Even though I once spent about six months in Spain-and during that time made it to all of its far four corners and most spots in between-I never ventured to the Western terminus of the peninsula, that narrow strip where Spain ends and Portugal begins. I also must admit that my 20-year-old sensibilities unfairly thought of the latter as a sort of "Spain light" and thus not worthy of exploration. True, I had a lot on my plate with Spain alone, but I really should have taken advantage of the proximity to explore, for, if Tralhão Furniture's Alfama is any indication, the Portuguese tradition of A&D is nothing short of sublime.

Alfama. Designed by Tralhão Design Group.

A Beautiful Bureau with Mysteries to Unpack

Alfama is a dressing cabinet, it's true, though its intricate design and inspired innovations lend it multiple guises. From the front with doors closed it resembles a hand-wrought textile, its silky white facade seemingly embellished with the arcane cryptograms of an ancient script. Inside, however, all trace of subtlety vanishes in its labyrinth of mirrors and drawers, niches and subdued compartments. Looking at the inside of Alfama, my first impression is of an odalisque's boudoir, the intricate designs and partially mirrored surfaces facilitating the stolen glimpse and the partial view-which, we all know, are many times more titillating than a full-frontal exposure.

Alfama belongs to a cultural tradition that Tralhão believes to be in flux. The piece thus recalls iconography of the past, while invoking the uncertainties of the future posed by rapid globalization: "Inspired in Portuguese tiles, Alfama aims to conceptually personify the world today. A world in constant deconstruction and deep global transformation… Alfama desires to communicate graphically the monumentality present in the national architecture."

About the Manufacturer: Tralhão Design Group is a mecca of Portuguese design. Their manufacturing and distribution facility encompasses some 6,000 meters, wherein one finds the concrete evidence of their assertion that they "just love design." In addition to designing, manufacturing, and distributing home furnishings with an exotic tinge and a surrealist's flair for the dramatic, the group provides a nexus for all the creative input required to produce head-turning A&D. In Tralhão's estimation, this includes manufacturers, designers, graphic artists, and even consumers: "Customers will continue to have access to the best and the latest news, professionals will be able to resolve their projects without any difficulty, and an expert team will always be available."