Cabana na Lagoa

Carolina Irving Brings a Melides Cabana Alive with Color

A kaleidoscope of swirling colored tiles, artisanal textiles and local folk art, this cabana on the edge of Melides’ lagoon teems with the creative brilliance of interior artist Carolina Irving, the Elle Décor and Vogue Living editor and textile designer who contributed to Christian Louboutin’s much anticipated Vermelho Hotel nearby.

Brimming with personality and good energy, this villa on Melides’s watery outskirts is a wondrous curation of traditional azulejos and artisanal ceramics, handpainted plates and jewel-toned glassware, and vividly patterned and stitched textiles, expertly coordinated by designer Carolina Irving. 

The villa’s interiors offer a cabinet of curiosities curation of traditional and modern pieces, all with Portuguese seaside relevance. Colorful wall hangings pop off whitewashed walls. Bright patchworks of tile quilt entire walls, brighten bathrooms, outline backsplashes, and gleam from floors. Sleep spaces promise serenity and cheer. And two outside dining areas face off, one to the east, the other to the west, adding to the sunny farm table off the open kitchen.

The breezy vibes continue in landscaping that's filled with palms, ferns, and Mediterranean shrub, and surrounded by the region's native grasses, coastal pines and low-lying rice paddies. A simple pool is flanked by rustic pagodas for lounging and dining. 

Additional features

Family equipment is available (baby bed and high chair). Photo shoots are on request only, with an additional contract and proof of insurance required.

Around

An ideal base for exploring this buzzy section of the Alentejo coastline, the home is located on the Melides lagoon, a rich, bio-diverse wetland that cuts through stands of pine, cultivated rice fields, and low-lying meadows. Birdwatching in the lagoon reveals sandpipers, hoopoes and ducks, and numerous aquatic birds. SUPing on the lagoon is a great way to take in the rich wildlife and agriculture. Melides Beach separates the lagoon from the Atlantic, and is an unspoiled stretch of golden sand, featuring a favorite locally-run beach restaurant, Lagoa o Mar. On the opposite side of the lagoon, Vigia Beach is one of the least visited and wildest of area sands. The beach is a preferred launch for paragliders who jump from its high backdrop. 

Melides village is a two-minute drive from the property, set down a dirt road, and cool Comporta is about a half hour’s drive away. Entering Melides, you’ll pass fashion designer Christian Louboutin’s hotel project—also featuring the homeowners’ interior design work—and arrive in the cobbled center, where cafes, art galleries, boutiques and artisans’ studios await. Hip global nomads have marked modest Melides as their new favorite playground, riding in on the coattails of French designers, international architects, entrepreneurial urbanites, and modern art collectors and jetsetters. The town still exudes rural charm, with a busy local market square, tile-lined cobbled streets hung with laundry, and massive storks’ nests atop belfries, posts, and poles.

Location

Melides, Alentejo, Portugal. Nearest airport: Lisbon (1½ hours)

Best time to visit

April to November