You honestly believe this apartment was waiting for us. We initially dismissed it after seeing the photos online, and it wasn’t until a few weeks later that we decided to visit.
In a small space, it brought together many of the things we were looking for. Beneath a layer of poorly executed renovations, we discovered elements that won us over: high ceilings with Volta Catalana, original woodwork, sunlight throughout the day, a small balcony, and a layout with lots of potential.
Another thing that won us over was the building itself: built in 1929, very small, nestled between two larger blocks as if resisting the city’s transformation. It has very few neighbours, which makes it especially quiet and welcoming.
And even though it’s right in the city, when you step out onto the balcony, it feels like you’re in a village. It doesn’t face the street, but rather an open courtyard shared visually with other neighbouring patios. That creates a very peaceful atmosphere, where you hear birds fluttering and feel an unexpected calm between buildings. It’s one of those little gifts we didn’t expect and fell in love with from day one.
The layout remained exactly the same, but there were things that didn’t quite work. For example, the fridge was in the dining room, which gave it a bit of a student-flat vibe. We had to completely renovate the kitchen: we removed the false ceiling to gain height, improved storage, and visually opened up the space.
Unfortunately, and very reluctantly, after several years living with the original hydraulic tile flooring, we had to replace it with parquet. We tried to preserve it as much as possible, but some areas were badly damaged and there were abrupt transitions between rooms. In the dining room, for example, there were three different types of flooring, with visible cuts from old walls that no longer existed. In total, there were five different floor types throughout the apartment, which in such a small space created a fragmented feeling that became overwhelming.
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In the end, we installed the parquet ourselves, which made the process more personal and meaningful.
Marc did almost all of the renovation work. For specific tasks, like installing the bathroom, we did hire a plumber, but everything else he handled himself.
Marc has previous experience with hands-on work, he makes each earring and bag for Élida C himself and has always been very self-taught. He took care of everything from planning to execution, learning and solving things along the way.
I have to admit that manual work isn’t really my thing… but I helped paint the walls, documented the whole process and, most importantly, kept Marc motivated. Since our old apartment was nearby, I also took care of gradually moving things over, which made the transition smoother and helped the new space start feeling like home from the beginning.
Doing it ourselves allowed us to tailor every detail to our needs and tastes, without rushing, and with a lot of care. The experience was incredibly rewarding for both of us. Even though there were moments of exhaustion and doubt, it gave us a sense of accomplishment and connection to the space. Every corner has a story, and knowing we built it with our own hands makes us live in it in a much more intimate and special way.
Marc is passionate about collecting lamps, especially desk lamps from the 1980s. That’s why we have several displayed on top of our bookshelf. We’ve also incorporated some Spanish lamps that we’ve found over the years. For example, next to the sofa we have a floor lamp designed by Guillermo Capdevila for Belux, which stands out for its ability to take on multiple positions. In the entrance area, hanging from the ceiling, we have a pair of Micro lamps designed by Eduardo Albors for the brand Lamsar in the 1970s. And above the dining table hangs the Sintesi lamp, created in 1975 by Ernesto Gismondi. As a fun fact, it was the first lamp signed by Artemide’s founder, which gives it an added symbolic value.
From the beginning, we had a very clear idea of the colours we wanted in our home, and a major inspiration was Le Corbusier’s Villa La Roche in Paris. We were fascinated by the colour palette and how it interacted with the other materials.
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At the heart of it all is the painting that hangs in our living room. It’s a piece that’s been with us since our previous apartment, and its palette, various shades of blue and orange, became a kind of guide for the rest. It helped us make very intuitive decisions, like the deep blue tone of the Palo sofa by Hem or the linen curtains made by Marc using shirting fabric.
We wanted a home that felt timeless, even with a touch of classic style, in harmony with the original architecture of the apartment. From the start, we knew that natural materials like wood, wool and linen had to play a central role.
We were also looking for functionality: we needed storage, but without sacrificing visual lightness. We wanted space for our books, but without making the place feel cluttered. We always keep in mind architects and designers we admire, like Carlo Scarpa, Gerrit Rietveld, and Charlotte Perriand. Their work, attention to detail, and ability to blend the rational with the poetic inspire us deeply. And whenever we travel, we try to visit homes by architects we love, and we adore getting lost in the National Trust heritage sites in England. We always come back with some idea or feeling that somehow finds its way into our home, which is constantly evolving.
We like to live in our home calmly, enjoying the little things. One of the things we value most is being able to keep the windows open almost all year round thanks to the Mediterranean climate. The natural light shifts with the seasons, creating a play of tones that subtly transforms the atmosphere.
Marc works from home, many Élida C pieces are created here, so he spends a lot of time in the space and really appreciates that changing light, the quiet, and the feeling of being connected to the outside.
We’re not big cooks, but I am the one who enjoys experimenting more. Even though the kitchen is small, we make the most of it. It has a tiny window, but it lets in a lot of light, and that makes cooking, though sometimes a bit laborious, feel peaceful and relaxing. A typical weekend might be Alan cooking a Galician stew, with the house filled with the smell of broth, while the rest of the day unfolds slowly.
We like to live in our home calmly, enjoying the little things. One of the things we value most is being able to keep the windows open almost all year round thanks to the Mediterranean climate. The natural light shifts with the seasons, creating a play of tones that subtly transforms the atmosphere.
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Marc works from home, many Élida C pieces are created here, so he spends a lot of time in the space and really appreciates that changing light, the quiet, and the feeling of being connected to the outside.
We’re not big cooks, but I am the one who enjoys experimenting more. Even though the kitchen is small, we make the most of it. It has a tiny window, but it lets in a lot of light, and that makes cooking, though sometimes a bit laborious, feel peaceful and relaxing. A typical weekend might be Alan cooking a Galician stew, with the house filled with the smell of broth, while the rest of the day unfolds slowly.
We like to live in our home calmly, enjoying the little things. One of the things we value most is being able to keep the windows open almost all year round thanks to the Mediterranean climate. The natural light shifts with the seasons, creating a play of tones that subtly transforms the atmosphere.
Marc works from home, many Élida C pieces are created here, so he spends a lot of time in the space and really appreciates that changing light, the quiet, and the feeling of being connected to the outside.
We’re not big cooks, but I am the one who enjoys experimenting more. Even though the kitchen is small, we make the most of it. It has a tiny window, but it lets in a lot of light, and that makes cooking, though sometimes a bit laborious, feel peaceful and relaxing. A typical weekend might be Alan cooking a Galician stew, with the house filled with the smell of broth, while the rest of the day unfolds slowly.
As featured in Issue 7 of our magazine! Purchase a copy of Issue 7
