The Basque Country is a place of rich cultural heritage and stunning architecture, and it's no wonder that interior designer Lorenzo Castillo and his client, Cristina Lozano, found inspiration in this region for their latest project. Their collaboration, a typical timber house in the Basque Country, showcases their unique creative vision and attention to detail. With a focus on antiques, contemporary art, and a passion for fashioning beauty, they transformed a 19th-century oak chimneypiece and overmantel mirror into a stunning focal point for their design. This piece, carved with shells, crabs, fish, and marine miscellany, sets the tone for a cozy and inviting space.
The house, with its half-timbered façade and gently sloping roofs, had a noble architecture that called for a thoughtful renovation. Lozano's decision to upscale from a smaller holiday house to this larger one was driven by her love for entertaining and her desire to accommodate family and friends. The house now features 17 beds divided among seven bedrooms, ensuring plenty of space for everyone.
The design process was a collaborative effort, with Castillo translating Lozano's requests into reality. They sourced fabrics, furniture, and decorative objects from all over the world, creating a fresh update on classicism. The dining room, for example, features verre églomisé wall panels and bamboo chairs, while the drawing room showcases a carved wooden chimneypiece and an oversized rattan lampshade.
The house is designed to be functional year-round, with spaces that can be remodelled to accommodate different seasons. The warmer, cosier drawing room and dining room upstairs are perfect for spring and autumn, while the focus shifts downstairs and outside in the summer, with a garden-level wraparound veranda that follows the course of the midday and afternoon sun.
Lozano's passion for textiles and fabrics is evident throughout the house, with a mix of Gastón y Daniela fabrics and Nathalie Farman-Farma at Décors Barbares. The use of English country-house style and a love of English country-house style in the design has provided inspiration for another of their recent projects, a hotel in the heart of Menorca's capital, Mahón.
The collaboration between Castillo and Lozano has resulted in a stunning and unique space that showcases their creative vision and attention to detail. Their passion for antiques, contemporary art, and fashioning beauty has created a house that is both functional and beautiful, a perfect place for making memories.
