Interior Stylist & Treasure Hunter

Calm ocean surface under an orange-pink sunset sky

Hi, I’m Truus!

I like to call myself an interior stylist & treasure hunter.

I’m here to help you fall in love with your space in Portugal, whether it’s a permanent home, a holiday let, or both.

Together, we’ll create a truly unique interior that tells a special story.

Glass table with decorative metal sculptures, books, and abstract painting on the wall.
Ripply sand texture on a beach

Since 2004 my man and I have moved 14 times across 4 continents with an everchanging zoo in tow – dogs, cats and an African Grey parrot.

With each move we’ve had to say goodbye to a home that became a part of us.

Luckily, we were never that sentimental about any of the houses we owned.

We’ve learned over the years that what makes a house a home is the people, the animals and even the plants that live in it.

Dining room with yellow walls, a chandelier, wall art, a table with a lobster-patterned tablecloth, a decorative bowl, a mirror, and a large potted plant.
Tropical garden with palm trees and plants at night, illuminated by moonlight and artificial light.

When you move country, we’ve also learned it’s important to ground yourself as quickly as possible.

Grounding yourself from an interior styling perspective means surrounding yourself with some of the things that are special to you; things from places where you’ve lived before, as well as from your new home country.

Combining these elements will help to generate a sense of place for you and your guests, which is important when you start all over again.

A cozy corner in a room with a soft, beige armchair featuring a yellow pillow and a throw blanket. The room has a patterned tile floor, a large arched wooden door leading outside, and a sunburst mirror on the peach-colored wall. A potted plant's leaves extend into the frame from the right.
Two dogs sleeping on a textured blue blanket, one is white with a red collar and the other is brown and black.

We’ll achieve this together by talking about what you love and how you want your home to feel.

Then I’ll get to work. I’ll create a mood board bringing together all the elements we talked about so you can visualise what your home or rental will look like.

I adore using key vintage pieces. Not just because it’s important from a sustainability point of view, but because it’s a great technique to create a truly special interior that you’re going to enjoy coming home to.

Bathroom with wooden vanity, stone sink, ornate mirror, and patterned tile floor
Old wooden boat named 'Tres Filhos' on dry land with blue sky.

I take a similar approach to decorating holiday lets. The holiday rental market is flooded with places that all look the same and it’s really important to add a bit of oomph so it stands out on rental sites.

As for a permanent home, it’s just as important to create a space where people can truly relax and unwind. That doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money, especially when you shop on flea markets or find secondhand beauties online.

Cozy attic living space with wooden beams, white wooden floors, warm lighting, and a variety of furniture including a brown leather sofa, a rug, armchairs, and a potted plant. A large window at the end provides natural light.
Silhouette of a dog on a beach with the sun setting in the background, casting long shadows across the sand.

Vintage items also mix so well with indulgent designer sofas, contemporary wall art, artisanal crockery, hand-knotted woollen rugs and natural textiles like linen, cotton and wool for throws, pillows and bedding.

All these elements together will create something unique that people will remember, and tell their friends about.

Rustic loft interior with a wooden ceiling, vintage cabinet, dining table with chairs, and a hanging lamp. The walls are painted yellow and there are wooden floors.
A green bowl filled with yellow lemons on a table with a blue fish-patterned tablecloth.

As for choosing colours, I was given the perfect tip by a local artist: use the colours you see in your surroundings.

Another rule of thumb is not to use more than three colours. Within that palette you can then play around with different styles, even from different eras as much as you like.

Then cheat a little bit with some accent pieces like a beautiful vase, or a couple of pillows in contrasting colours.

It will work – I promise!

Cozy attic living space with exposed wooden beams, white painted flooring, and eclectic furniture. Includes a round dining table with four chairs, a bed, plants, and ambient lighting.

Here’s how it works in three simple steps:

  • I’d love to meet you for a chat in your new home or your holiday let. This is my chance to find out about you, about the things you love, and how you would like your new home or holiday let to look and feel.

    We’ll talk about your specific requirements. This could involve the décor for your entire house, for a single room, or perhaps you just want me to source a few statement pieces.

    Once we have established exactly what you need, I’ll go home and prepare a ballpark quote.

  • Once you approve the estimate, I get to work. I’ll present my ideas for your space(s) with a physical and/or digital mood board so you can visualise the rooms and pieces I’m going to source.

    We’ll go through this together at your house and adjust things wherever necessary.

    After this I will create a shopping list with all the pieces you/I need to to get.

  • This is the best part of the whole job…

    I’ll set off to hunt for all the bits and pieces we have agreed on.

    Once I have purchased everything I’ll have it all delivered to your house and we’ll put everything in place together.

    Please note that since I work with a lot of (often unique) vintage pieces we might have to compromise here and there when something you like has already sold. But not to worry – I can usually find something very similar!