Carpentry in Marbella:

The craft I began learning at twelve

My name is Alejandro Ontivero, and I’ve been working with wood since I was twelve. What is now AlexVan, my carpentry workshop in Marbella, began at a cabinetmaking school in Córdoba, Argentina, and grew with every place where I learned something new. I design, make and install bespoke luxury furniture for villas on the Costa del Sol, all made in-house, with no shortcuts.

From Córdoba to Toronto: a craft learned across half the world

I studied cabinetmaking for six years in Argentina, where I learned the fundamentals of quality craftsmanship. From there I went to Brazil to specialise in lacquering, then to Toronto, where I spent five years focused on furniture assembly and construction. I returned to set up a workshop in Argentina, but my teachers had been Spanish and Italian, and I wanted to make luxury furniture in Europe. In 2021 I crossed the Atlantic, and AlexVan was born.

Bespoke furniture for villas in Marbella and Sotogrande

My clients live in villas in Marbella, Sotogrande or elsewhere on the Costa del Sol, and expect a level of finish that few local workshops deliver. That’s the gap I set out to fill: bespoke furniture for luxury homes, finished to the standard discerning international clients expect and that many workshops struggle to achieve.

What I do—and what I choose not to do

I prefer to do fewer things and do them well. I specialise in bespoke furniture for home interiors: kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, home offices and wine cellars, as well as complete projects for entire villas. I don’t make outdoor furniture, pergolas, flooring or interior doors. Plenty of workshops do that; I focus on the things hardly anyone else wants to take on.

Furniture designed for every room

Kitchen furniture in Marbella

The heart of the villa. Bespoke kitchens in oak, walnut or lacquer, with an island and carefully planned storage.

  • View bespoke kitchens

Wardrobes and dressing rooms in Marbella

Villa dressing rooms and fitted wardrobes that make the most of every inch, with interiors in fine wood.

  • View wardrobes and dressing rooms

Bathroom Furniture in Marbella

Bespoke vanity units and bathroom furniture in moisture-resistant woods, with integrated countertops.

  • View bathroom furniture 

Living room furniture in Marbella

Bespoke TV units, bookcases and wall panelling that bring order to your living room without disrupting its flow.

  • View living room furniture

Bedrooms in Marbella

Complete bespoke bedrooms, with headboards and storage designed for a good night's rest.

  • View bedrooms

Bespoke home office furniture, libraries and wine cellars in Marbella

Home offices, floor-to-ceiling libraries and bespoke wine cellars for the villa’s finest rooms.

View studies and libraries 

Furniture for Villas in Marbella

When the project is the whole house: complete furnishing and wood panelling, from the first meeting to installation.

  • View furniture for villas
  • 01

What makes one of my pieces stand out

I work mainly with European oak, for the way its grain takes stain, as well as walnut and ash. I use lacquers imported from Italy that stand the test of time and provide a finish that’s hard to match. I use state-of-the-art CNC machinery to ensure every cut fits to the millimetre, and finish many pieces with brass, metal or glass inlays. That combination of machine precision and handwork makes all the difference.

  • 02

From concept to installation, with no middlemen

I listen to what you need or start with a photo that inspires you; my design team turns it into a plan. We make everything in our workshop and install it ourselves. A kitchen takes an average of four weeks. There are six of us, and every piece of furniture passes through the hands of the whole team.

Where we are

My workshop is in Mijas, Málaga, and I work throughout the Costa del Sol: Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona, Sotogrande and the rest of the province.


Cam. Selene, 4, Nave 4, 29651 Las Lagunas de Mijas, Málaga ·


-Phone and WhatsApp: +34 688 36 53 43


-Email: info@alexvancarpinteria.com

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where do you make bespoke furniture?

    My workshop is in Mijas, and I work across the Costa del Sol: Marbella, Sotogrande, Benahavís, Estepona and the rest of Málaga.

  • What kind of furniture do you make?

    Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, studies, libraries, wine cellars and complete villa projects. I don’t do outdoor work, flooring or doors.

  • Do you work with architects and interior designers?

    Yes. Many projects come through architecture and interior design studios, and I adapt to their plans and their clients.

  • How long does it take you to deliver a piece of bespoke furniture?

    A kitchen takes about four weeks on average. It varies depending on the project, and I’ll give you a firm timeline before we start.

  • Is the furniture made in-house?

    All of it. My team and I handle the design, manufacture and installation, without outsourcing the furniture.