Leça do Balio House, a modern and rational villa for a wonderful stay in Portugal

Leça do Balio House is located in the new subdivision of Chantre, in the municipality of Matosinhos. The lots are large and have granite fencing walls in the region, being the location close to the city of Maia, in the North of Portugal.

The land belonged to Quinta do Chantre, which was built between 1732 and 1736, to serve as a resting place for the master canon of the Cathedral of Porto. The building project, which has a chapel, was designed by the famous Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni, who built many buildings in the city of Porto, through his unique language, in the Baroque and Rococo style.

The housing project is for a family of four with several pets (cats, dogs and many fish). The house is organized on two floors and has three volumes that configure a large central courtyard.

On the lower floor, the entrance next to the central courtyard allows direct connection to the three areas on the ground floor. To the south we have a suite for the guests, with a private bathroom and dressing room, both with patios.

To the north we have the garage for two cars. To the west, a small bathroom with a water tank, the kitchen and the living room that extend to the pool. In the living room we have a wood stove and an aquarium built into the wall.

On the upper floor, through the stairs and corridor that surround the central courtyard, we have access to the master suite, with a private bathroom and two dressing rooms on the south side. To the north above the garage, we have the technical area and the laundry room with a patio that allows drying clothes outdoors. In the west area we have two more bedrooms, with bathrooms illuminated by skylights, and a library with access to the terrace.

In the garden with several trees in the region, we have a large swimming pool and an outdoor wood-burning fireplace in apparent concrete with a circular shape.
The exterior floors are all in exposed concrete. Black gravel was also placed in the garden, the stone is the same as the Valongo slate used to cover the facade.

Inside, the floating floor with large and wide planks is used in all spaces. In the bathrooms, natural marble slabs were used to clad the walls. In the kitchen, all cabinets have doors and drawers in white lacquered glass, with counter tops and washbasins made with solid Krion material. Valongo slate stone cladding is also used on the living room wall, where we have the wood burning stove.