When faced with a renovation most would run from, designers Enrique Ventosa and Ana Arana of design house Plutarco saw nothing but potential. To them, this Madrid villa's dilapidated appearance was merely hiding architectural gems that would later be uncovered and blended into a modernist masterpiece.
"We found the building in a deplorable state. It had been abandoned for many years, and the floors were built halfway up the windows, so it was very important for us to treat it as a blank canvas where we could build and reimagine the spaces from scratch," the designers say.
To begin their journey, research was fundamental. But not into Madrid's architectural scene alone. Enrique and Ana wanted to draw inspiration from the 1935 period as a whole, resulting in a design for this modern home moulded by a much broader European style.
"We researched what other modernist villas were being built at the same time in different parts of the world, to understand and connect with the era in which this house was born," says Ana. The results echo throughout the design. From the terrazzo kitchen flooring reminiscent of Milanese palazzi, to the more utilitarian Scandinavian splashback, this melting pot of design influences comes together in total harmony.
Contemporary red railings frame a modern circular door motif.
Image credit: Germán Saiz. Design: Plutarco
A turning room divider adapts the space to suit the mood.
Image credit: Germán Saiz. Design: Plutarco
Of course, there are certain advantages to stripping a building back to its core structure and feeling the freedom of an undefined floor plan. As designers Ana and Enrique explain, "the house opens onto two courtyards, one of which is a private street and the other a very large interior courtyard, a very unusual structure in Madrid. This spaciousness and privacy were key in deciding that the living area should be located in the lounge, in a quiet and peaceful space on both sides."
To make this central space feel flexible and versatile, the designers decided to play with multi-functional room dividers. "The movable screen plays an important role," says Ana. "During the day, it functions as a tiled wall, and at night or when you want to change the atmosphere, it can be turned around to reveal a mirror. Behind it is a piece of art by Xevi Sola, one of our favourite artists from the Alzueta gallery, who always supports us."
Comfortable bespoke dining chairs were a priority for the main social space.
Design-led as this project was, the Spanish art of socializing had to work hand in hand with any design choices. This central living space was to be a place of comfort and connection; that much was non-negotiable.
"We love to think of the dining room as a social space, where there is time and space to stay and chat. That's why we connected it directly to the living room, allowing for different scenarios. We believe that this connection between rooms is key to making the space feel changeable."
The designers' social concerns extend to the furniture, too — particularly its comfort. "We designed the dining room furniture ourselves. The chairs are called Escote, because of their obvious shape, and the idea was that they should be super comfortable, so that you could spend long periods of time after dinner," says Enrique. "We love to think of the dining room as a social space, where there is time and space to stay and chat."
To this duo, aesthetics are nothing without the furniture to enjoy them in. The villa is scattered with indulgent, comfortable seating options. Whether that be the deep private upper floor STV striped sofa, designed by the duo for Rabadán, or the wide bespoke upholstered dining chairs.
According to Ana, "the blue lower floor sofa by Arflex was essential. We wanted it to be very cozy and very soft." Part of the iconic Strips collection for Italian furniture design house Arflex, the Strips sofa design was originally formed in the late 1960s by Italian designer Cini Boeri. This one-armed variation features the brand's comforting steel-blue Swing col.02 fabric, adding a calming meditative shade that contrasts with the terracotta high-gloss vaulted ceiling.
Enrique and Ana chose a high gloss finish for their vaulted ceilings to reflect light around the room.
As the project progressed, it became clear to designers Enrique and Ana that the villa's ceilings weren't truly representative of the building's construction period.
"Ceilings are very important to us, so we decided to build vaults, a feature widely used at that time, and we opted for high gloss to better reflect the light."
Upstairs, the ceiling motif continues in the villa's most private area — the living space and accompanying dressing room. Enrique explains, "A small study leads to the dressing room, inspired by a Japanese temple, with a conical ceiling and grid-patterned wood paneling. We wanted the bedroom to convey a sense of tranquillity."
