Originally delivered in developer-grade gloss and imitation marble, the Mediterranean Penthouse began as a blank canvas in one of Sliema’s most competitive short-let enclaves. The brief was exacting: design a two-bedroom residence that would stop the scroll — and quietly outperform its surroundings.

Light floods the interior, stretching toward a 50m² terrace and the distant silhouette of Valletta across the sea. Instead of amplifying brightness, we grounded it. A velvet-soft microcement in light charcoal was laid seamlessly over the existing tile, preserving ceiling height while introducing depth and calm. The atmosphere is tranquil, architectural, composed.

Inspired by the restrained sensuality of jungle brutalism seen in parts of Bali and Mexico — where raw materiality meets tropical softness — the space balances weight and wilderness. A slatted-wood illusion wallpaper wraps the ceiling, unexpected and immersive. Desaturated jungle murals soften the bedrooms. Continuous microcement flows into the bathrooms, interrupted by handmade Moroccan basins and pebble shower floors beneath cascading greenery.