It’s time for another fabulous home tour and this week we are heading to Portugal, to find out more about life in Lisbon with Marikken Navarsete, aka @third_floor_left.
Originally from the west of Norway, Marikken grew up in a small village between the fjords and the mountains, but 10 years ago after studying to become a lawyer, she headed to the Portuguese capital with her partner.
She now works in IT by day, but by night and any other time for that matter, Marikken’s passion is interior design. Her beautiful apartment testament to her inspirational Scandinavian style, with its perfect mix of classic pieces, modern simplicity and parred back colour scheme.
Over to Marikken to tell us more:
“My boyfriend and I bought our apartment, which is in the heart of Lisbon, just over two years ago now.
We had initially visited it six months earlier and I immediately fell in love with the arched windows, the original wooden floors, high ceilings and period features. However, at that time we couldn’t sell our existing apartment and someone else reserved it before us. But this became a blessing in disguise, as when the pandemic hit, the other buyer withdrew his offer, and the apartment became ours.
Luckily for us the previous owner had only recently finished renovating, keeping most of the original details, but since then we have made some changes to make the whole place feel more personal to us.
Before moving in we replaced the kitchen, renovated a bathroom, and painted a few of the rooms. Recently we have also refurbished the second bathroom, and put in a cast iron bathtub that dates back to when the apartment was built.
We still have several projects on our to-do list and are currently working on opening a wall up between our living room and the spare room. The spare room doesn’t have a lot of natural light, and our plan is to install a black iron window to let the light flow in.
We also want to build a privacy screen on our balcony, as well as find a solution for our many books.
I’m never happier than when I’m at home and our living room is probably my favourite part. I love the ornate ceiling and arched windows, with their original wooden shutters, and when the evening sun hits them it creates a beautiful shadow play on the wall.
I believe that most of the pieces in our home describe my interior style in some way, and I always try to make lasting choices, rather than following the latest trends. I prefer to use natural materials that age well and a neutral colour palette, mixing in a few black accents.
Being an expat, I refer to both Norway and Portugal as home, but to me home is a place where I feel at ease and can just be myself. We live in such a busy world; my home is where I can always truly relax and recharge.”
There’s No Place like Home
10 quick fire questions, to find out more about Marikken and her home:
- Tea or coffee?
Definitely coffee - Chocolate or cheese?
Chocolate - Watching TV or listening to music?
We actually don’t have a TV, but I have to admit that we still watch a lot of series on Netflix. - Reading a book or flicking through a magazine?
Reading a book - Bath or shower?
Shower - Slippers or socks?
Socks (or barefoot in the summer) - House plants or fresh flowers?
Fresh flowers - Candles or lamps?
Lamps - Cushions or blankets?
Cushions - Dog or cat?
Can I choose both?
Want to find out more?
Thanks again to Marikken for sharing her beautiful home with us, I’m very much overdue a return visit to Lisbon.
If you would like to see more of Marikken’s apartment please give her account @third_floor_left a follow on Instagram.
All images courtesy of Marikken Navarsete.
Enjoyed reading this post? Then head to East London and take a tour of writer Emma Hopkinson’s home.
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