A Light-Filled Barcelona Apartment Was Once a “Space in Ruin”

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Home Type
Bedrooms
Square feet

1291

Sq ft

1291

White living room with white sofa, wood floors, and large bookshelves with view into home workspace area
Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

Alícia Salvà Roura, her husband, and their two children have owned this apartment in Barcelona for 12 years: We bought our home, which was a space in ruin. My husband and a friend of his, who are very handy men, reformed it in some months. We are very proud of our home, as it has been reformed and designed by ourselves. We redistributed the space so we transformed one of the bedrooms into the kitchen-dining room. The natural light, the big windows that face the east, the big space, and the decorative moldings caught our attention. The space has a lot of potential and the apartment is situated in a very beautiful and quiet quarter.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

I’m Catalan from the countryside and my husband, Paul, is French from Lyon, but we have lived in Barcelona for 12 years. We have a 12-year-old son called Damià and an 8-year-old son called Arià. We love spending time at home, especially in wintertime, as we love our home. I’m a teacher and my husband is an industrial engineer.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

I love Scandinavian style because the white color predominates and that’s why our home is decorated in light colors. I couldn’t live in a dark-decorated space. I also love wood materials and that’s why we have a parquet floor that we bought in France, and also some vintage furniture in wood.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

Describe your home’s style in five words or fewer: Cozy, bright, and spacious.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite space is the kitchen-living room, as it’s very cozy and big. It’s a multifunctional space where I love cooking Spanish and French dishes. It’s also the place where all the family gets together.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A small wooden chest of drawers to keep things.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

Any advice for creating a home you love? It’s important to create a space that is personally decorated. I couldn’t let anyone else decorate my apartment, as it would be something impersonal.

Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura

Thanks, Alícia!

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

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Credit: Alícia Salvà Roura