Fashion buyer, and jewellery designer turned interior designer, Laura Strader left LA for Ericeira and opened Blanco Bungalow in 2024.

How was Blanco Bungalow® born?
I created Blanco Bungalow when we bought our first home in Los Angeles, a 1920’s Spanish Bungalow. I started it as a blog and Instagram to document our ups and downs as first-time homeowners having never restored a home before. After gaining a following, press and brand partnerships, I decided to trademark the name, and when we moved to Portugal, it just made sense to keep it.

What prompted you to move to Portugal?
There were several things that prompted our move – our son Coyote was about to enter public school, and I didn’t trust the school system or his safety. We had also lived in LA for almost 20 years, and we felt like we were ready for a change. We had drive-by shootings in front of our home, helicopters frequently circling, sirens going all the time, and it wasn’t how we envisioned our son growing up.
In 2022, we went on a month-long holiday to Portugal and fell in love. My husband couldn’t believe the surf and loved the idea of finally having a farm by the sea where he could surf and I could raise horses and farm animals.

And Ericeira specifically?

Ericeira we really fell in love with because we discovered we had friends here, and they introduced us to their incredible community. My husband fell in love with the waves, and the architecture and culture was absolutely beautiful.

Was it a childhood dream to run a ranch/hotel?
My dream has always been to have horses and land. My adult designer dream has always been to have a guest house, because every single Airbnb I’ve ever walked into, I redesign it in my head and am constantly trying to think of how I can make it more efficient and cosy.

Tell us about your background as a designer?
I’ve worked in fashion my entire adult life. Starting out as a buyer, sales rep and then designed and created my own jewellery line, Turquoise and Tobacco. I was always interested in interior design, but it wasn’t until we bought our first house in 2018 that I felt like it was time to fully dive in. I started taking online classes at Parsons NYC, and applying everything I was learning first-hand to The Blanco Bungalow. By the time we sold it in 2022, we had restored every inch inside and out, and I still wish we could have scooped it up and taken it with us.

How much of a renovation project was it in Ericeira?
We used every penny we had to buy the property so there really wasn’t anything left. We had a goal to open for guests by the summer, so we painted every house inside and out, ripped out a closet, a kitchen, refinished wood floors and treated them for termites, fixed about five leaking roofs, purchased all new mattresses, beds, and a few pieces of furniture, and on 17 July 2024 we opened!

Any highlights / lowlights?
The family we bought the farm from, Maria and Justino Lucas, who actually lived in the front house for the first five months we lived on the farm. They would have us up for three-hour lunches several times a week and took us in like family! I don’t think there have been any lowlights – even every hardship teaches you something.

“We had both never been to Europe before we came, and just said f*ck it, let’s shake it up.  Sell everything, sell our house, our businesses and go on a new adventure.”

How would you describe your “home’s” style?
I always aim for a home to feel bright, calm and relaxed. The two biggest things to always incorporate into a space are natural light and plants. I want people to feel at ease when they walk in, and for their brain to be able to rest. I’ve been in a white phase for quite some time now, and over winter we’re planning some projects in Casa Corazón, and I never thought I would say it, but I’m hoping to have time to change some of the white walls to some earthy moody colours. I’m thinking some dusty sage greens and warm terracottas. So stay tuned…

How do you make a “hotel” a home?
I think adding décor and accessories that make it feel alive, welcoming and lived in. Things like candles that give a signature scent, beautiful books to flip through, soft textiles and accents that make it feel cosy like rugs and blankets, and plants – even if it’s cacti – anything living breathes life into a space.

Any words of wisdom?
The most important thing is to have fun, as long as you’re doing what lights you up, things will always work out. And don’t sweat the small stuff. My husband and I definitely battled a lot in the beginning because we were both stressed, but as we went on, we really leaned into what each other’s strengths are and now we’ve become a really good team.

What would you advise someone considering a similar idea?
It’s not easy, and it’s a lot of work, and it’s extremely important to take breaks. I think the hardest part is working where you live, so sometimes it’s hard to separate the two. A lot of times we can’t take a break unless we physically leave the property, and even then things tend to happen the moment we try to get away.