A “Haunted” 860-Square-Foot Casita in Spain Gets a Colorful Second Life

Antonio Montilla isn’t scared of ghosts. “I’m intrigued by strange things,” admits the Spanish-born, London-based architect and furniture designer, who put his spooky side on show last year when scouting around for a pied-à-terre in Marbella, Spain. “The estate agent called it the ‘Horror House,’” he says of his current abode. “Apparently no one would spend longer than five minutes inside.” So obviously, he set out to be the exception. The longer-than-five-minute search paid off, because it gave him time to recognize that the 860-square-foot property was, in fact, great. It was located in a charming 1980s complex and was surrounded by lush vegetation and huge lakes.

What wasn’t quite so great was the interior, which, as he recalls, was dark, dank, and infested with giant mosquitoes. “But I fell in love with the pretty views and weird layout, and knew right away that I could make something special out of it,” remembers the designer, who moved to London in the 2000s and took up jobs as an ice cream man, an assistant at Hugo Boss, and as architect and designer at IDL Group—in that order—before starting his own furniture and decor company, Montilla. As Antonio explains, the move to London was career-worthy, but it fulfilled his mind more than his heart, and that in due course, he felt a desire to return to his roots, even if only for a few months each year. “I felt like I needed a place [back home] where I could safely leave a piece of myself behind,” he reflects. This home, it turned out, was that place.

“The kitchen and dining area are definitely the heart of the home,” says Antonio, and it’s clear he isn’t just talking about their placement. With an emerald tile backsplash, warm timber millwork, and a clay chandelier by Kyiv-based Clayp, the collective space doubles as a haven for entertaining. The dining table, Antonio notes, is a particular curiosity. “It was made by a family member to beautifully echo the arched doors,” he says. As for the other furniture, everything is from Montilla, because as Antonio puts it, “Why buy anything when you can make everything?”