Can Monroig

The restoration of Can Monroig was comprehensive, the roofs were completely redone, providing them with a self-ventilation system and using lime mortars and natural insulators that allowed the building to breathe and prevent condensation and humidity.

The floors had to be reinforced, but the original beams were mostly reused. To reveal various architectural elements such as arches, wine presses and stone portals, the partition walls, probably added at the end of the 19th century, were removed, opening up spaces and creating surprising volumes.

Portland cement was not used in any phase of the restoration, instead hydraulic limes with great short and long-term resistance were used. The lime mortars, together with ecological insulation applied in the original rammed earth construction, make the level of insulation, thermal efficiency and degree of comfort unsurpassed.

The ground floor floors were refinished using old stone slabs similar to those found in some areas of the house. The kitchen floors, as well as the bathroom floors and walls, are made using the tadelakt technique, a technique of Moroccan origin that creates lime coatings that are completely impermeable to water but permeable to water vapour.

All the walls, originally built of adobe, earth and stone, were plastered, consolidated and plastered with lime mortar and natural insulators. They were later painted with natural lime, clay or casein paints. All of these paints are breathable and regulate humidity.

The doors on the first floor (on the ground floor all the spaces are open and there are no interior doors) are period, some of them Gothic, carved and with original polychromy. To match the colour of the old beams, patinas were made using water-based paints, which are easily reversible and non-toxic.

The wood finishes are waxed or oiled. The decor combines vintage furniture, antique furniture, and furniture of own design or customised. The kitchen furniture, wardrobes and office bookcase are designed specifically for the house and made of iron by a local craftsman, then painted by Marie-Noëlle Ginard.