Mansarda Estrela
Attic for touristic business
A small attic is in one of the most picturesque corners of Lisbon, near Estrela Park, to be used for touristic purposes. A modest room with a tiny bathroom had to be turned into a cozy nest, designed to attract tourists to settle under this roof of an old house to enjoy beautiful views from the balcony. The attic was to become not only comfortable, but also to reflect the features of traditional Portuguese culture. Moreover, the apartments should have stood out from the others being leased, that is, to leave a bright unforgettable impression.
Project Details
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Type: Residential
Area: 40 sq.m
Photo: Irene Konova
Natasha Kvitko
A serious obstacle to this goal was the bathroom, which was so small that it could not even accommodate a washbasin.
It was decided to increase the size of the bathroom, but at the same time it was impossible to disrupt the complicated order of the existing numerous beams, and it was also undesirable to absorb the already modest area of the living room. “Aquarium”-type bathroom was thought of, pushed under the roof between the beams. Glass walls with complex geometry made possible to increase the size of the bathroom to a comfortable size without absorbing space, but instead made the living room visually more spacious, airy, more interesting.
"Aquarium" was supposed to be the brightest and most spectacular place in the apartment. To enhance the intrigue, it was decided to use a non-trivial color solution: green tile Aleluia Ceramicas Portugal + terracotta pink matte sink Valadares Portugal.
To keep Alma Portuguesa — the Portuguese soul in the updated mansarda and to bring national flavor, two antique original pieces of furniture were selected.
A console with a marble countertop was selected among antique goods. In Portugal, such consoles are put traditionally in the hallway, but in this project, after careful restoration, the wooden console appeared in the bathroom and was combined with a minimalistic sink by the Portuguese brand Valadares. Sink faucets with a noble bronze coating from the Portuguese manufacturer Bruma from its X-Alfa collection, also in the minimalist style.
Along the perimeter of the glass wall, a set of dense soft curtains was fixed, which allow you to hide what is happening in the bathroom from prying eyes, but if you wish, you can enjoy the views of the roofs and gardens of the city while taking a shower.
The second antique item in the attic was the carved wooden headboard. In combination of a new bed with a traditional headboard, the apartments acquired a special touch without losing comfort.
A small round table and chairs are transparent, so they have this in common with the glass wall and do not clutter up the space.
On the opposite side of the window is the chair "Butterfly", this style icon, created back in 1938, is made of 100% leather.
On the balcony there is a set of furniture that is suitable for use both inside and outside. Poufs Knit Curver Israel looks as if they are covered with soft knitwear, although in fact they are made of high-quality plastic. Such furniture is pleasant to touch, durable, easy to clean. With their forms, pouffes and a table do not overlap the perspective viewed from the room. The color completely matches the color of the curtains in the bathroom, neutral beige - does not attract attention, but at the same time creates a cozy atmosphere.
