A Minimal Madrid Home Is Sweet, Simple, and Perfect for This Small Family

Name: María Cecilia Páez Montero, my husband, and our little daughter
Location: Madrid, Spain
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 1054 square feet
Years lived in: 9 years, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We are a family of three. Zoel, our sweet 4-year-old daughter, my husband, Nando, and me, Cecilia. Nando is a video-maker and photographer and I am a lawyer (who loves photography). We love to travel more than anything and we do so frequently. I love to buy something for our home on each of our trips (Nando does the same with vinyl records). We live in what we think is one of the best parts of Madrid: in the city center but next to an ideal park when Zoel can spend the afternoons after school. We love our house because of its light and location. Also, over time while looking for inspiration and with details we have found from our trips and some DIY projects, we have created a house that makes us happy.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: A perfect combination for us

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the living room because it is the lightest one and it is where we spend most of our day as family. Also because it is, along with Zoel’s room, the one where I have spent more time and energy decorating.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? One of the last things I bought for the house is a pillow cover for the sofa I bought in the West Elm of Santa Monica this summer when we went to L.A. to meet our nephew. But the most exciting thing we have recently added to our home is the “Cestita” lamp (Santa&Cole) that Nando gave me for my last birthday.

Any advice for creating a home you love? For me, it is not worth it to stick to a trend: the trend will not last and your house will look impersonal. Create your own style, taking your time and working on it. A house has to evolve as the people who live there and show that evolution.

The responses in this submission have been edited for length and clarity.

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