Ingrid Matheu converts a stately apartment in Barcelona’s uptown into a modern, timeless and highly livable home

Some homes preserve memory within their walls, and some interior designers are able to engage in a dialogue with that memory to give it new life. In Barcelona’s uptown, Ingrid Matheu Studio has completed the full renovation of a 400 m² stately apartment that, without abandoning its classical elegance, opens itself to the present with a contemporary, warm and livable design.

The project, created for a family with a young daughter, is anchored in noble materials, iconic pieces and a chromatic palette that breathes serenity: beige, camel, earth and white. The residence regains its stately essence, yet with a lighter spirit, conceived for everyday enjoyment.

The entrance hall, dominated by a large mirror framed in metal and a velvet pouf, sets the tone for the entire home: luminous, serene and sophisticated. From there, the day area unfolds, where two generous living rooms connect through white sliding doors and curtains that evoke a renewed classicism.

In the first living room, designed for receiving guests, a green Chesterfield sofa by Ojinaga stands out, alongside Roche Bobois’ column bar designed by Sacha Lakic. The adjoining family living room offers a more intimate atmosphere: a fireplace, an L-shaped sofa by Molteni in neutral tones, and the iconic Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe, complemented by a painting by Riera i Aragó.

The dining room preserves the stately spirit with grey walls framed by white moldings. A pair of works by Claudia Valsells adds a vibrant touch of color. In the square-plan kitchen, a central island organizes the space, while a deep blue corner welcomes family breakfasts with freshness and warmth.

The night area reinforces the project’s livable character. The master suite incorporates a walk-in closet lined with mirrors and a central console in dark wood, along with a bathroom featuring a freestanding bathtub. The children’s room combines white with blue and pink accents, and includes its own walk-in closet and bathroom. Two additional suites welcome guests with the same level of comfort.

Contemporary elegance with classical roots

“We wanted the house to preserve its stately essence while, at the same time, feeling lived-in and approachable,” explains Ingrid Matheu. The challenge was to lighten overly ornate spaces and breathe new life into them with lime plaster, wood, design pieces and a warm chromatic language.

The result is a sophisticated yet approachable home, where the noble character of its original architecture coexists with a contemporary and timeless design. A residence that breathes elegance, but also everyday life: spaces that open up to the family, to encounters, and to the passage of time.

Furnishings

Green sofa: Ojinaga. Beige sofa: Molteni. Armchair: Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe. TV cabinet/coffee table: Molteni. Bar unit: Roche Bobois. Lighting: Marset. Textiles/rugs: Ingrid Matheu Studio. Art: Claudia Valsells painting (dining room) and Riera i Aragó (fireplace). Dining furniture: Cattelan Italia. Kitchen: Siematic.

Project: Barcelona zona alta.
Interior design: Ingrid Matheu Studio.
Photography: David Querolt.
Art: Claudia Valsells, Riera i Aragó.
Source: Ingrid Matheu Studio. Boutique de Comunicación.

Ingrid Matheu

Trained in Interior Design at the Elisava School in Barcelona (1998–2001), Ingrid Matheu knew from a very early stage that her profession would be much more than a job: it would become a way of understanding life, of inhabiting time and place.

In 2008 she founded Ingrid Matheu Studio, a creative workshop where interior design, decoration and comprehensive renovations intertwine. Since then, each project has become an exercise in attentive listening and empathy, where aesthetics accompanies and reveals the personality of those who inhabit the space. Wood, stone, natural textiles and light are her allies; atmosphere, her true work.

Based in Barcelona, the studio works across different fields—residential, office, retail and hospitality—always guided by the same thread: the creation of functional and poetic environments, sustainable and enduring. The practice spans from the conception of the design to the execution of the work and the “turnkey” service, with close supervision that turns the process into a shared experience.

At the same time, Ingrid Matheu has brought to life her Concept Store on Muntaner Street in Barcelona, a space that serves as showcase, laboratory and meeting point. There, furniture, lighting, textiles and decorative objects unfold like domestic scenes, inviting visitors to imagine future homes, to touch and feel before deciding.

The aesthetic of her studio is rooted in Mediterranean clarity: open and luminous spaces, soft palettes that convey calm, subtle contrasts that spark vitality, and furniture either selected from unique pieces or custom made.

Project by Ingrid Matheu