Interior designer Marta Castellano and Serrat-Tort Arquitectos recover the historical value of a century-old house in l’Ampordà

Those of us who have lived in l’Empordà have an ember in our souls that always makes us return to this magical land that has nothing to envy to Tuscany in Italy. Just ask the interior designer Marta Castellano-Mas who is lucky enough to have clients from the Empordà who entrust her with the reconstruction or renovation of their homes in this beautiful land. This is the case of the owners of this regal house built in 1900, to which Marta has restored its splendour, thanks to an interior design that recovers its stately essence by combining classic and rustic elements with contemporary details.

Marta tells us that “When her clients acquired it, they commissioned her and Serrat-Tort Arquitectos to restore a unique house, which had undergone various alterations over the years, some of them not very successful and not at all respectful of the original architectural elements. Despite being a complicated challenge, we managed to give this century-old house a magical atmosphere and a great magnetism, with which we have enhanced the strength that it already has“

The recovery of the original architectural value

The reform of this century-old house has been carried out with the aim of saving and enhancing the original architectural details, eliminating elements incorporated in several previous reforms that lacked interest and detracted from the value of the house. The architectural intervention focused on restoring the original structure of the house to its true value, eliminating added elements such as false ceilings and wall cladding, leaving the manual brickwork and certain technical installations exposed. The existing floor, a stoneware floor lacking in interest, has been replaced by a pine floor, installed raw and stained in situ, and in the kitchen polished concrete has been chosen. All this has contributed to the recovery of the spatial essence.

The project is committed to a stylistic coherence that prioritises the authenticity of the space, avoiding unnecessary alterations. To this end, the original woodwork, a fresco on the ceiling of the entrance hall and the arches of the gallery, elements that speak of the great history of this stately home, have been restored. In the incorporation of new materials, noble and natural solutions have been chosen. The selection of elements such as the copper bathtub, the natural brass taps and the lime paint on the walls, as well as the restoration of the original woodwork, attest to the commitment to preserving the unique character of the house.

Interior design that creates spaces with soul

The interior designer has selected furniture with history and character, appropriate for each space, taking into account characteristics such as the height of the ceilings, which gives them great amplitude and luminosity. “A space of such dimensions and with so much strength had to be accompanied by pieces with soul, because the space undoubtedly required it” says Marta.

To obtain these pieces, the interior designer travelled with the owners to Florence, Provence and Antwerp to find unique pieces in local antique shops. The industrial display cabinet and lamps from Provence, the lithographs used as headboards, bought in a back street in Florence, the large French dining table, the generously proportioned sofas, the industrial wheelbarrows transformed into coffee tables and the piece of furniture behind the sofa stand out. By eliminating the texture of walls and ceilings and using a uniform colour palette, Marta has achieved a neutral canvas that allows these marvellous pieces of furniture to take centre stage, together with the natural plants that flood all the spaces.

Neutral kitchen with a small vertical garden

Designing a modern kitchen that would fit in with the aesthetics of this house was not easy, but Marta Castellano has done it well, choosing neutral colours and materials, oak wood slatted door fronts in dark grey, but adding an original detail, a small vertical garden, placed above the extractor hood, which adds a nice vegetable corner to those already existing in other spaces.

The courtyard turned into a relaxing oasis

The great history of this house is especially felt in the courtyard. The walls have a warm, aged texture, the floor adds a rustic touch, the lush vegetation in terracotta pots brings a natural freshness, all of which, together with a careful selection of decorative elements and light, classic iron furniture, make this space a relaxing oasis from another era.

Master bedroom

A large arched wooden door, endowed with historic charm, opens the way to the master bedroom, serving as a transitional element from the day area. The interior designer has opted for a dark and rich colour palette in this space, creating an intimate, warm and sophisticated atmosphere, to which natural and handcrafted decorative elements contribute, such as the hanging lamps of jute thread or the rustic wooden bench at the foot of the bed and on which a large painting purchased in an antique shop in Florence stands out.

A bright and sophisticated bathroom

Sophisticated, luxurious and with plenty of light, the bathroom of the suite is of a total theatricality where the protagonist is, without a doubt, a freestanding copper bathtub, bought in India, located in front of the large window and with relaxing views of the courtyard. On the ceiling, a lamp made of small mother-of-pearl discs designed and assembled by Decocrea stands out.

Project: Casa señorial en L’Empordà.
Interior design: Marta Castellano-Mas Estudi.
Architecture:  Serrat-Tort arquitectes.
Surface: 225 m².
Finished: 2022.
Photography:  Davide Pellegrini.
Construction company: Viscola.

Marta Castellano-Mas

Marta Castellano-Mas (1979) always says that her profession is absolutely vocational “I remember when I was very young looking at my mother’s magazines or taking measurements of my bedroom and drawing my ideal room“.

She trained as an interior designer at the Escola d’Arts de Vic and the Escola Elisava in Barcelona. She began her career in 1996 collaborating with architecture studios and in 2007 she founded her own interior design studio, estudib74, together with a fellow architect during some difficult years. In 2010, and for four years, he worked in a company specialising in the design of ephemeral spaces, which allowed him to gain valuable experience in the design of stands, exhibitions, scenography and museography.

In 2014, he founded his current studio, formed by a team of professionals from the world of architecture and interior design. He has carried out numerous interior design projects, both residential, office and commercial. “As head of the studio, I like to get involved in every new commission that comes in and take care of the projects down to the last detail. Making each one of them unique and special” he says.

Sources: Marta Castellano-Mas and Boutique de Comunicación.

Project by Marta Castellano-Mas