Interior designer Jonty Richard Lewis fell in love with the Spanish way of life, so when it was time to start his own business, he chose the exclusive village of Guadalmina to create his own perfect home

The powder blue Andalucían-style townhouse stands in an exclusive, small, gated community in Guadalmina, a short drive from the bustling coastal resort of San Pedro de Alcantara. I am greeted at the solid, studded wooden front door by the owner, Jonty Richard Lewis and his miniature schnauzer Freddie.

It is at the front door where anything of a traditional Andalucían style stops. The compact entrance hall leads to a sweeping staircase bathed in light from the large upstairs windows and modern chandelier suspended from the first floor ceiling. The feeling of space and light is further exaggerated by the three large wall-to-ceiling mirrors overlooking the landing.

Jonty pushes open double doors opposite the entrance and we enter the spacious living room. It is furnished with contemporary white leather sofas and a contrasting mahogany dresser and coffee tables. Soft sunlight filters into the room through matching wooden Venetian blinds covering the double patio doors leading to the small garden.

“This was one of the main reasons for choosing to live here,” explains Jonty, pointing to the expansive views stretching across the exclusive Guadalmina golf course. “I just love the tranquillity that this location offers and of course my show house is on the opposite side of the urbanisation. I just walk through the gardens and past the swimming pool and I’m at work.”

Jonty is a successful and sought-after interior designer running Richard Lewis Interiors from the exclusive village of Guadalmina on the Costa del Sol. Interior design has been in his blood since he was a child growing up in Manchester. “I would drive my mother wild by ‘redecorating’ the house by moving all the furniture around when she went out.” Jonty laughs. “By the time I was 12 I had made up my mind that I wanted a career in interior design and shortly after that I was doing garden displays and styling jobs for photographers in the area.”
After graduating in interior design and interior architecture nine years ago Jonty started working for many prestigious UK companies designing and furnishing the interiors of their show houses, bars and restaurants. With his career gaining momentum and his confidence increasing the ambitious young designer decided to move to the Costa del Sol.

“My parents have had a place in Sotogrande for as long as I can remember, and then they decided to move to Spain permanently. I visited them and after a weekend of eating Gambas Pil Pil and fresh salad on the beach with the sun belting down I decided to move to Spain also. I couldn’t resist. I just love the Spanish way of life.”
Initially Jonty worked for other well-known design companies on the Costa del Sol, using the time to learn about local tastes, materials used and to establish numerous contacts. In 2002, brimming with confidence, he decided to take the plunge and launch Richard Lewis Interiors. But in a typically creative move he chose not to open his new business in a shop. Instead he bought a five-bedroom townhouse in Guadalmina, which he converted into a show house. This enables clients to see at first hand exactly how furniture and furnishings combine and interact in situ.

We are sitting in the small, Japanese-influenced garden watching a party of golfers on the 5th green. A small flock of brightly coloured parrots flash through the fir trees flanking the fairway, their raucous screeches momentarily breaking the silence. Jonty explains why he chose The Royal Golf House as his home and how he tackled the extensive conversation project to create the tranquil haven it is today.

Read the full story in our June 2008 issue.