Raised in a family of artisans, with a tailor father and seamstress mother, Monaco-born designer Sabrina Monteleone-Øino developed an early instinct for textiles and craft. After beginning her career in fashion, she moved into interiors and founded Sabrina Monte-Carlo in 1999, building it into one of the Principality’s most distinctive design studios.
Today, the company works across private interiors and the superyacht world. Over the past two decades, the studio has completed more than 150 yacht interiors, alongside private residences and international projects, collaborating with leading names in design. Monteleone- Oeino’s aesthetic is refined yet warm, with a focus on texture, colour and creating spaces that feel both elegant and personal.
Married to superyacht designer Espen Øino, Monteleone-Øino is part of one of Monaco’s most creative households, and spends her time between their homes in Monte-Carlo and Capri. Here, she speaks to us about daily rituals, creative influences, life in Monaco and the women who inspire her.
How do you start your day?
Very early. Coffee on my balcony with my cat and my husband, when he’s here. It’s a quiet ritual that sets the tone—a moment of stillness before the day takes over. You founded Sabrina Monte-Carlo with a very clear sense of style.
What first inspired you to create it?
I have always been drawn to beautiful things—it’s simply part of how I see the world. Creating the brand felt less like a business decision and more like an inevitability. Beauty, for me, has never been a luxury; it’s a necessity.
What are the key items you always keep on your desk or in your workspace?
My notepad. It’s essentially my second brain. Floor plans and material samples from whatever project I’m currently immersed in. And always water and goji berries. Hydration and focus go hand in hand.
How would you describe the essence of your brand today?
Elegant, but never too serious. There’s joy in what we do, in the way a beautifully set table changes the feel of an entire meal or in the way a perfectly chosen object transforms a room.
How does living in Monaco shape your creativity?
The light, the colours, the way the sea meets the stone. It’s endlessly inspiring. Monaco has a very particular palette— intense, luminous, precise—and I think that shows in my work, whether I’m aware of it or not.
Do you and Espen influence each other’s work or way of thinking?
Absolutely. I bring the feminine perspective to his projects—the softness, the functionality—and he brings a rigour and technical depth to mine. It’s a genuine creative exchange, and I think both our work is richer for it.
As an interior designer, what does your home say about you?
Contemporary, colourful and deeply comfortable. Eclectic in the best sense— pieces from different worlds that somehow find a way to speak to each other. I will mix a Lalique Bacchantes vase with bronze animals brought back from Mexico, for example. It says, “I love what I live with and I don’t believe in sacrificing comfort for aesthetics.” You can have both.
Do you like to collect anything, such as watches, fashion or jewellery?
I collect everything, really—it’s a weakness and a joy in equal measure. Lalique pieces, watches, jewellery and art. But my most treasured piece is a Manolo Valdés Menina sculpture. I was drawn to it instinctively, and then realised the connection was perhaps deeper than I thought—my daughter is named Manola. Some things just find you.
Where do you most love to travel—and what draws you back to places?
Capri and St Barts! I am in love with the sun—the quality of the light, the slowness it brings, the way it transforms everything.
What does a perfect day in Monaco look like for you?
A long lunch at a Monte-Carlo Beach Club with my friends—something I never have enough time to do.
Where are your favourite places to spend time in Monaco or along the Riviera? Any hidden gems?
Loulou Pirate in Cap Martin is one of my favourite places. The beaches of Saint- Jean-Cap-Ferrat are incomparable. And the Jardin Exotique in Monaco, which has just reopened, is a genuine gem. It sits above the Principality with the most extraordinary views—quite unlike anywhere else.
When you need to switch off, how do you unwind?
I retreat to my house on the Riviera. There is something meditative about a garden—the rhythm, the silence. It resets everything.
Who is a woman who inspires you?
Andrée Putman, without hesitation. She has proved that style has nothing to do with money—and that good design is pure and simple and that restraint, carried out with conviction, is its own form of boldness. As someone who works across design, interiors and lifestyle, she is the ultimate reference: fearlessly feminine, rigorous and entirely unique.
What does success mean to you?
Being proud of what I do and being surrounded by my family and friends.
As we move into summer, what are you most looking forward to?
Capri with my family. A chance to slow down, be present and enjoy a season that always feels slightly magical on the water. It’s events season in Monaco.
Which major happenings will you be attending?
The Grand Prix, always. There is something completely electric about that week—the energy is unlike anything else. Monaco transforms. Even people who don’t follow motorsport feel it.
What’s next?
We’re completely reimagining and rebranding Sabrina Arts de la Table—coming up with a fresh identity for a new concept we believe in deeply—and it’s thrilling to witness it take shape. Beyond that, I have several significant interior design projects in Monaco nearing completion that I truly cannot wait to unveil.
