How a traditional 1960s house in Toledo became a calm Mediterranean retreat through natural materials, seamless surfaces and a considered approach to renovation.
In Castillo de Bayuela, Toledo, a traditional house dating from 1964 has been transformed into a warm and contemporary holiday retreat.
La Casita del Churrero is the third hospitality project by its owner, Soraya Sánchez-Mariscal Pulido. After previously creating interiors with industrial and rustic identities, this project started from a different place: a desire for simplicity, calm and connection with nature.
The vision was to create an interior where the different elements would quietly come together. Continuous walls and floors, natural textures and traditional wooden ceilings resulting in a space that feels both grounded and refined.
“I wanted to create a refuge that captured the essence of the Mediterranean style, a place where tradition and a calm, contemporary aesthetic could live together.”
Before the renovation, the house was highly compartmentalised, with small rooms and limited natural light.
The layout was opened up to create greater flow, while the material palette was kept deliberately restrained. Instead of emphasising the transitions between floors and walls, Soraya wanted these surfaces to visually connect.
This sense of continuity became one of the defining features of the project.
By allowing one surface language to move throughout the home, the interior feels calmer, more spacious and less fragmented. The original wooden ceilings remain present as architectural features, while the surrounding surfaces form a quiet backdrop.
“What we valued most was being able to visually eliminate the lines where the floor and walls meet. The space stopped feeling fragmented and immediately felt more generous.”
The design was influenced by Mediterranean interiors and a love of Wabi-Sabi. Two approaches that share an appreciation for natural materials, imperfection and understated beauty.
Soraya explored paints, stuccos, lime renders and microcement before choosing Mas Maya. The aim was to find a natural material that could create a seamless aesthetic across many different applications, including walls, floors, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces and furniture.
Versatility was important, but so too was accessibility.
“We were looking for something very specific: the clean aesthetic of a continuous material, but versatile enough to use in the bathroom, kitchen and even on furniture.”
As the project was approached from the perspective of a DIYer, rather than a professional applicator, clear instructions and the possibility of learning the application process played an important role in the decision.
The final colour was not chosen from a screen or colour chart alone.
Soraya tested both Bone and Natural directly on the wall and observed how each reacted to the sunlight throughout the day.
Natural became the clear choice.
The colour gently responds to changing light, creating subtle variations throughout the interior and adding warmth without becoming dominant.
Texture was equally important. The surfaces were worked with a rubber trowel to create movement and a visibly handcrafted finish, adding depth while preserving the quietness of the overall space.
“The Natural colour captures the nuances of the sun throughout the day. It makes the house feel as though it breathes and changes with the light.”
The project was always intended to be about more than appearance.
As a holiday home, La Casita del Churrero needed to offer guests a genuine feeling of rest. The interior was therefore designed to minimise visual noise and create a softer, more immersive atmosphere.
Natural materials were used throughout the construction, textiles and interiors, while the continuous Mas Maya surfaces gentle connect individual areas of the house and cultivates a flow.
The result is an environment where the architecture does not demand attention, but instead supports the experience of being there.
For hospitality projects in particular, this approach can be powerful: material, light and texture become an integral element of what guests remember.
One of the most rewarding parts of the renovation was learning how to work with the material itself.
For Soraya, the project became increasingly hands-on, understanding application techniques, discovering how the material responds and gradually seeing the house come together room by room.
It also reinforced one important lesson: do not rush.
“The most valuable lesson was understanding the importance of drying and curing times. Patience is just as crucial as technique.”
Respecting drying and curing times proved essential to achieving the desired finish. With a Mas Maya project, patience became as important as technique.
The more technically demanding areas were the bathrooms, floors and kitchen surfaces, where sealing and durability were essential. Careful use of Sealer and Heavy Duty Sealer created surfaces that combine the seamless aesthetic of the project with the practical requirements of daily use.
Today, the house feels completely different from the space Soraya first encountered.
Guests regularly comment on the continuity of the interior particularly the way the same material expression flows through walls, floors, bathrooms and kitchen areas.
The seamless showers and kitchen worktop have become some of Soraya's favourite details, combining a clean architectural appearance with simple maintenance.
For her, this is also where the feeling of luxury within the project comes from. Not through excess, but through simplicity. Tactile materials, exceptional craftsmanship and an instinct that every element belongs together.
“Our guests don’t simply feel that they are staying in a house. They experience a space that invites them to slow down, disconnect and enjoy a different kind of comfort.”
La Casita del Churrero shows how a carefully-considered surface can influence far more than the appearance of a room. It can connect architecture, light and material into one coherent experience. It’s also a valued study in what happens when material is considered as part of the whole. For those renovating themselves, it shows what patience, care and preparation can achieve. For architects and designers, the quiet strength of material continuity. And in hospitality, how the surfaces around us can become part of the experience itself.
Soraya was asked to describe the finished home in just three words. They are;
Serenity. Harmony. Purity.
These three words that capture the project perfectly.
Information:
Owner - Soraya Sánchez-Mariscal Pulido
Place - Castillo de Bayuela (Toledo)
Project - Reformation Boutique Rental
@alojamientosbayuela
