Slow living in Empordà – a house that whispers quiet luxury

There are houses that impress. And there are houses that calm. This one clearly belongs to the second category—and that’s accurately why it sticks in your mind. In the heart of Empordà, the Catalan landscape that shaped Salvador Dalí, a retreat has been created that doesn’t preach slow living, but lives it.

Designed by architect Damián Ribas and curated by D’Aussy Interiors, this house is not a showpiece for Instagram but a home for real days, real breaks, and real life.

A home between everyday life and retreat

The owners live between Barcelona and Girona, thus demonstrating a balancing act that many are familiar with. The idea: a place where you arrive and automatically slow down without disconnecting from life.

Clara Joly d’Aussy joined the project during the construction phase and oversaw the selection of materials, lighting, furniture, and custom-made details. Almost everything is local, much of it handmade. No decorative activism, just decisions made with conviction.

Architecture that speaks to the landscape

The house consists of two distinct volumes—day and night areas—connected by a central entrance hall. Between them are patios that bring light into the basement. Inside and outside blur together without losing their identity.

Only honest materials D’Aussy Interiors translates this basis into a warm, Mediterranean language: black metal accents, cotton, recycled wood, ceramics, paper. Nothing shines, everything works.used:

• dry-laid natural stone
• Catalan tuff
• Mortar
• rustic microcement
• Eiche
• schwarze Metallakzente

D’Aussy Interiors translates this basis into a warm, Mediterranean language: black metal accents, cotton, recycled wood, ceramics, paper. Nothing shines, everything works.

Rooms that let you breathe

The living area

The heart of the home. Sloping wooden ceilings in off-white, a fireplace opposite a linen sofa, and large windows for cross ventilation and light. This is not a staged setting; this is where life happens.

Kitchen & dining area

The L-shaped kitchen is functional and visually light: white fronts, light wood shelves, and an island with wooden bar stools. The dining area is deliberately minimalist—a round table, rattan chairs, and a large rice paper lamp. That’s all it takes.

A little luxury: a workspace

Slightly elevated, secluded, with oak shelves and selected ceramics. Not a home office requirement, but a place for reflection.

Sleeping in the spirit of slow living

The bedrooms are quiet, almost ascetic—and that’s undoubtedly why they are so restful. Custom-made furniture, integrated headboards with niches, floor-length curtains made of natural fabrics, and direct access to the outdoors.

The bathrooms follow the same logic: Mediterranean, minimalist, and timeless. No trend that will look outdated in three years.

Outside is not afterwards, but part of it.

The garden with native plants is not just a backdrop but an extension of the house. A chill-out area is created by the pool with brick benches, soft cushions, and a reed pergola that filters the light and protects from the tramontana wind.

Reading, eating, doing nothing—everything happens just as naturally outside as it does inside.

It proves that sustainability does not have to be loud. That luxury has nothing to do with gold taps but with time, tranquility, and quality. And that Mediterranean design is at its strongest when it takes a back seat.

D’Aussy Interiors does not design houses for fleeting admiration but for people who want to stay. And that is precisely what modern luxury is all about.