Unique artist's residence with personal expression throughout. Toucan house is a family home with wrap around views of verdant hills, blue lake and sub tropical gardens, always in bloom.
I looked for 2 years for a paradise such as this and I found it on the Canto da Lagoa on the outskirts of Lagoa da Conceicao.
My home is light and airy. We are amongst the trees on the side of a hill overlooking the lake. The immediate space around the house is clear of trees so as to preserve our light and to prevent extra humidity.
We bought this property 10 years ago after a very intense search of the island. Three small, very simple houses were in existence but in urgent need of reformation. The garden was very overgrown with jungle type plants, gorgeous but needed serious taming and clearing out.
I fell in love with the land and the views and although I knew what a large project it was, i felt totally inspired to make something of it.
I have spent the last ten years reforming the houses and landscaping the garden to create a very comfortable environment in which to enjoy the abundance of Brazilian nature.
Even though I live on the most beautiful island imaginable, I love to stay home and garden, cook and work in my studio, (I am an artist and chef). I love the environment that has been created here by me, for my family.
There is lots of space and many different places where people can congregate.
The kitchen is great. Enough room to socialize both with people inside the kitchen and people on the patio outside. there is a very smooth flow through the house, from room to room and from the indoors to the outdoors.
We built the swimming pool at the top of the hill a few yards from the main house so as to capture the view of the tree fringed lake and surrounding neighborhood.
We also have a BBQ area up there and a second kitchen so that a day or evening can be spent by the pool with your whole set up conveniently located.
There is a house called the Atelier up by the pool which is also rented out to couples only. The guests there also have pool access but all remains private because of the way I have screened things off with trellis. I will be working on site along with my caretaker Rodrigo during the summer months whilst my house has guests. The pool will be in use by the guests that are staying in the condominium during this time.
Altogether there are three houses for rent on the property but they all have a good distance between them.
Our neighborhood is a gentle mix of old families with money with amazing lakeside estates, International newcomers such as ourselves and simple living locals. But it seems to work and this mix prevents the neighborhood from becoming too ritzy.
The Canto is mostly residential but there are some good restaurants and shops sprinkled throughout certain segments of the long road that hugs the lake.
We also have the Centro do Ser Yoga/pilates centre jsut a 5 minute walk away, with expert practitioners and amazing views.
There is a marina situated 5 minutes away from the house and we have an 8 person Evolve launcher docked there.It is available with a captain for hire. Day trips from this side of the lake to the other are one of the most fun things to do on the island. Swimming, local restaurants, local sights, music and bbq on the deserted nearby beaches because they are only accessible by the water.
Our daughters are learning the watersports, right there in front of my house!
We are conveniently situated for the nightlife in lagoa, of which there is plenty.
There are an abundance of restaurants, bars, shops and cafes in Lagoa, a 5 minute drive or a 20 minute walk away.
If you want to take the bus there is a bus stop at the bottom of the hill by the gate that will take you straight to a main terminal a few minutes away. From here you can get buses all over the island.
The nearest beach of Campeche which is natural and clean and gorgeous is a 10-15 minute drive from the house. The surfing and windsurfing is optimum there.
Should you ever want to leave the compound, there is lots to do in the area.
