Casa Amor

YES, THERE ARE SOME GREY CLOUDS HOVERING – AS WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN WITH SUCH AN ADVENTUROUS PROJECT – BUT JACK AND WALTER KEEP THEIR SPIRITS UP: THE DECORATION OF THE FUTURE BOUTIQUE HOTEL IS COMING TOGETHER, AND DOING SO BEAUTIFULLY

Words: ELAINE JOYCE

JACK AND WALTER are facing the pressures that were certain to come towards the end of the Casa Amor construction period – the possible delays as well as questions about water or electricity. So, what are the consequences for our entrepreneurs? Will they open as planned this summer?

“We simply do not know today,” says Walter. “We had a completion date scheduled for January that had to be delayed until May, although that was still within the planned timetable of 15 months. These forecasts will most likely still have to be reviewed.”

“We have had and continue to receive a considerable number of enquiries from clients waiting to be first guests – we did not realise to what degree Casa Amor had already seduced lovers of Olhão and the Algarve,” says Jack. “We will know this month when we will be able to welcome them in perfect conditions. And we want to thank the municipal services of the city of Olhão who are mobilizing for businesses. When you feel like the ground is slipping away from under your feet, support like this makes you feel less alone.”

There is no question of stepping back. Jack and Walter are taking advantage of this period to finalise

Time to plan furnishings and to delight in finding Portuguese craftspeople who continue with techniques that have been employed over generations their purchases. They are very attached to a Portuguese company that they read about in a previous issue of AlgarvePLUS. “Portugal is rich in companies that have real know-how, whether it is the production of furniture, fabrics, cutlery, porcelain, and not to mention artisan artists! In short, everything to equip a boutique hotel without using companies that are located on the other side of the world that are perhaps cheaper, but less respectful of the environment and working conditions!”

In Lisbon, Jack and Walter met Kiki Voortman (@__ studiok__ on Instagram) and Margarida (@margarida_ fabrica), two ceramists whose creations are very different, with a sense of delicacy and purity that caught the attention of our duo for the lighting of the bathrooms. In Ilhavo, they met their friends Milú and Jorge from Oficina da Formiga Cerâmica, to make decisions on all the dishes for breakfast, and they will, of course, find again the famous mugs with red hearts!

“In Braga, we met Francisco, a friend of Claire Cipriani, the creator of the new co-living space in the Algarve (@ pomar_coliving), who will reproduce tables for us in the style of the old café of Loulé, with a very beautiful yellow marble,” enthuses Walter.

Next, to Porto, where they finalised the choice of bedding in the Molaflex factory; and in Guimarães, they discovered the Sampedro company, founded in 1921, where they chose sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, tablecloths, runners, napkins, thick white cotton, cotton percale and sometimes openwork stitch embroidery. Jack and Walter learned fast that for each bed they had to provide four sets of linen!

“After, we went to Serra da Estrela where sheep graze and produce one to three kilos of wool a year. There are two spinning mills left there, and we visited Burel Factory, seduced by its creativity. We chose colourful bedthrows and decided to have three armchairs made for the winter living room.”

Jack and Walter ended this journey in Estremoz to discover the world of Aurèle at Casbablanca (@casbablanca. deco) where they found, among other treasures, the pretty white Portuguese ‘cod tail’ chairs. They also discovered the wine production of Bruno, his companion, and fell in love with the wines of Domaine de Borba. “No pesticides, no insecticides, just over 1,000 bottles every year... you will find them at Casa Amor,” Jack promises.

So goes life at Casa Amor, between grey clouds and beautiful encounters, between construction and decoration, between hopes and fears and beautiful tastings to forget the grey clouds...