{"id":2874,"date":"2025-11-11T19:38:49","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2025\/11\/11\/geometry-prize-12-ideas-for-tight-quarters-and-others-from-precision-design-stars-casa-josephine\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T19:38:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:38:49","slug":"geometry-prize-12-ideas-for-tight-quarters-and-others-from-precision-design-stars-casa-josephine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/geometry-prize-12-ideas-for-tight-quarters-and-others-from-precision-design-stars-casa-josephine\/","title":{"rendered":"Premio Geometr\u00eda: 12 ideas para espacios reducidos (y otros) de Precision Design Stars Casa Josephine"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Madrid designers I\u00f1igo Arag\u00f3n and Pablo L\u00f3pez Navarro of Casa Josephine edit their work the way certain poets and writers do: \u201cWe start with a lot of ideas and we use metaphors from linguistics to understand and define what we\u2019re doing: does it rhyme, how well does this read?\u201d Pablo tells us. \u201cIn the end, we decant and filter it all to the few elements that become the identity of the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such was the case with their much-celebrated country house\u2014see A Design Couple\u2019s Rental in Rioja. Their recently finished second retreat, this one in Segovia province, an hour north of Madrid, is even more precision built. The 1920s two-story townhouse had a cramped and neglected interior that added up to 1,000 square meters. Wanting to transform the quarters into a sophisticated, well composed retreat\u2014while entirely avoiding all rustic cliches\u2014I\u00f1igo and Pablo deployed a design language of checks, grids, and circles. Here are a dozen design lessons to be gleaned from their refined transformation of  1,100 square feet.<\/p>\n

Photography by Pablo Zamora, courtesy of Casa Josephine Studio.<\/p>\n

1. Turn a small space into an oasis.<\/h3>\n


Above: Located in the the village of La Losa, near the Riofr\u00edo Palace, the Spanish royal family\u2019s hunting retreat, the townhouse came with a postage stamp-size courtyard that the designers made the most of: in addition to a dining area, they managed to fit in a plunge pool\u2014with elbow room. The French doors on the front of the house and the balcony are also new additions. <\/p>\n

Explains Pablo of the courtyard plantings: \u201cBy having tall bamboo along the sides we created a little oasis and an optical illusion: the green wall makes the space look and feel more intimate and at the same time bigger, because it hides the fence. Also, we placed the terracotta floor tiles lengthwise to direct the vision like an arrow to the long side of the courtyard.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Find your collaborator.<\/h3>\n


Above: I\u00f1igo and Pablo met as art history students at the University of Vallodolid and following graduation moved together to Madrid. While Pablo worked as an art guide and I\u00f1igo as a fashion designer, they moonlighted on their own remodel and discovered their shared passion.,<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u00f1igo is in charge of design and art direction; I\u2019m in charge of clients and general management. We\u2019ve been together as a couple for 27 years and as business partners for around 20,\u201d says Pablo. \u201cBy trial and error we\u2019ve learned to split tasks efficiently and to work as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n

The studio name, Casa Josephine, came from the former owner of their first house. Their many accolades include being named to AD Espa\u00f1a\u2019s \u201cMagnificent 17\u201d list.<\/p>\n

3. Treat tight spaces like jigsaw puzzles.<\/h3>\n


Above: The interior had been divided into tiny rooms with dropped ceilings. After removing some partitions and exposing the rafters, the designers approached the living area \u201clike a miniature puzzle.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe used the same custom-made terracotta tiles here as in the courtyard, so that it looks like the space continues without interruption. We designed the living area to be flexible and not look too rigid: the sofa and poufs are modular and can be moved and used as stools. We took advantage of the step below the window and turned it into a seating area.  And since there\u2019s no space for side tables, we carved a few niches on the walls for decoration and mirrors.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Introduce order\u2014and interest\u2014with geometry.<\/h3>\n


Above: Checks, grids, and circles surface in every room. Says Pablo, \u201cLattices are common in convents and monasteries in the area, so we decided to use them here as a little element of local flavor. Checks, of course, are fun. Because of the limitations in space, we stuck to a few repeated elements, squares and spheres, oak and terracotta.\u201d,<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal was to create a coherent, low-key, subtly elegant atmosphere and a clean balance between architecture and decoration,\u201d continues Pablo. \u201cThe biggest challenge was to design practical, well-proportioned and integrated living areas in very little space. One way that was achieved was by creating longitudinal axes and placing mirrors that multiply the views. \u201d<\/p>\n


Above: Black and white cement tiles frame a living room window and pattern its built-in desk. The window grids are mainly decorative but add just-enough privacy. <\/p>\n

