Elle Decor Spain: April 2025
The house was in excellent condition, so their new project focused on giving it a new, more contemporary decor that would suit the tastes and sensational style of its new tenants.
BY GEMA MARCOS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUIS NOBRE MARCOS
Just 45 minutes from Lisbon and nestled in the Sintra National Forest, this house with a garden and a modern pool , surrounded by beautiful nature, was built in the 1960s and today still maintains its original architecture practically intact. Modern and warm at the same time, with wooden ceilings and some stone walls, its new decoration project is the work of interior designer Alicia Murphy : " The house was already in excellent condition , so we focused on furnishing and creating layers in the interiors to provide comfort, style, and personality. The goal was to stay true to the spirit of the house, while imbuing it with the family's sensibilities." The result is a rustic-modern country house , staged with brilliant designer furniture and spectacular art. This is its story...
"We remained faithful to the spirit of the house, while imbuing the family's sensibility."
The house with a garden and pool is a 1960s structural gem designed by renowned Portuguese architect Francisco da Conceição Silva , a key figure in Portuguese modern architecture of the time. Spanning 300 square meters , it features five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and multiple social spaces, including a modern dining room and a spectacular living room. It was the ideal place for its new owners, an American family of six who moved from the Hamptons to Portugal and whose lifestyle revolves around entertaining and travel: "It was important to create a home that was welcoming and functional, with spacious living areas that allowed for gatherings and also acted as a haven of peace. We didn't change the layout, which was solid and well-planned. We also kept distinctive architectural details , such as the sunken living room, the beautiful double-height stone fireplace, and the high ceilings and Brazilian wood paneling . We wanted to celebrate the authenticity of the house," says Alicia Murphy, who enhanced the circulation and spatial fluidity by implementing an excellent furniture layout and careful lighting.
B&B Italia sofa and Cassina table by Monc XIII.
Next to the fireplace, Dmitry & Co. sofa and vintage coffee table.
Vintage chairs by Lawson & Fenning.
Sofa by B&B Italia and rug by ABC Home. Tables by Cassina, at Monc XIII.
The dining chairs are CB2, the rug is by Lulu & Georgia, and the ceiling light is by SkLO. The wall art is by Aurelien Serre and can be found at his booth at Marché Serpette.
For the new decor, Alicia used materials linked to contemporary architecture and the rural world: linens, wools, woods, and stones evoke the house's original palette. The idea was to combine patinated vintage pieces with new furniture, creating a lived-in , contemporary, and rural atmosphere. A proposal that was complemented by the relaxing, neutral color palette and a focus on light. But what added the wow factor was undoubtedly the art and the way the paintings were hung on the walls . A collection of works by David Scheer, Petros Koublis, and Giorgio Pasqualetti brought personality and dynamism to the interiors, creating a dialogue between Portugal and the Hamptons, in New York State, where the family is from.
Furniture by Reform and kitchen by LaCanche.
The wall stone is Portuguese Calacuta from Tons de Pedra. The table is from Junto Wood in Lisbon, and the chairs are vintage.
Alicia explains that the real challenge of the project was the record time it took to complete it : "We had just eight weeks to furnish and decorate the house. We wanted to bring furniture from New York to Portugal , and flexibility and ingenuity were essential. We relied on close relationships with suppliers, warehouse stock, and a search for valuable vintage objects to assemble a container in record time. This limitation ultimately spurred unexpected creativity, resulting in a more personal home with authentic character," explains Alicia Murphy. Today, the family is sure to enjoy a unique space to accumulate the best memories in Portugal.
Wall painting by Portola Lisboa. Bed and nightstands by CB2, and lighting by Normo Portugal.
Wall painting by Portola Lisboa. Bed and nightstands by CB2, and lighting by Normo Portugal.
Interior designer Alicia Murphy.
