On the outskirts of Barcelona, an enveloping, large and charming residence, immersed in a natural park, where minimalism finds a material guise with neutral and refined nuances, becoming the starting point for an interior with a strong personality.
A residence designed to accommodate long summer holidays but also a refuge to regenerate on weekends away from the chaos of the big city: it is Casa Calma, designed by the Havital studio. Built on land within the Montnegre i El Corredor natural park, it is located on a hill outside Barcelona, high enough to enjoy fresher air than the city, without giving up views of the sea. The entire project, commissioned by two families who chose to share this villa, was designed respecting the concepts of PassivHaus, or Passive House, which provide high standards in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability.
The splendid view from the swimming pool of Casa Calma, nestled in the Montnegre i El Corredor natural park outside Barcelona.
On a surface area of 230 m2, 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a service bathroom and a large living area consisting of a kitchen, living room and closet have been created. For the coverings, a wide variety of low-impact materials and maximum sustainability solutions were chosen. An example is local lime mortar for the walls, trowelled concrete and oak parquet with natural paints for the floors, triple-glazed doors and windows (for greater thermal insulation) and two air-water heat pumps for the production of hot water.
Detail of the living area, with the triple windows opening onto the porch.
The same “natural” mood also inspired the choice of furnishings and accessories, favoring wooden furniture, linen and rope fabrics, rattan and worked straw chandeliers. Furthermore, the large windows create a continuum between the internal environments and the lush nature that surrounds the villa. In every room you can breathe a welcoming and relaxing air, starting in the living area.
The large area with the kitchen and dining table, next to the living room.
The large living room, which was conceived as a space to be shared between families, is divided into two areas. On one side there is the kitchen, with a large dining table, a wall equipped with custom-made furniture to contain all the tableware and a long light stone top, with built-in sink, hob and drawers. Dark wood for the furnishings, with the exception of the lighter chairs with straw seats, which recall the woven rope of the chandeliers.
IDEA FOR THE DINING AREA
On long summer days it is nice to linger at the table, take time and set the table with services that add a note of character, even in the simplest and most informal convivial situations. Carlo Moretti offers the Monocromo series of glass vases, which have now become a classic and are available in various colours. Mouth-blown in Murano, they are all signed and dated.
Come servizio bicchieri per acqua e liquori, RCR Cristalleria Italiana presenta la linea HB Any, che si aggiunge alla già presente Any DOF, in luxion, un cristallo ecologico riciclabile al 100%. Questi bicchieri hanno un decoro geometrico, con una fascia orizzontale che si può personalizzare con loghi. Sambonet, tra i suoi tanti servizi di posate, ha anche la linea Bloom dallo stile romantico e un po’ vintage grazie alle forme morbide e arrotondate. In stainless steel, it is available with a mirror and matt finish. Fresh and summery designs for the blue Plaza tablecloth by La DoubleJ. It is made of pure linen and available in two different sizes.
On the left, vase from the Monocromo collection by Carlo Moretti, available in two different sizes, from €398 – carlomoretti.com; on the right, glass from the Any collection by RCR Cristalleria Italiana in luxion, pack with 6 glasses €31.10 – rcrcrystal.com
On the left, cutlery from the Bloom collection by Sambonet in the matt finish, pack of 6 place settings with 24 cutlery €129 – sambonet.com; on the right, tablecloth with Plaza design by La DoubleJ in linen, from €250 – ladoublej.com
In this villa, in the large living area next to the kitchen, a room has also been created with a TV on the wall and a sofa for relaxation. It has a French door overlooking the garden, screened by soft sand-coloured natural linen curtains. Few added elements: two wooden tables, designer lamp and old-fashioned wooden blades on the ceiling.
Detail of the TV room created in the living area.
IDEA FOR THE TV ROOM/LIVING ROOM
For those who like to combine chairs and armchairs next to the sofa, Riflessi offers the new Vela model. With a tubular metal base painted with various finishes, it has an interchangeable backrest and a wide range of upholstery choices which make it very versatile. And to break up the monochrome of the floor, the new Mosaic rug from the Zig Zag collection in wool and viscose can be placed next to the sofa. Born from the collaboration between the Indian company Jaipur Rugs and the international multidisciplinary design studio DAAA Haus, the collection enhances the workmanship of Indian manufacturing with motifs taken from modern abstract art.
On the left, the new Vela armchair by Riflessi, from €488 – reflex.it; on the right, Mosaic model rug from the Zig Zag collection by Jaipur Rugs, €2,580 for the 192×292 cm model – jaipurrugs.com
The minimal style of the living room can also be found in one of the bedrooms, furnished only with the essentials: double bed without headboard, built-in wardrobe without doors and practical natural fiber storage boxes. The same ones that were used for the artisanal chandeliers,
One of the bedrooms, furnished with the bare minimum and light colours.
IDEA FOR THE BEDROOM
To add a note of color in a room with very light colours, the trio of designers Andrea Arciuolo, Cleto Luca Chieco and Silvia Dell’Orco designed Cupido for Abretio Design, a coat stand in powder-coated steel and handcrafted in Liguria. While on the bed you can add cushions from the Sohil brand by Katrin Herden. They are all different, created in an artisanal way with precious and limited edition fabrics.
On the left, Cupido coat hanger by Abretio Design, design Andrea Arciuolo, Cleto Luca Chieco and Silvia Dell’Orco, 40x40x161cm, €800 – casainteriordesign.it; on the right, Asha (grey) and Avani (orange) cushions by Sohil hand-embroidered and made with different fabrics, from €340 – sohildesign.com
Leaving the large living area you enter a porticoed area, which overlooks the garden and the swimming pool. A roof made with a wooden covering shields from direct sunlight, while a long brick sofa is softened by many natural linen cushions. The swimming pool is framed by a breathtaking landscape and the uncontaminated nature of the Montnegre i El Corredor natural park. Simple materials with low environmental impact were also chosen for the entire external area, such as wood for the porch structure and furnishings.
Detail of the porticoed area that connects the interior with the garden; on the right, the porch overlooking the swimming pool.
IDEA FOR THE PORCH AND THE POOL
The ideal furnishings for outdoor use must always be easy to transport, functional and resistant to atmospheric agents. Zara Home offers a folding table with a structure and surface in elm wood sheets and folding legs. Water resistant, it is comfortable and practical. And for a vintage note, the Amur Colors chair is designed by The Masie, with a colored steel structure, covered in synthetic rattan with a contrasting colour.
For the area around the swimming pool, Pianca produces the Levante outdoor line, consisting of a modular sofa, reclining lounger with wheels, armchairs, stools and chairs. All fabrics are removable and the tubular structures are in stainless steel. Finally, to dine outdoors even in the evening, you can choose the PC lamp designed by Pierre Charpin and produced by HAY. It is a portable LED model, made of sturdy plastic with a scratch-resistant and water-resistant finish.
Project by studio Havital – havital.es
Photo Elton Rocha
On the left, coffee table by Zara Home in elm wood and folding legs, €69.99 – zarahome.com; on the right, Amur Colors chair by The Masie, available with 3 different color combinations, pack of 4 pieces €209.95 – themasie.com
On the left, sunbed from the Levante collection by Pianca, available with different finishes, price starting from €4,043 – pianica.com; on the right, lamps from the PC collection designed by Pierre Charpin and produced by HAY, available in different colours, price starting from €109 – hay.dk
On the cover, the scenic outdoor setting of Casa Calma.
