Chenoa's Living Room in Madrid: Whitewashed Brick, Oak Floors and, Instead of a Red Velvet Sofa, a Creamy White Couch

Twenty-five years ago, Chenoa joined Operación Triunfo, the show that launched her career on the Spanish music scene. To mark that anniversary, we get to see what the heart of her home on the outskirts of Madrid looks like: the living room. There's no luxury, and that is exactly why it's worth a look.

Light and texture

The base is a mix of warm materials - brick, wood, plant fibres - and industrial details in black metal and glass. What makes the space bright is a single wall of exposed brick, aged and whitewashed, with a light patina. Natural-coloured brick absorbs the light; whitewashed brick bounces it back into the room.

On the floor is natural oak parquet, whose lines lead the eye outside. That's where the terrace is, separated by a large glass partition with white frames and furnished with woven furniture. The interior and the terrace are two separate spaces, yet from the couch they read as one.

A reading corner

In one corner stands a high-backed armchair in an earthy tone, with a gold heart-shaped cushion, and above it a gallery of illustrations with messages about the power of women. This is the part of the room that says most about its owner: it isn't decoration for guests, but a place for her.

From red velvet to creamy white

The seating area reveals a change in taste. Chenoa originally chose a red velvet sofa. In the end, a creamy white couch won, with cushions in a reptile-skin pattern. From drama to calm - a move many people only make after they've lived in a space for a while.

The side tables

In the centre there isn't one big table, but a set of nesting tables in wrought iron and glass. On them are wooden coasters and a dish of driftwood pieces the sea has washed up on the shore. When space is needed, the tables slide one under the other.

The philosophy behind all this is an escape from luxury and a priority on everyday comfort, inspired by the Japanese wabi-sabi - the beauty of the imperfect and the worn. The living room also doubles as her gym: Chenoa works out in it too. How many living rooms are decorated for the people who live in them, and how many for the guests?