This Art Deco-Era Lisbon Apartment Feels Like an English Cottage

Adrienne Breaux
·6 min read
Grey couches around wood coffee table, tv on wooden console, framed art on gray wall
Green white striped vintage chairs around wooden table, white book shelf against gray wall
Green couch next to grey couches, wooden console with sculptures on it, and framed art on gray wall
White cabinets, wood countertops, lights underneath cabinets, gray chairs at small wood table on red rug, and gray walls
Blue couch, white cabinets, wood countertops, brass pendant light, and framed art on gray wall
White cabinets, wood countertops, lights underneath cabinets, and gray wall
Teacups in white cabinet, espresso maker, pile of stones on plate, and white window
Foldout chairs with pillows at wooden table, white pendant lamp over, and colorful rug underneath
Foldout chairs around wood table under pendant lamp and green wall
Scarf wrapped around chair on white and red rug, in front of big windows
Green chair with wooden arms at wooden table next to big windows
Wooden closet doors, black rug, bed with white bedding, stacks of books on chair, and pink walls
Bed with floral print bedding with hanging bulb lamps over it, stacks of books on nightstand and chair, and dusty pink wall
Bed with floral print bedding with hanging bulb lamps over it, wooden ladder against wooden bookshelf, and pink walls
Wooden bookshelf next to white door, wooden figurine on stack of books on wood stool, and pink wall
Wood/white metal chair at small wood desk, colorful rug behind it, stack of books on small bench, and pink walls
Wooden cabinets and two white bowl sinks, long wood-framed mirror, cat laying on bath mat, grey walls
Wooden cabinets, white bowl sink, and colorful art on grey walls
Floorplan of Lisbon residence
Thanks, Paula and Antoine! Credit: Courtesy of Paula Franco Credit: Courtesy of Paula Franco

ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Apartment

LOCATION: Lisbon, Portugal

STYLE: Art Deco, Eclectic, Parisian

BEDROOMS: 3

SQUARE FEET: 1560

Paula Franco is the founder of Luz Editions, a handmade homewares brand, and also has a passion for real estate. “I bought my first apartment on my own when I was 25,” Paula, who is from Paris but has lived in Lisbon for 20 years, begins. “Without even thinking of buying or changing, I set up alerts on the Idealista website, which lists properties for sale all over the country.”

Woman sitting at desk with desktop computer and art on big windows

“At the time, I received an alert featuring this apartment, but my husband kept saying he didn’t want to invest, and in fact the apartment got an offer before I could visit it,” continues Paula, who’s husband Antoine Blanchys is a business and leadership mentor for high-level executives.

Foldout chairs with pillows at wooden table, white pendant lamp over, and colorful rug underneath

“Then, three months later, I received an alert that this ‘favorite was back on the market, and I saw it as a sign that I should go and visit it. It was love at first sight. The architecture of the building is Art Deco, so as soon as you enter, you’re greeted by marble everywhere and a majestic staircase in exotic wood.”

Bed with floral print bedding with hanging bulb lamps over it, stacks of books on nightstand and chair, and dusty pink wall

The couple purchased this 1,560-square-foot apartment six years ago, and Paula says the space reminded her of Parisian apartments — it has long corridors, high ceilings, an original, untouched fireplace, a garden, and beautiful architectural moldings.

Green chair with wooden arms at wooden table next to big windows

Paula says the previous owner of the apartment is a “heritage curator for the city of Lisbon,” and while they had made some improvements, they had also kept much of the historical charm in place.

Gray chair with stack of books on it, circular mirror, wooden ladder against wooden bookshelf, and pink walls

“For me, there’s nothing worse than thinking I’m visiting an old apartment and finding myself faced with something old whose every trace has been erased: the moldings, the hydraulic cements on the floors, or the parquet transformed into waxed concrete,” Paula admits. “I think we’re passersby of history and heritage, so if you don’t like anything old, why not just buy new?”

Grey couches around wood coffee table, tv on wooden console, framed art on gray wall

While there was plenty of historical charm, the couple did need to make some updates themselves. “We worked on creating larger spaces by knocking down walls that no longer made sense in this day and age. This created a large living space that brings together kitchen, dining room, and general living space,” explains Paula, who also cited wanting to let more light in as a reason for their light renovations.

Foldout chairs around wood table under pendant lamp and green wall

But perhaps some of the most impactful updates were with paint instead of power tools. “First of all, all the walls have color. We came from an apartment where everything was white and we were saturated,” Paula admits. “As we envisaged the apartment as having an English cottage feel to it (not least because of the fireplace), we wanted to give it a certain style, which meant using paint.”

Resources

Stack of books on chair, circular mirror on wall, wooden ladder against shelf, and dusty pink wall

PAINT & COLORS

  • Living Room/Dining Room/Corridor — CIN “Café com Leite #1620”

  • Vera’s Bedroom — CIN “Rose breeze #E718”

  • Office — CIN “Sage green #E725”

  • Primary Bedroom — CIN “Nude #E687”

  • Bathrooms — CIN “Bauhaus #E922”

Framed art along hallway wall, rugs with colorful designs on floor, and wooden dresser on grey wall

ENTRY

  • Barber Cabinet — ​Vintage

Two grey chairs on red rug, brass pendant lamp hanging over, and gray walls

LIVING ROOM

  • Turquoise Sofa — BoConcept

  • Beige Sofa — Vintage ’60s

  • Cushions — AM-PM

  • TV Bench — IKEA Vintage

  • Coffee Table — Vintage

Green and white vintage chairs around wooden dining table on green and reg rug, white bookshelf, and gray wall

DINING ROOM

  • Table and Chairs  — Vintage

  • Bookcase — Pura Cal

  • Pendant Light — AM-PM

  • Moroccan Rug

White cabinets, wood countertops, lights underneath cabinets, and gray wall

KITCHEN

  • Custom Kitchen — Portuguese Brand

  • Scandinavian Armchair — Vintage

  • Table — Vintage

  • Moroccan Rug

Bed with floral print bedding with hanging bulb lamps over it, and dusty pink wall

BEDROOM

  • Bed — IKEA

  • Mirror — Vintage Art Deco

Wooden cabinets and two white bowl sinks, long wood-framed mirror, cat laying on bath mat, grey walls

BATHROOM

  • Industrial Lamps — Vintage

Thanks, Paula and Antoine!

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

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