5. Create a design language and repeat what you say.<\/h3>\n


Above: In the new kitchen, the designers artfully made use of the established materials, applying bands of black and white tiles to a niche and circular knobs on the cabinets They also stuck to a defined palette throughout: \u201cwe used beige, black, and white to avoid visual interference.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to work with the idea of cohesion and continuity in our projects,\u201d says Pablo,\u201dbut it\u2019s a coherence that is achieved gradually in the design process.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Pay tribute to your elders.<\/h3>\n


Above: \u201cThe visual influences for this project are Luis Barrag\u00e1n, Gae Aulenti, and the minimalist restorations of Italian monuments in the 1970s and 1980s,\u201d says Pablo. \u201cWe also studied examples of Japanese home architecture to find solutions for small spaces.\u201d Here, a Sonora lamp by Vico Magistretti hangs over the dining table.,<\/p>\n

Wondering about the neutral shade on the walls throughout? \u201cWe always work in situ, mixing paint on the spot until we find a color we like,\u201d says Pablo. \u201cThis one has beige and pink, and a bit of brown and a bit of yellow.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Display lighting as sculpture.<\/h3>\n


Above: The geometric oak pieces throughout are from Casa Josephine\u2019s Weekend Collection, including these table lamps.
\n

Above: Casa Josephine\u2019s Weekend Collection is made to order on request from the designers\u2019 Madrid shop, in the middle of the Rastro neighborhood, and in the US from TRNK. <\/p>\n

8. Use tile every which way.<\/h3>\n


Above: The house\u2019s 25-by-5-centimeter terracotta tile was custom made by Las Losas of Toledo, Spain, and has under-floor heating. Here, it\u2019s deployed as flooring, stair risers, and a ledge\/bench.\u201d
\n

Above: \u201cAdding more materials would have made the space look too busy, so we expanded the landing of the stairs and created this horizontal step around the corner,\u201d says Pablo.,<\/p>\n

9. Elevate quiet spaces with art.<\/h3>\n


Above: The top of the stairs landing is detailed with a built-in cabinet. The drawing, by late French artist Robert Ladou, shows a horse and rider: \u201cThere\u2019s a long tradition here of horse ranches. We\u2019re in the foothills of the Guadarrama range and often go for weekend rides.\u201d
\n

Above: A central lounge\/reading area divides the two upstairs bedrooms. The painting over the sofa is called
\nThe Invisible Man<\/em>; it dates from the 1940s and I\u00f1igo and Pablo bought it on a trip to Toulouse. <\/p>\n

Note the continuation of the terracotta tile. That\u2019s the stairwell on the left. The latticework overhead screens a narrow attic that the designers created as a spare room.<\/p>\n

10.  Think outside the headboard and closet.<\/strong><\/h3>\n


Above: The designers squirrel away textiles they happen upon in their travels. They built their screen-style headboard out of Japanese silk obis purchased years ago in Paris: \u201cwe decided to cut the silk into three pieces and frame it.\u201d Their coverlets are made from vintage fabric by Yutes of Barcelona.,

Above: A running counter partitions the room from the lounge. I\u00f1igo and Pablos put under-the-vanity space to use as an extra hanging area: \u201cWe had to find a use for it: every inch counts.\u201d The wall rungs serve as a ladder to the attic. <\/p>\n

11. Extend walls with mirrors and grids.<\/h3>\n


Above: The designers\u2019 bathroom has a small footprint but a tall ceiling: \u201cIt has a skylight and we played with optical illusions with mirrors. It looks like the sink is a partition but it\u2019s a niche with a mirror. The wall above (see beams) is also a mirror, so the skylight and the beams are reflected, creating the impression of continuity. The bathroom continues to an area with a toilet and a wall that hides the shower.\u201d
\n

Above: A lattice wall and skylight bring sun and air into the newly created narrow attic, which the designers built out of unused space, adding the floor and exposing the roof beams. It\u2019s used as a hideaway and is especially appreciated by I\u00f1igo and Pablo\u2019s young nephews and nieces. <\/p>\n

12. Design with sight lines in mind, indoors and out.<\/h3>\n


Above: The pleasing geometric extends indoors and out. Note the built-in benches that link the table and pool. <\/p>\n

More Spanish countryside inspiration:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • The All-Vintage Renovation by Quintana Partners in Menorca<\/li>\n
  • An Airy Stable Turned Guesthouse on the Mediterranean Coast<\/li>\n
  • Home on the Hacienda: A Rustic-Luxe Mountain Retreat in the Sierra de Gredos<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Los dise\u00f1adores madrile\u00f1os I\u00f1igo Arag\u00f3n y Pablo L\u00f3pez Navarro, de Casa Josephine, editan su trabajo como lo hacen ciertos poetas y escritores: \u201cPartimos de muchas ideas y utilizamos met\u00e1foras de la ling\u00fc\u00edstica para entender y definir lo que estamos haciendo: \u00bfrima, se lee bien esto?\u201d. nos dice Pablo. \u201cAl final, [...]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diy-projects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}