Linda loves interior design in Spain

The MiMove blog met up with interior decorator Linda who used her knowledge of design in Spain. She designed the family’s home in Marbesa and has set up her own business.

My husband, John, went down on his own to look for houses for sale in the area of Marbella and fell in love with the town of Marbesa directly. There is quite a large Spanish population and the Spanish architecture is kept intact. The area is nice and tranquil and is located a little to the east of Marbella with a lovely beach and cosy restaurants. It is also not far from the airport, a fact that was important to us.

Rented first

We rented a house a summer in Spain. We had a great time and loved it but thought it was quite expensive. Then we got the idea to buy, why pay someone else when you can own a house yourself?

We did some research and discussed different countries but reached the conclusion that Spain has the best climate if you don’t wish to travel too far from Northern Europe. Also, at the time (in 2013) the prices were still very good, so we considered it to be an investment. There is always a risk when doing something new, perhaps we wouldn’t like it and needed to sell up.

John had an estate agent contact he went down to meet. Beforehand, we had put together a list of properties from his website that we wanted to view. However, when John arrived there was only one property on the list he could look at, the rest were rented out, or already sold. It was so frustrating. Of course, you want to use your time wisely when you are property hunting and live in a different country.

Authentic Spain

But while John was down in Spain the estate agent got some more properties for sale and he tried to find something in the vicinity of Marbella city. We wanted to buy in an authentic area and not necessarily in the most popular ones. We didn’t want to be further away from the airport than 30 minutes. And we also wanted to be on the beach side of the big road and be within walking distance to the sea. The estate agent said he had a house in Marbesa he wanted to show John.

It felt right, as soon as John entered the house. Many properties he had looked at smelled from damp but this one didn’t. It is built in 1974 so the house had settled properly. We just knew it was a good property for us. There is a smallish garden and a private pool, perfect for us. The house is very well laid out and John saw the potential to make it ours with just a smallish renovation and some design in Spain.

Move later

The house is a perfect holiday home, but we now dream about living there, at least for half a year or so. But not until the children are big enough so they can choose for themselves. The children are Estelle 9, Noak 5 and Caesar 13. I think there are some years before we can make the move.

We ended up gutting the house. We were very fortunate to find a builder through our neighbour. Since he is a local builder, I think we got a better price. We also got some other estimates from English speaking builders and they were all more expensive. I think it is important to get several estimates and compare, especially when being in a new country. Otherwise it is tricky to know what is normal and what is not. The opportunity to do some of your own design in Spain is so much fun so it is well worth it.

Design in Spain

We have changed the kitchen, the flooring, redecorated the interior and replaced two out of three bathrooms. We have had a good experience and the builders have helped us with all the rules and regulations. They have been very helpful.

Interior design in Spain is a lot of fun. Not just in Spain, of course. I love it everywhere. I am a trained interior designer and I run a consultancy company. For me it has been great fun to design our Spanish house. I have made some bolder choices than I would at home and I have made sure to get the Andalucian touch wherever possible. I loved picking the tiles and the flooring while we renovated. There are so many beautiful things at really good prices. Design in Spain is different and I love mixing and matching different styles.

The first time we came down we stayed a few nights in a hotel and ordered some items from IKEA in order to have beds and kitchen utensils to start with. And since IKEA in Malaga offers an assembly service everything was in place within a day. The rest of the interior has taken more time. It does take a while to get to know a new place, and with the heat and the sun I think we needed that time. So, to get the design in Spain the way I wanted it has taken a little longer.

Challenges and possibilities

During the years we have found many great places to buy interior design but there are of course less shops than in a big city, like London or even Stockholm. It is also a little tricky to order online as our house isn’t our main residence and the goods have to be delivered before we leave again. There are some challenges, but they are mainly due to us not living here full time. If we did I am sure we would know everything, and it would be easier, we would see more opportunities.

I think lighting is the most important aspect when I design. A rule of thumb is 5-7 light sources in each room. High and low. Spotlighting is imperial. We make the interior come alive when we use light to, for example, highlight an object and make it a focal point, perhaps a painting or a bowl.

Lots of natural light in Spain

In Spain there is a lot more of the natural light than in Northern Europe. Use the natural light as your starting point and plan your light sources from there. We have mainly focused on the outdoor lighting as we spend most of our time outdoors. I just love candle light, especially on dark nights. Lanterns in different styles go a long way outdoors. Why not take lots of them in different sizes and place them around your patio?

Colours are also very important for our wellbeing. I love colours and wallpaper. I have gone off white a bit, as I find it dull. Too much white may also make us more tired. Darker colours tend to calm us while strong, vibrant colours tend to spark our creativity. In Spain I think it looks nice with vibrant colours, it suits us when the sun is shining, and everyone is in a good mood!

Dare to use wallpaper

Also, remember that lighter colours make us perceive a space as bigger and darker colours smaller. Painted ceilings are in fashion and there you might want to keep the same thing in mind with the light and dark colours. There are also fantastic wallpaper styles with palm trees, parrots and jungle motifs, and I think it just right for Spain. Dare to use wallpaper! It certainly makes a difference.

We haven’t done much to the structure of the house in general. Since redoing the inside of the house during the first year we have repaired the pool, laid new outdoor tiles and repainted the exterior of the house. It used to be yellow but is now white. I didn’t think it would make much of a difference, but it did. It looks clean and nice, but we miss the yellow. To me yellow is more Spanish and genuine and if we repaint the house I would want to go back to yellow again.

As Scandinavians we have an unmet need for sun and light and I believe it is important to figure out where the sun hits your house and your garden. It is hot during the summers but in winter it is so nice to have a sun-drenched patio or pool area. In Spain, there are also often shade close to the house, so there is always the opportunity to hide from the sun should you need to. But if you can, I do think you should look for a property with lots of sun.

New career path

I have worked for many years in web advertising but after 12 years with the same company I wanted to do something else. It was actually in Spain that I got the idea to start working with interior design. I thought about a way to bring all the lovely Spanish pottery back to Sweden and sell there. However, after my training I realised that it was interior design and helping people that attracts me the most.

A year ago I set up Lilja Deco AB and it has taken off to a really good start. I live my dream now!

Work with interior design in Spain

When I took the leap of faith to leave a steady job to train as an interior designer, I also thought of the possibility of working in Spain and that motivated me even more. It would perhaps enable us to move to Spain when we want or at least stay longer stretches of time, as I obviously can do this anywhere. To design in Spain professionally would be fantastic. It may be a bit harder to get clients in Spain but if I just get started I am sure word of mouth would be the best way to market my services, just like in Sweden.

We are about 300 metres from the beach as the crows flies but we have to walk through a small pine forrest to get there and that takes us about 7 minutes. It is a lovely and well needed walk each day.

Marbesa is located about 10 – 15 minutes by car from Marbella town. The area is family friendly and has a long and wide beach with fine sand and clear water. On the beach there is always something to do and play with. If the children aren’t swimming they build sand castles or eat melon in the shade. In our area there are also many nice hotels and beach clubs we often visit.

No regrets

My best recommendation is to dare to buy a property in Spain. You will not regret it! If you have small children, it is great to spend time in one spot and it will give you memories for life.

You get there and jump into your shorts that are already in the closet. The holiday can start, the minute you arrive. The light and warmth are great for our body at any age.