Home Tour | Casa do Jardim by Annabell Kutucu

Located within Lisbon’s leafy heart, Casa do Jardim is a home that stands the test of time, guided by lightness, a connection to the natural world, and its surrounding city. A 19th-century structure softened by time yet grounded in contemporary expression, the home reflects a subtle, assured dialogue between past and present, city and sanctuary.

This balancing act is one that Berlin and Lisbon-based interior designer Annabell Kutucu approaches with care. “Balance came through contrast: clean, subtle interiors that don’t compete with the original detailing; vintage pieces alongside more contemporary forms and curated art pieces,” she says. And among the refined details, that contrast creates a sense of calm. As someone who lives between two cities, Annabell’s vision is shaped by intuition, material honesty, and the sensory experience of space.

Yet it’s not just materiality, but the way elements are composed that defines Casa do Jardim. Annabell’s selection process leans into intentional contrast, pairing ethnic wooden pieces with their wabi-sabi sensibility, alongside furniture from different design eras.

“Natural materials have always been at the heart of my design philosophy,” Annabell shares. “I work intuitively with elements like linen, timber, and stone because they bring warmth, texture, and an inherent sense of calm to a space.”

“Each element is considered not in isolation, but as part of a greater story,” she adds. “The composition comes with careful curation, connection and attention to details, but in the end it creates a great character for the space.”

Pictured: A vintage 1980s Washington table lamp designed by Jean Michel Wilmotte.

The connection between indoors and out feels natural—intuitive rather than deliberate—with nearly every room opening to the garden.

The presence of nature extends beyond palette and texture; morning light filters through linen curtains, and the breeze carries the scent of nearby trees.

There’s a raw honesty to the materials—rough-hewn timber, ceramics shaped by hand, and textiles that wear the imprint of their makers.

In a home where nearly every room opens to the garden, the transition between indoors and out feels effortless, guided more by feeling than function. “The house and its garden reminded me more of a countryside retreat than a city home, so I embraced natural tones and soft materials that age gracefully with time and climate,” Annabell says. “Perhaps living between Berlin and Lisbon made me lean even more into this lightness,” she adds.

“I aimed for the interior to encourage movement towards the terrace and outdoors. I love the mornings with the fresh breeze of a new day and birds singing in the air,” Annabell says. These sensory details are just as important as texture or colour, and “shape the emotional resonance of a space.”

Casa do Jardim doesn’t feel overly ‘designed’. The thoughtful interplay of vintage and modern forms, soft furnishings beside architectural structure, gives the space a quiet, lived-in balance—where nothing is hurried. Annabell’s approach walks a careful line between heritage and modernity; original details are preserved and allowed to breathe, while contemporary elements are introduced with care—not to compete, but to complement. “It should feel relaxed yet refined, like my perception of Lisbon,” she says.

Materials have been chosen for their raw, tactile quality—untreated wood, handmade ceramics, woven fabrics that carry the marks of their making. “These elements carry a certain imperfection, which I find grounding,” she says. “I think a strong connection to nature brings ease to a space. It invites you to slow down, breathe, and be present.”

Casa do Jardim has been crafted as a place to reconnect—with nature, daily rhythms, and the rituals of living. Thoughtful design invites a sense of calm from the moment you arrive, where natural light softly illuminates every space.