The dialed-down interior of this oceanside apartment in Cascais, Portugal speaks to its natural surrounds.
It’s not hard to see why the popular seaside town of Cascais has been favoured by Portuguese royalty and nobility since the late 1800s; it’s a scenic 20-minute drive from Lisbon, it’s surrounded by sought after surfing beaches and is backed by the Sintra mountains. The South African owners of this tranquil apartment were clearly in agreement with the royals. The town still bears the laid-back mood of its humble fishing village roots but has become a hive of cosmopolitan living with cafes, shops and restaurants lining its cobbled pavements.
Having bought the apartment unfurnished, the couple turned to Ballito, KZN based interior designer Amy Mitchell of Studio Mitchell. With an awkward column disturbing the living room layout and a vacancy of any personality whatsoever, what the property did have was views of the town’s two most spectacular natural landmarks: the dense and untamed Sintra mountains and the dramatic azure waters of the Cascais shoreline. The task was to inject a sense of this environment into the space while answering to practical needs like two extra bedrooms for their kids and an informal workspace.
“We decided to make use of all the local Portuguese artisans and suppliers rather than importing everything which helped to give the end result more of an authentic feel,” Amy explains. This she did with the help of local interior design studio Pura Cal and architecture firm Tiago Patrício Rodrigues. Portugal being the artisanal hotbed that it is, Amy looked to crafters, artists and vintage markets for furniture, textiles, ceramics, rugs, lighting and accessories.
The inconvenient column has been cleverly disguised as a room dividing mechanism, where Amy has backed the living room sofa with a work desk, formalizing this portion of the room. Taking her cue from the apartment’s views, her choice of colours spans the full range of blues, teamed with pale wood and touches of warm metallics; meanwhile the layout is clearly defined, uncluttered and gives itself over to a sense of sophisticated serenity.
LEFT: “Inspired by the glamorous bohemian coastal town of Cascais (where the project is located) I used soft teal and aqua colours to create a calming environment. Here, we commissioned a macrame wall hanging piece for the lounge which adds to the bohemian feel and also sourced a pair of vintage armchairs and recovered them in a crushed velvet fabric by Romo. I like to combine old with new to keep the interior feeling soulful. RIGHT: Coastal colour inspiration: I used an Arte wallcovering with a delicious monster motif to add textural interest to a very minimal colour palette. The sofa is from Gervasoni and is called Ghost: its slip-covered style is also quite practical to clean. I’ve added a few gold and brass items like lighting and tables for a touch of glamour.”
“One of our client’s requirements was an area where he could work. The apartment does not allow for a separate office, so we incorporated this area into the living room. Now, he can work whilst taking in the incredible ocean views. By using the column in the living room as a divider, it no longer feels awkward.”
“The winters in Portugal can be quite chilly, so we added a gas fireplace clad internally with brass. When lit, the brass adds further visual warmth to the room. We then clad the TV and fireplace wall with oak, adding some storage with built in drawers. This allowed us to add LED strip lighting behind the timber cladding, which further introduces mood to the room. The proteas are a little nod to South Africa, where the clients are from, whilst the ceramics were sourced from local artisans in Portugal.”
LEFT: “We included a handy bar cabinet in the nook at the back of the lounge. RIGHT: To further work with the warm tones of the living room, I sourced marble for the coffee table top with a brown vein in it. The two coffee tables were made locally by Pura Cal.”
“On the patio area, I opted for timber decking and a small lounge and dining area with outdoor furniture and fabrics.”
“The kitchen has views onto the Sintra mountains behind the apartment. Here, we installed high level cupboard storage and a small dining area formalised with plush banquet seating. This dining space can be used when the weather isn’t appropriate for patio dining.”
“Overlooking the ocean, the main bedroom – with an ocean inspired colour scheme much like the main living areas – features softer teals and aqua hues. I accented the colour scheme with ochre, gold and yellow tones, which also nod to the bohemian glamour of the apartment. Our client’s wife asked for a small dressing table; in the absence of sufficient space I integrated this into her bedside table by custom-making his and hers tables.”
“Areas under staircases are often underutilised, so I added a table with a dish for keys and a table lamp for evening ambiance. The space now feels more homely and considered. The existing balustrade was sprayed gold to amplify the bohemian feel. The addition of a deconstructed mosaic-look wallpaper from Romo to the staircase walls, is a nod to Portugal’s rich tile history.”
“On the top landing we mirrored the back wall, making this small area feel larger. We added a deep turquoise server for storage and a vintage golden palm lamp sourced from a local market. The tapestry on the wall is by a local Portuguese artisan. We wrapped the wallpaper used on the staircase wall onto the ceiling so that it links the two floors. It also makes the double-volume ceiling height seem less vast.”
“These rooms, used by the couple’s daughter and son, double up as guest bedrooms for guests when the children are not visiting. The daughter’s room, pictured on top, overlooks the mountains and makes use of a softer colour palette: pastel pinks, chartreuse green and mushroom browns all create a warm and feminine feel. The son’s bedroom, pictured on the bottom, uses a seaside palette. I used a heavily textured grass cloth wallpaper and a marbleised velvet headboard to add depth and a sense of luxury. The green marble table lamps add a masculine touch.”
