A Little Bit About Me

Thank you so much for your interest in The Statement Piece. My name is Una McGirr and I'm originally from Dublin, Ireland.  I am thrilled to have recently relocated to Almancil from Singapore which has been our family home for 15 years.   

I have been restoring and refinishing furniture for many years as a creative outlet whilst building a successful corporate career in Europe and Asia.  Moving to Portugal, scouting for a new home and then managing the interior design were right up my alley, so I jumped into it with great enthusiasm! 

 

Initially, I found nice basics in the many furniture and interior shops in the Algarve but I hit a wall when it came to finding more interesting pieces that would make a room pop. Custom-made furniture would take several months, and being impatient, I began looking at using Portuguese vintage and antique pieces to refinish myself.  I was blown away by the quality and craftsmanship of these beautiful old items which I began to transform into gorgeous, contemporary styles I know I'll have forever.  I loved how "dated" could be made modern, and as friends began asking for help with their older pieces, The Statement Piece began to evolve.  

 

I work from a studio in Almancil where I accept commissions to refinish older and vintage pieces of furniture that need a modern twist. I also source furniture for those looking for something specific, customising the new finish to suit that unique brief.  I also carry a selection of ready-to-take-home furniture. 

 

With an excellent network of antique and vintage dealers, sourcing pieces usually takes no more than a few days before custom work begins. As you'll see on the Portfolio page, the results are exceptional. 

After decades in the corporate world, I feel so fortunate to focus on this long-standing passion and to give people an alternative, stylish and sustainable way to furnish their Algarve homes.