Buying and renovating a house in a new country often means melding cultures, taking what you know and are familiar with and blending this with the traditions and styles of one’s adopted home. In this townhouse in Sliema, the look is Sweden meets Malta, a cultural exchange of two styles which on the face of it are quite different – one created in a cold climate where forests and lakes abound; the other formed in extreme heat and a dry, almost arid terrain – come together beautifully to create a home that really feels like a place you can kick off your shoes and relax in. Texture is a feature, from the limestone walls to the contrast between the smoothness of concrete and lightly sanded oak and the modern Maltese tiles that flow seamlessly into parquet. A scattering of vintage pieces and pops of bright colour add a lively tone, as does the large scale palm leaf wallpaper in the living room. The owners of this home, Maria and Lahcene, moved from Sweden six years ago for work reasons and are now happily settled, with Maria the owner of store Fly the Fly Vintage. They rented for a few years in Valletta before buying this rundown townhouse that was just the right size. ‘We started looking at houses in Valletta; they were beautiful but enormous and there are just the two of us,’ says Maria. ‘We saw this house and we liked it. Townhouses are not common in Sweden so that made it interesting, and we could see the potential.’ The couple had a clear idea of the style they wanted – a combination of rustic Scandi, Malta and vintage. ‘We both felt that we could create something unique, and that we were up to the challenge,’ says Maria. Joining them in their renovation adventure was spatial designer Sean Cassar of Design Hub Malta. He had already designed the Fly the Fly boutique for Maria and was commissioned to design the townhouse which is a short distance away. He took the couple’s brief and set about turning their ideas into reality, tweaking and amending where necessary. ‘He was very good at listening to what we wished for and sometimes, when it was hard to proceed with what we wanted, he found solutions,’ says Maria. One such issue was the use of wood – Maria and Lahcene’s initial thoughts blew the budget. ‘Unlike in Sweden, wood is very expensive here,’ says Maria. One solution was to use less costly wood and stain it, so creating the same effect as the more expensive material. The townhouse was originally two storeys with a basement, but Maria and Lahcene were able to put in a top floor which also gave them a roof terrace. This allowed the house to be slightly reconfigured – the second bedroom on the first floor was turned into a large ensuite bathroom consisting of both a walk-in shower and a free-standing bath. The guest bedroom moved upstairs. The townhouse also needed to be made more streamlined. On the ground floor, Sean removed an existing arch between the hallway and living room. ‘This opened up the room that otherwise felt fragmented,’ he says. Downstairs, in the basement kitchen, the floor between the kitchen and dining areas had to be evened out so the two spaces move seamlessly from one space to another – not an easy task as it meant working with concrete, parquet and tiles. ‘All three have different depth at screed level so that had to be taken into account,’ says Sean. Maximising light was crucial and this was done by creating new windows and expanding existing ones. In the living room, windows were done with modern stained glass, adding pattern and colour to the space, as well as increasing light flow. The stained glass is one of a number of clever touches that can be found throughout. Within the thick limestone walls are niches which create an interesting pattern, as well as providing places for storage, and for lit candles which create a mellow ambience. In the bathroom, the finely crafted copper taps and steel mirrors are handmade. ‘In Malta there are still craftsman who could do this – I’m not sure we could have had this done in Sweden,’ says Maria. The rebuild and renovation took two-and-a-half years and like any large project there were some testing times, but the end result a house that feels like home. ‘We are very happy,’ says Maria. ‘Some things had to change and we had to make compromises, but the house is a bit of Sweden with the spirit of Malta, just as we wanted it.’
With its feature wall of palm wallpaper, pops of bright colour, thanks to original 1970s Ligne Roset Togo sofas, and quirky accessories, the living room is a totally feel-good room. ‘We have a palm tree outside which you can see from the living room so we wanted to extend the sense of greenery, as we don’t have a lot of that in Malta,’ says Maria. Rug from Loft. Throw and Christian Lacroix cushions from Design House
Hallway
Hallway
The plastered walls of the hallway - perfect for a gallery wall - give way to the original limestone walls.
Kitchen
A major issue that had to be dealt with was humidity and in the basement water literally dripped down one wall. Today, the kitchen which leads out into the garden is one of Maria’s favourite rooms. New tiles but in a traditional Maltese pattern soften the hardness of the concrete and both work well with the oak units that have been lightly planed to keep a rustic feel
Kitchen
A major issue that had to be dealt with was humidity and in the basement water literally dripped down one wall. Today, the kitchen which leads out into the garden is one of Maria’s favourite rooms. New tiles but in a traditional Maltese pattern soften the hardness of the concrete and both work well with the oak units that have been lightly planed to keep a rustic feel
Courtyard
The outside space is small but Maria and Lahcene wanted it to work hard - and it does. As well as a seating area - the cantilevered table gives a feeling of space - there is a pizza oven and barbecue, and at the end of the courtyard, a small pool. The deck, made of iroko, cleverly conceals storage
Courtyard
The outside space is small but Maria and Lahcene wanted it to work hard - and it does. As well as a seating area - the cantilevered table gives a feeling of space - there is a pizza oven and barbecue, and at the end of the courtyard, a small pool. The deck, made of iroko, cleverly conceals storage
Dining
The table is cantilevered which allows the mid-century modern style chairs to sit cleanly beneath it. The concrete block at the end, hides niches for ice etc, and the inbuilt shelf gives added storage
Dining
The original fireplace had to be kept for budget reasons so Sean created a visually interesting frame to cover it. The table is cantilevered which allows the mid-century modern style chairs to sit cleanly beneath it. The concrete block at the end, hides niches for ice etc, and the inbuilt shelf gives added storage
Master bedroom
The cantilevered bed gives the room an airy feel which is accentuated by the amount of light. The French windows are teamed with crittal windows which were made locally. The different shades of the beams make them a feature. Cushions, throws and woollen knitted ottoman from Loft. Woollen knitted hat box from Design House
Ensuite bathroom
Oak and concrete feature here too. The copper mixers and double-sided mirrors which can be rotated were made bespoke. The two-tone concrete flooring makes for an interesting design feature. The balcony has become part of the bathroom, giving the room substantial storage
Ensuite bathroom
Oak and concrete feature here too. The copper mixers and double-sided mirrors which can be rotated were made bespoke. The two-tone concrete flooring makes for an interesting design feature. The balcony has become part of the bathroom, giving the room substantial storage
Guest Bathroom
The window of the guest bathroom was made larger to increase the light flow into the bathroom and the living room. In crittall style, it is a feature in itself