Barcelona Houzz Tour: An Art Collector's Grand Apartment
Art Nouveau, contemporary art and luxurious entertaining spaces evoke an elegant, bygone era in this Spanish apartment
When art and finance advisor Álex Zanfaño’s loft didn’t have enough wall space for his contemporary art collection, he moved to a new home on the second floor of a majestic Art Nouveau building in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Spain. The apartment, where he lives and works, and its spacious terrace are perfect for entertaining friends, hosting clients and, of course, exhibiting his extensive art collection.
The apartment features the Art Nouveau elements characteristic of buildings in Barcelona’s Eixample district: high ceilings with mouldings and rosettes, hydraulic-tile floors, sunrooms at both ends of the apartment and a sizeable entrance hall – pictured here – that divides the home in two.
Iconic art pieces stand out in this room. ‘Mao Ze Dong’s Will’, by the Chinese artist Li Qiang, hangs on the left; ‘Novel·la’, by Joan Brossa and Antoni Tàpies, sits open on the table; ‘Horizons, Colinas’, by Dennis Hollingsworth, is on the wall at the front; and ‘Colour Stick’, a sculpture by the Chinese artist Lin Mo, can be seen on the right.
The carpenter’s workbench on the left was acquired at an antiques shop in southern France.
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Iconic art pieces stand out in this room. ‘Mao Ze Dong’s Will’, by the Chinese artist Li Qiang, hangs on the left; ‘Novel·la’, by Joan Brossa and Antoni Tàpies, sits open on the table; ‘Horizons, Colinas’, by Dennis Hollingsworth, is on the wall at the front; and ‘Colour Stick’, a sculpture by the Chinese artist Lin Mo, can be seen on the right.
The carpenter’s workbench on the left was acquired at an antiques shop in southern France.
Find an architect near you on Houzz, see their projects and read reviews of their work
The chaise longue is an old piece purchased at a French market; it was restored and reupholstered. In the background of this image is the hallway leading to the kitchen, the living room and the terrace.
Paintings: ‘Danáe’ by Juan Navarro Baldeweg in the foreground: ‘Cima 2,’ by Ferran García Sevilla in the hallway
Paintings: ‘Danáe’ by Juan Navarro Baldeweg in the foreground: ‘Cima 2,’ by Ferran García Sevilla in the hallway
Zanfaño hired interior designer Pablo Peyra to design the entire home. “The original kitchen was too far removed from the life of the house – it was more like a utility room. The new kitchen is almost a completely different room: a social area that allows you to cook while participating in what’s happening in the rest of the home,” says Peyra.
Standout features are the custom-made timber cupboards with glazed fronts and wallpapered interiors, and the iron worktop that rests on wooden sides. The worktop was so large that the door to the kitchen had to be widened to bring it in. A glass structure conceals the cooker hood.
Standout features are the custom-made timber cupboards with glazed fronts and wallpapered interiors, and the iron worktop that rests on wooden sides. The worktop was so large that the door to the kitchen had to be widened to bring it in. A glass structure conceals the cooker hood.
“If I host a dinner at home with friends, I usually do the cooking,” says Zanfaño. “I’m interested in gastronomy and am always looking to try out new recipes and new restaurants.”
On the wall, pictured here at the left, hang two of Catalan poet Joan Brossa’s visual poems, ‘Esquer’ and ‘L’ou del caos’.
On the wall, pictured here at the left, hang two of Catalan poet Joan Brossa’s visual poems, ‘Esquer’ and ‘L’ou del caos’.
“Pablo designed furniture specifically for this project, such as the dining table and chairs,” says Zanfaño. “The latter could not have high backs because they would have blocked the view of the composition of prints by Víctor Mira.”
A hunting trophy by the sculptor Álvaro Soler Arpa sits over the fireplace. The sculpture on the wall is ‘Duo’ by Bill Thompson.
A hunting trophy by the sculptor Álvaro Soler Arpa sits over the fireplace. The sculpture on the wall is ‘Duo’ by Bill Thompson.
Zanfaño did not want a pendant lamp in the dining room at first, but he changed his mind when he saw this ’60s model from Raak Amsterdam.
“This apartment has the dignity and elegance of a bourgeois residence from another era, a time when houses were built to truly live in and also serve their owners’ social lives. That mixture of excellence and decadence is appealing,” says Zanfaño.
The upholstery in the living room was deliberately designed to be monochromatic to draw all eyes to Toni Sánchez’s ‘Nobody’.
The upholstery in the living room was deliberately designed to be monochromatic to draw all eyes to Toni Sánchez’s ‘Nobody’.
The sunroom shown here was completely transformed when the spaces were redistributed and the plumbing and wiring updated. It now features this little sitting area at one end and a cocktail bar – pictured in the first photo – at the other.
