christmas was a tradition that we have maintained to this day”, she says.
Now, Tiana is responsible for giving new life to the rooms, especially during the Christmas period, when the family welcomes other relatives for dinner.
With a taste that combines minimalism with modernity, Tiana tells Expresso das Ilhas that she seeks to create cozy spaces, without excesses.
“I don’t like totally minimalist or extremely modern rooms. I try to combine both styles to create that homey feel”, she explains.
Even though she lives with parents who prefer more traditional decoration, the young woman tries to present contemporary concepts that favor the well-being of the residents.
Tiana states that the investments in decoration this year were high, with estimated spending of over 300 thousand escudos.
“The receipt for the furniture in my bedroom, for example, was 98 thousand escudos. If you add it to what I spent on the other rooms…”, she explains. However, she continues, financial planning was essential.
“Months before, I started saving for this, but I admit that there were impulse purchases when I saw something that seemed necessary at the time”, she admits.
In addition to transforming the environment, Tiana states that the new decoration has had a positive impact on family life.
“My father now prefers to stay in the living room when he comes home from work because, according to him, the house is more cozy. And I myself love coming home and enjoying my bedroom or the new sofa in the living room”, she comments.
Turning dreams into reality with interior decoration
Also in this report, Expresso das Ilhas spoke with Djenny Fernandes, an interior decorator who transforms spaces, making them cozy and personalized.
Although she still divides her time between working as a corporate sales representative for a telecommunications company and decorating, Djenny is adamant that this second activity brings her great satisfaction.
“It’s a very tiring job, but very rewarding because I can make dreams come true. I go into people’s homes to achieve the goal of having a cozy home just the way they dream,” she says.
Her passion for decorating began early, influenced by family experiences. “I’m the oldest daughter and I’ve always liked changing the house, moving the furniture around. My mother never had a maid, so I did everything. When we built our house, we would go together to look for furniture and research ways to decorate,” she recalls.
Djenny Fernandes, Decorator
During the lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Djenny took advantage of her free time to explore her creativity even further. “I started decorating my living room, bedrooms, making beds and setting tables. I posted everything on the internet, and people started to take an interest. Friends would ask for tips and ask me to decorate their homes,” she says.
Since then, the decorator has transformed around 50 homes in Cape Verde and even abroad, with online consultancy for countries such as France and Portugal, and projects carried out in person in Switzerland.
Each project begins with a consultation to get to know the space and understand the client’s preferences. “I act as a psychologist to capture the style and colours that the person likes. Then I draw up the project, the budget and a shopping list. If the client accepts, we move forward,” explains Djenny.
Despite the challenges, such as the lack of materials on the local market, the decorator finds creative ways to get around these difficulties. Either she imports them or looks for alternatives from the carpentry shops with which she has a partnership.
Trends and preferences
According to Djenny, Cape Verdeans’ tastes have changed. “It used to be common to have shelves with glass cabinets, for example. Now, people are looking for minimalist decor, with few eye-catching pieces, lightness and functionality”, she observes.
The professional also realizes that festivities, such as Christmas, increase the demand for her services. So much so that she was unable to accept all the work requested.
“September to December was a busy time. Many people want their homes ready for the celebrations and this really moves the market”, she says.
For Djenny, interior decoration is a promising field in Cape Verde.
“It is a job that is starting to be valued and in high demand. Those who have skills can get training and start working. It is a labor of patience and love”, she believes.
The market, she says, is large, but there are still few professionals in the area.
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