This Colorful Spanish Apartment Is What Home Design Should Be: Fun

Federico Duarte, an art director, has been sharing this home in Valencia with his partner, Pilar, for three years. He tells us about their home and the people who live there: We are a couple based in Valencia, Spain. I’m from Argentina and Pilar, my partner, is from Malaga, Spain. We moved to Valencia in 2019 because of work. We bought this apartment in 2019 thinking it had great potential. We did some renovations without an architect, and we started living in it in March 2020.

We are in love with mid-century furniture and above all we love colors. I also do digital collages and some are printed all over the apartment — you can see them on the floor, hung on the walls, or framed in small pictures. Pilar works in a laboratory that offers different genetic tests to IVF clinics and patients. Even though she has a scientific background, she loves interior design and our eclectic tastes coincide completely. And that is reflected in our home.

We have tried to fill our spaces with unique things bought on our trips in NYC, Marrakech, Madrid, Ibiza, London, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Berlin. I also brought in some details from Buenos Aires, which I collected during all the years I worked there as an art director.

As I mentioned, I work as an art director in advertising and movies, and my particular taste is what I bring to every project. I need my apartment to reflect my own way of decor, and the little details should be inspiring. I consider myself to be a fun person, and I want to be surrounded by stuff that makes me happy.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or fewer: An eclectic, colorful, vintage, spacious apartment.

What is your favorite room and why? Our favorite spot is the kitchen that opens up into the living room. We designed an iron-and-glass enclosure to separate the kitchen from the living area that can be open or closed depending on if we have friends over. It took us some time to design it and find a local blacksmith to build it!

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? An armchair that we bought in Ibiza in the incredible store SLUIZ.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time to search for furniture and decor, and don’t rush to solve every space. Things appear at the right moment — trust yourself!

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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