The space opens to the home’s 300-square-metre terrace, which projects into the inner courtyard of the apartment block. “In Barcelona, having a terrace is like having a treasure,” says Zanfaño. “I like to enjoy mine with friends, hosting them for barbecues.” Both the living room and the outdoor dining space are shaded by a wooden pergola.
The five-metre dining table is made out of scaffolding boards and is another furniture piece designed by Pablo Peyra Studio.
The five-metre dining table is made out of scaffolding boards and is another furniture piece designed by Pablo Peyra Studio.
The space behind the table is currently empty. Zanfaño plans to plant a vegetable garden here.
Having lived in this apartment for three years, this is one of the few remaining tasks on his to-do list. The coffee table in this photo is a door from an eighteenth-century farmhouse in Empordà, Spain.
Having lived in this apartment for three years, this is one of the few remaining tasks on his to-do list. The coffee table in this photo is a door from an eighteenth-century farmhouse in Empordà, Spain.
The flooring in most of the home is hydronic tile, except in the three bedrooms.
The master bedroom, located on the other side of the home’s entrance, is pictured here. It was Peyra’s idea to paint it black. “Black creates illumination that isn’t too bright, and it’s perfect for highlighting art pieces or decorative items. It also inspires rest and disconnection, creating a calm, peaceful atmosphere,” says Peyra.
On the left-hand wall is a piece by French painter Yves Krief; on the right is the painting ‘Neither Old nor Young, Sick nor Well’, by the American artist Glen Rubsamen.
The master bedroom, located on the other side of the home’s entrance, is pictured here. It was Peyra’s idea to paint it black. “Black creates illumination that isn’t too bright, and it’s perfect for highlighting art pieces or decorative items. It also inspires rest and disconnection, creating a calm, peaceful atmosphere,” says Peyra.
On the left-hand wall is a piece by French painter Yves Krief; on the right is the painting ‘Neither Old nor Young, Sick nor Well’, by the American artist Glen Rubsamen.
Black also dominates the ensuite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe.
Zanfaño’s impressive wardrobe features plush carpet and a central island.
This luminous space is the antechamber to Zanfaño’s office. It once served as the waiting room for the former owner’s patients and is now the perfect place for Zanfaño to receive his clients. A professional painter brightened the impressive ceiling.
Like the rest of the home, Zanfaño’s office is full of contemporary art. “At the age of 18, I went to the Arco fair in Madrid for the first time,” he says, referring to a major contemporary art fair. “There I met Miguel Marcos, a gallery owner who has dignified his profession like few others and who has devoted most of his efforts to promoting contemporary Spanish art. He introduced me to a wonderful and exciting world that led to a great friendship. With his help, I got to know contemporary art and started my collection,” he says.
On the facing wall is ‘S. &. C. IV’, a piece by Xavier Grau; leaning against the cabinet is a work on paper by the artist Antón Lamazares; and above the large wooden shelving unit is a sculpture by Soler Arpa from the Cráneos series.
Carpet: Digit 2, designed by Cristian Zuzunaga from Barcelona for Nanimarquina; pendant lamp: from an old factory in Poland
On the facing wall is ‘S. &. C. IV’, a piece by Xavier Grau; leaning against the cabinet is a work on paper by the artist Antón Lamazares; and above the large wooden shelving unit is a sculpture by Soler Arpa from the Cráneos series.
Carpet: Digit 2, designed by Cristian Zuzunaga from Barcelona for Nanimarquina; pendant lamp: from an old factory in Poland
The ground floor once housed servants’ quarters. It now has a wine cellar – pictured here – as well as a gym and a media room.
Zanfaño prefers French wines, especially burgundies. “But I also like wine from Priorat, in my home province of Tarragona,” he says.
Zanfaño prefers French wines, especially burgundies. “But I also like wine from Priorat, in my home province of Tarragona,” he says.
The media room is the perfect place to watch his favourite soccer team, Real Madrid. He usually leaves the sofa bed unfolded for a casual feel.
Tell us
What do you love most about this art-filled Spanish home? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
Tell us
What do you love most about this art-filled Spanish home? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Álex Zanfaño, an art and finance advisor, with his dog, Leo, a three-year-old Jack Russell
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Size: About 350 square metres, with a 300-square-metre terrace
Architect: Nicolás Markuerkiaga from Zaga Arquitectura
Interior designer: Pablo Peyra from Pablo Peyra Studio
Zanfaño wanted to live in the Eixample district of Barcelona because it’s well-connected, packed with shops and businesses and brimming with energy. “I like its architecture, which is full of surprises and contrasts,” he says. Zanfaño is pictured here next to his Jack Russell, Leo, in the bar area of his sunroom; the house specialty is gin and tonic.
Finding the right place, however, was a challenge: he needed to find somewhere with enough space and personality to accommodate work and social life and his art collection.