Just a feeling
Lingering on bits and bobs they had brought back from different places over the years, small objects that held more memory than value; a lamp picked up on a trip, a ceramic piece they couldn’t quite explain why they loved, plants that had slowly taken over corners of their previous home. Somewhere everything they had collected, both intentionally and accidentally, could sit together without needing to match.
Alongside their fondness for Spanish homes and the rawness of Moroccan textures, they found themselves drawn to materials that felt imperfect in the right way, surfaces that carried a sense of time.
“It’s just that feeling”.
We knew this home was about to be somewhere that could be completed but never truly finished.
Good Morning, Home
Your first destination every morning? The living room.
“How do you spend your mornings?” we prompted.
One at the counter, the other nearby, laughter and greetings before either of them are fully awake, some coffee brewing in the kettle.
“You shouldn’t have to walk away from a conversation just to make coffee,” they laughed.
With that, we extended the kitchen counter, opened up sightlines with the removal of the wall between the kitchen and living room. It became less about where things were placed, and more about how easily life moved through their space.
Sun-washed walls and colours drawn from the earth, rather than a palette, completed the atmosphere to start a new day.
Thoughtfulness, A Breeze
A structural column sat where a divide once was between the dining and living area, immovable. It could have been ignored, but instead it was absorbed, wrapped into a built-in bookcase that slowly took on a life of its own.
“It’s where all the random things go,” they said later. “But somehow it works!”
At the entrance, a breezy brick wall filtered the entry, letting light and air pass through while marking the transition from outside to in. It’s a nod to passive design, reducing our reliance on artificial lighting and ventilation. Throughout the day, it casts shifting shadows across the floor, a reminder that thoughtful, eco-conscious choices can be both practical and poetic.
The living area grew into itself over time. Plants gathered there first, then objects, then more plants.
“I think we bought one plant,” they joked. “The rest just followed.”
Our hands, on deck
Our homeowners weren’t content to simply watch their home take shape. They hand-painted the limewashed walls themselves and sourced their own patterned tiles, laying them one by one until the design felt just right.
Even the structural beams on the ceiling were transformed, as they were hand wrapped in wood textures to take on the look of timber.
Custom-made lamps were sourced from artists around the world and an ornate sink shipped from Morocco added striking, one-of-a-kind touches, making the house unmistakably unique.
In the bedroom, the shift was subtle. The wardrobe carried a rattan texture, chosen for the way it felt rather than how it looked.
The decision came quickly for textures in their bathroom, a set of stone-textured tiles, irregular and varied, gave them both the widest smiles we’ve seen.
“That one,” they said. “No need to see the rest!”
At first sight, they knew that set was the one. There was no overthinking. Once installed, it gave the space a certain weight, something that balanced the lighter elements found in their bedroom.
A Canvas
At this point, all that was left was to move in and pick up where we left off. What we created was merely a starting point, a canvas for their lives.
More plants? Artwork from their travels? A Christmas gift from a family member?
These possibilities will be a delight to ponder.
We can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
ECO Consciousness
Short description.
Limewashed walls were painted using a natural, mineral-based finish low in VOCs.
A brick wall from Loqa, a circular material design studio, was used at the entrance to filter light and breeze while giving discarded materials a new purpose.
Custom made fixtures like the Moroccan hand painted sink and ceiling lamps were sourced from local craftsmen, emphasizing sustainability and long lasting quality as opposed to mass-produced imports.
Plants were woven throughout the home, defining its sensory atmosphere.
The result, a home grounded in care and conscious choices, one that continues to grow alongside their homeowners.