"We always say that dark colors embrace you, which is why the vaulted ceiling is midnight blue, with integrated light bulbs that look like stars and a constellation hand-painted by Jesús Colmenero."
The vaulted ceilings continue upstairs with a grounding midnight tone and hand-painted constellation design.
Of course, the beauty of this project lies in the detailed blend between its traditional architecture and contemporary finishes: the vaulted ceiling design coated in a high-gloss finish; warm cherrywood kitchen cabinets that glow red from a nearby crimson vinyl-draped door; the oak-paneled dressing room ceiling that frames curved modern chestnut-brown built-in storage. So much of the blending is accomplished through the materials themselves, as opposed to their individual design, as Enrique explains.
"In the kitchen, mixing materials is essential. We worked with five main ones. Two types of wood: cherry, for its reddish tone, avoiding the usual oak, and pine stained dark blue, an experiment with a new Danish material; a terrazzo island, specially made for this project; a floor of another type of terrazzo reminiscent of the portals of Milan, and blue tiles with red grouting."
Mixed materials come together to form a pan-European kitchen design, including a Milanese terrazzo floor and bespoke worktops.
This meticulous blend continues upstairs with "green-stained wood and circular glass blocks leading to the bathroom through a curved door. The curve, very present throughout the house, softens the lines and avoids aggressive angles," says Ana. "In the bathroom, curved cubicles separate the shower and toilet, and the terrazzo floor unifies the whole space, while the Chinese marble and elm root wood washbasin cabinet completes the look."
Ana continues, "We also introduced more contemporary pieces, such as the lamp by Ingo Maurer and the work by Iván Franco, which, although it looks like a photograph, is actually done by hand in pencil. We loved that surprise effect."
"In the dining room, we have two clear architectural references: the vaulted ceiling with mouldings, inspired by Robert Mallet-Stevens' work at Villa Cavrois, and the mixture of marbles, which can be seen above all on the staircase and banister, reminds us very much of the entrances to Piero Portaluppi's villas in Italy in the 1930s, with their combinations of marbles and banisters with oculi and circles."
Ana and Enrique's way of decorating with red brings depth and mood to each space. Grounded by darker tones and fresh blues, it never overwhelms the space, as Ana illustrates.
"We really like red, but always in controlled touches: what is called Unexpected Red. The rest we keep more neutral, with a light blue reminiscent of the sky that blends in with the exterior. Hence, also the high-gloss blue ceiling, which creates continuity with the outside."
Even the vegetation plays into the crimson pattern come autumn. "Vegetation was another important point: we wanted to create a small climatic oasis that would help during the harshest times of the year. We planted a Virginia creeper that will cover the wall, turn red in autumn, and sprout again in summer, along with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous species so that the space changes with the seasons."
The villa's high gloss vaulted ceilings frame bespoke terrazzo storage solutions.
Outside, an urban Mediterranean oasis awaits — little more would be expected of an interior this idyllic. The designers' socially-focused design continues with two seated areas, one casual and the other a more formal neutral-toned table and chair set, framed by towering greenery and contrasting ceramic floor and wall tiles. Not forgetting, of course, the covered outdoor pool, glazed in deep moss green tiles.
"In the garden, the idea was also to combine unexpected elements: a striped tiled floor, a green mosaic tile swimming pool, and a barbecue area with 10x10 blue tiles," says Enrique. "We like the fact that this space promotes calm: the side wall covered with vegetation and the virgin vine create a green screen that brings tranquillity. The pool was another important part of the project, a recreational space for cooling off and socialising. We love having people over, using the house, enjoying the common areas, and having large tables for outdoor living."
A far cry from traditional, Plutarco's villa design breathes new life into what was a tired structure, without forgetting its heritage.
The duo pay tribute to the architecture of the building, and of the architectural period as a whole, but celebrate it with fresh eyes. Stucco is replaced with modern high-gloss finishes, chandeliers are swapped for minimalist glass lighting fixtures. It's a blend of then and now, underpinned by a strong social and practical focus.
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