08/10/2026
There’s something happening in Marbella that genuinely breaks my heart as an interior designer…
Beautiful traditional Andalusian properties — full of character, craftsmanship and history — are being stripped of the very details that make them special.
Original tiles ripped out. Timber beams covered or painted over. Arches squared off. Traditional doors replaced. Character removed in the pursuit of making everything feel “contemporary”.
And I have to ask… why?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with contemporary design. But if you want a completely clean-lined, contemporary home, there are plenty of incredible properties on the Costa del Sol designed exactly that way.
When you choose a traditional Andalusian property, I believe its architecture should be honoured, not erased.
That doesn’t mean your home has to feel old-fashioned. Far from it.
You can introduce beautiful contemporary furniture, sculptural lighting, modern artwork and cleaner finishes while allowing the original architecture to remain the soul of the property. In fact, I think that contrast can create something far more interesting than simply ripping everything out and starting again.
I recently watched a renovation where beautiful original details were being removed one by one, and it genuinely made my heart sink. Once those details disappear, they’re incredibly difficult — and sometimes impossible — to authentically recreate.
I’d much rather work with the building: restore the original tiles, celebrate the beams, keep the arches, source heritage pieces and introduce contemporary elements thoughtfully around them.
Modernise it. Refine it. Make it work for modern life. But don’t erase its soul.
I’m an interior designer based in Marbella, working across the Costa del Sol and beyond. If you have a traditional property and want to create something beautiful while respecting the architecture that made you fall in love with it in the first place, please get in touch.
InteriorDesignMarbella SpanishArchitecture TraditionalInteriors HeritageInteriors LuxuryInteri
