Maria Just restores a 15th-Century house in the province of Barcelona, honouring its history

Interior designer Maria Just has forged a distinctive style that combines warmth, functionality, and a deep connection to traditional architecture. One of her most recent projects, Casa HD, is a revealing example of this approach: a sensitive renovation that respects the history of a dwelling built in 1458, while updating it with contemporary standards of comfort and aesthetics.

Located in the province of Barcelona, Casa HD is a terraced house that retains various original elements in its structure and façade, such as Gothic arches, stone walls, and a centuries-old staircase. It remained closed for years until its new owners decided to renovate it, entrusting Maria Just to lead the project.

Restore, not transform

From the outset, the interior designer was clear that the intervention should preserve the essence of the 15th-century rustic style without sacrificing 21st-century comfort. The most distinctive elements of the house were preserved, and natural materials—wood, stone, clay, vegetable fibres—were chosen to dialogue with the space’s history.

One of the project’s great successes was the creation of a vertical skylight that traverses the floors from the roof to the ground floor, allowing natural light to pass through the entire home. This light, bathing stone walls and exposed beam ceilings, intensifies the serene atmosphere that characterises the whole.

The sky blue colour, recovered from ancient pigments found in the house, serves as a unifying thread throughout the project. It is present in carpentry, walls, and decorative details, imparting a unique and fresh character to the entire ensemble.

Mediterranean tradition and modern design

Maria Just’s approach draws from influences such as J. A. Coderch and Miguel Milá, as well as contemporary architects like Marcio Kogan and John Pawson, who masterfully combine rationalism and warmth. In Casa HD, this inspiration materialises in a series of aesthetic and functional decisions: built-in oak furniture, artisanal ceramic coverings, natural textiles, and a selection of pieces that reinforce the character of the place.

Notable among these are the TMM lamp by Miguel Milá for Santa & Cole, the CH37 armchairs and CH36 chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son, and the jute rugs designed by Vincent van Duysen for Zara Home. The kitchen furniture—also designed by Maria Just—was crafted by Fusteria Sigüenza in natural oak wood and incorporates a marble countertop recovered from the family’s old butcher shop.

A home as a narrative

Beyond design, Casa HD tells a story: that of a house that has survived more than five centuries, kept alive by those who have inhabited it, and now reinvents itself without losing its identity. Maria Just’s work in this renovation demonstrates that interior design not only transforms spaces but also reactivates memories and enriches experiences.

Furniture

Ground Floor. Living Area. Built-in sofas with oak wood tops, custom-made, chest-type with lower storage space. Custom-upholstered cushions in sand-coloured canvas. TMM floor lamp in oak by Miguel Milá for Santa & Cole. Greta table lamp by Gabriel Teixidó for Carpyen. Rush stools from Ca l’Esparter. CH37 armchairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son. Jute rug in the living area from Zara Home.

Ground Floor. Dining Room. Antique dining table of family origin, restored. CH36 dining chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son.

Kitchen.

First Floor. Master Bedroom. Rush stools from Ca l’Esparter. Dione wall sconces in white from Kave Home. Bed headboard in sand-coloured linen from Maisons du Monde. Wardrobe designed by Maria Just, custom-made in wood, lacquered in the same sky blue as the rest of the wardrobes, doors, and windows of the house, crafted by Fusteria Sigüenza.

First Floor. Study. Rug 02 jute rug by Vincent van Duysen for Zara Home. Alex sideboard and display cabinet from Tikamoon.

Project: Casa HD.
Location: Provincia de Barcelona.
Completion: 2024.
Interior Design: Maria Just.
Photography: María Pujol.
Carpentry, Custom Furniture, Enclosures, and Windows: Fusteria Sigüenza i fills.
Construction Company / Masonry / Flooring: Jona Ambròs Albet.
Installations / Electricity and Lighting / Climate Control:  Orga Energies 3G 
Painting: Pere Pujó. 
Bathroom Coverings: Cerámica Cabestany. 
Flooring: Feca.
Rush and Wicker Furniture: Ca l’Esparter Dalmau.

Maria Just

Although her initial education was in Political Science, Maria Just soon found her true vocation in interior design. After studying at Elisava, she began her professional career in 2005 at Raimon Parera’s studio, specialising in projects for the fashion, hospitality, and residential sectors. There, she discovered her preference for residential spaces, an interest that dated back to her childhood when she spent hours rearranging furniture and devouring her mother’s interior design magazines: Ambiente, Nuevo Estilo…

Today, she leads her own studio, Maria Just Interiorisme, in Vilafranca del Penedès, where she develops warm, timeless, and deeply personal projects. Her style is characterised by a combination of minimalism and warmth, with special attention to natural materials and the architectural environment.

Maria avoids fleeting trends and extravagance. She draws inspiration from modern Catalan architecture, figures like Coderch and Milá, and international creators such as Marcio Kogan and John Pawson. She believes that in recent years, our homes have become the epicentres of our lives, and design should foster comfort, connection, and openness of spaces.

Each project is, for her, a new beginning. A gift she approaches with respect, enthusiasm, and the same passion for design that led her to embark on this path. “In ten years,” she says, “I see myself enjoying my work as I do now, with the same excitement as when I started.”

Source: Maria Just.

Project by María Just