Plants, Sea Views & the Moroccan Touch in a Spanish Home
Every detail in this designer's home was carefully chosen and reflects her love of craftsmanship and nature.
This Barcelona flat is nothing like the warehouse full of shelves and boxes that Karima El Bertaai and her partner bought seven years ago. As an interior designer, she immediately spotted the potential of the space and set off on her most personal project, adding decorative elements from her native Morocco along the way.
We begin the tour on the terrace, the space the owners enjoy the most. It needed a serious overhaul when they first moved in.
The owners use it practically all year round to read, nap in the hammock, barbecue and entertain friends, among other things. This 30-square-metre outdoor area offers fantastic views of the sea.
The owners use it practically all year round to read, nap in the hammock, barbecue and entertain friends, among other things. This 30-square-metre outdoor area offers fantastic views of the sea.
Mint, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), strawberries and lemons are just some of the fruit trees, aromatic plants and spices the owners grow in pots.
El Bertaai is fond of craft work. For example, the tiles and sink in the photo above were handcrafted from a hollowed-out stone. The large pots on the terrace are also handmade. “They come from the south of Morocco and they are bulky and very heavy,” El Bertaai says.
El Bertaai is fond of craft work. For example, the tiles and sink in the photo above were handcrafted from a hollowed-out stone. The large pots on the terrace are also handmade. “They come from the south of Morocco and they are bulky and very heavy,” El Bertaai says.
Layout of the flat
Entering the flat, the laundry room is to the right, and the storage room to the left. Directly in front of the entrance is the large kitchen-dining room. This leads to the living room, which opens onto the terrace and is flanked by two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Entering the flat, the laundry room is to the right, and the storage room to the left. Directly in front of the entrance is the large kitchen-dining room. This leads to the living room, which opens onto the terrace and is flanked by two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The living room and the master bedroom make up a generous open space. Both have many decorative touches from Morocco.
Part of the floor is beechwood. The floorboards were sanded and then coated with a natural varnish after installation. Elsewhere, microcement reinforces the industrial aesthetic of the interior.
Part of the floor is beechwood. The floorboards were sanded and then coated with a natural varnish after installation. Elsewhere, microcement reinforces the industrial aesthetic of the interior.
The owner made some of the decorative accessories herself. For example, she made the cushions from an old kílim rug. The cane lamps are also handmade. The trunks are a family heirloom, and the vintage rug is from Morocco.
The bookcases were designed and built by Edouard Cabay of Appareil and Alejandro Rondón of Nodo architectural studios – both are friends of the owner.
The bookcases were designed and built by Edouard Cabay of Appareil and Alejandro Rondón of Nodo architectural studios – both are friends of the owner.
The master bedroom stands out for its industrial style. El Bertaai designed the velvet-lined bed herself. The lithographs are by another friend of hers, Georg Massanés.
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The en suite can also be accessed from the office-guest room. Inside, a washbasin made out of stone from Empordà (in Catalonia, Spain) and a large bath take the spotlight.
The pocket doors are a combination of wood, glass and iron. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have any doors in the home. The ones we have are always open unless we have guests,” El Bertaai says.
The pocket doors are a combination of wood, glass and iron. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have any doors in the home. The ones we have are always open unless we have guests,” El Bertaai says.
There is an additional small toilet room, with shelves inside.
The daughter’s bedroom, which has its own complete en suite, has direct access to the terrace.
The spacious kitchen-dining room is located behind the terrace-facing spaces. El Bertaai designed the table herself, and commissioned trusted carpenter Quique Carnicero Rodríguez to make it out of walnut and iron.
The dining room is the only place where El Bertaai used light pendants. “In this way, the light is ambient and warm and brings a magical touch to the spaces,” she says.
The concrete kitchen island defines the border between the dining room and kitchen.
The concrete kitchen island defines the border between the dining room and kitchen.
Metal sculptures in the form of cacti, which remind the owner of her native country, give shape to this small corner just behind the entrance.
The office-guest room is in behind the curtains in the background of this photo. “I had been in Barcelona for 18 years, since I first came here to do my final project for my degree from EINA [a private university, the University School of Design and Art of Barcelona], and visits from friends and family are very frequent,” El Bertaai says.
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Read more:
4 Spectacular Spanish House Styles You Need to Know About
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Tell us:
What do you love most about Spanish architecture?
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Flat at a Glance
Who lives here? Interior designer Karima El Bertaai, her partner – a French writer and journalist – and their daughter (18 years old)
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Size: 150 square metres inside with a 30-square-metre terrace