A benchmark design and interior design event for the design world, Casa Decor reaches its 61st edition this year. From April 9 to May 24, 2026, the exhibition, curated by Alicia García Cabrera, will transform buildings, neighborhoods, and the entire city of Madrid into an open-air stage. In the heart of the historic Barrio de Las Letras, at the corner of San Agustín and Cervantes streets – a district steeped in the history and literature of the Golden Age and close to the Paseo del Prado (a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring the Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums) – the event will offer an immersive experience with the participation of numerous professionals and companies from the sector.
Alicia García Cabrera
Casa Decor has a rich history and an established role as a trendsetter. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your personal vision for this 61st edition? What are your main goals for 2026?
Casa Decor has been part of my professional career for many years, first from a more operational perspective and, over time, from a strategic and curatorial point of view. My work focuses on understanding design not only as an aesthetic result, but as a process of reflection, research and positioning, both for professionals and brands.For this 61st edition, my vision is to reinforce Casa Decor as a space for experience and consultancy, a true laboratory of ideas where trends are detected, new languages are tested and relevant conversations for the sector are generated. In 2026, we want to continue to deepen the quality of the projects, the coherence of the discourses and the ability of each space to tell a meaningful story. The objective is clear: to offer a solid, inspiring and useful edition, both for professionals and the public.
This year, Casa Decor moves to the heart of the Barrio de Las Letras, a neighbourhood steeped in history and literature, inspired by Spain’s “Golden Age”. How do you think this evocative location and its historical context will influence the design narratives and installations we will see?
The Barrio de Las Letras is an environment with a very powerful identity, steeped in memory, words and cultural layers. It is not about taking a literal reading of the Golden Age, but rather understanding its spirit: creativity, critical thinking, a wealth of ideas and the coexistence of disciplines.I am convinced that this location will invite participants to work from deeper, more conceptual narratives. We will see spaces that dialogue with history, literature, time and emotion, but always from a contemporary perspective. The building and the neighbourhood act as creative triggers, as a starting point for reinterpreting the present through design.
The text mentions Casa Decor as a ‘curatorial project’ that transforms not only the building, but also the neighbourhood and the city of Madrid. Could you explain in more detail this curatorial vision for 2026 and how it aims to interact with the broader cultural landscape of the city?
Casa Decor is, above all, a curatorial project because each edition involves a conscious selection of spaces, professionals, brands and discourses. It is not just a matter of occupying a building, but of activating a place, of generating a coherent narrative that connects architecture, interior design, art, craftsmanship and innovation.In 2026, this curatorial vision is particularly reinforced by the urban and cultural context in which we find ourselves. The proximity to the Paseo del Prado and such an important cultural hub invites us to engage with the city with respect and responsibility. Casa Decor aims to be a meeting point, a space where different creative perspectives converge and where design is understood as part of Madrid’s cultural ecosystem, not as something isolated.
Casa Decor is a key showcase for the Spanish interior design and architecture market. Based on your observations, what are the most significant trends or challenges currently shaping the Spanish sector?
The sector is experiencing a period of great maturity, but also significant challenges. There is a clear evolution towards more conscious projects, where sustainability, durability and well-being are no longer theoretical concepts but real design decisions.I also see a growing need for differentiation and authenticity. Brands and professionals are seeking their own voices, away from fleeting fads, and this is reflected in greater attention to the creative process, materials, craftsmanship and well-understood innovation. Casa Decor acts as a barometer for all of this: here you can sense the concerns of the sector, its advances and also its questions.
The 2025 edition showcased powerful aesthetic innovation. What new experiences or innovations can visitors expect at Casa Decor 2026?
Rather than talking about a single technology or specific innovation, I like to think of Casa Decor 2026 as a global experience. Visitors will find spaces that are more immersive, more sensory and more connected to the way we live and inhabit our homes today. There will be a special focus on how design can improve everyday experiences, from the relationship with light, materials and sound to the integration of technological solutions in a natural and non-invasive way. Innovation at Casa Decor is not only visual; it is conceptual, emotional and functional.
With 61 editions, Casa Decor has built a solid legacy. How do you think this edition will contribute to that legacy and what message do you hope it will convey?
I believe this edition will contribute to Casa Decor’s legacy by reinforcing its role as a benchmark for thought and criteria within the sector. Beyond trends, Casa Decor must continue to be a space where we reflect on how we want to live, how we want to design and what values we want to convey through spaces. The message I would like to convey is that design has a real impact on our daily lives and on society, and that when it is based on consistency, experience and long-term vision, it becomes a tool for transformation. Casa Decor 2026 aims to be precisely that: a place where we can look to the future with meaning and intention.
Photo credits: Nacho Uribesalazar
