Portuguese crafts lover

PORTUGUESE CRAFTS LOVER

Charline Noblet - Co-founder of Sul Club

By Marie PUZENAT

When Saudade was launched, Charline and her family fell in love with vintage Portuguese rugs and cushions. Charline opened us the doors of her sublime Lisbon interior, so that we could share it with you. At the same time, she answered some of our questions.

Saudade's vintage cushions

Who is Charline?  

I have been living in Lisbon for 3 years. Before that, we lived in Paris, where I worked for 15 years in communication and change management. I really loved it, I find human relations fascinating. And then, 3 years ago, we felt like a change, travel and a new life. We decided to leave with my family. It was the right time, our children being small. As we love Portugal, we decided to come to Lisbon.

The vintage rugs are used sheets and linens that have been torn into strips of fabric to make "mantas de trapos or farrapos", these sustainable and multi-purpose blankets. 

Why did you choose vintage Saudade cushions and rugs for your interior?

We moved into this flat 6 months ago, and wanted beautiful pieces from here, made by craftsmen.  I met Christelle in this context. The Saudade project spoke to us immediately. It was exactly what we were looking for. She spoke about it with such passion that we were won over. We decided to get a vintage rug for our dining room wall, and vintage cushions to brighten up our living room. 

Saudade's vintage rug and Sul club ceramics

If your Saudade rug and cushions could talk, what would they tell us about their new family?

They would have to be censored (laughs). They would say that there are two little monsters running around all the time and that fortunately they are washable! They would also say that it's a living flat with a family life and friends. Our flat should definitely be easy to live in and have beautiful rooms that speak to us.

Your definition of beautiful?

So... what do I find beautiful? That's a philosophical question. 

I think that my opinion is mostly formed after I've talked to the designer or the person who introduced me to the piece. I can have preconceived ideas, but the passion with which the person tells me about it can make an object truly exceptional.

Beauty comes from the human relationship. The object is marked by what the creators and craftsmen want to communicate to it. That's what I find beautiful.

Your last moment of wonder?

Every weekend when we are at the beach, facing the ocean. Each time I realize how lucky we are. I really like city life, but these moments of pause in a natural setting are a real source of well-being.

Saudade's vintage cushions

At Saudade, we believe that everyone, object and human, has the right to a second life. In yours, what will you do?

Oh no, I want to do everything in this life! 

If I had to change everything, I would like to develop a "manual" skill, learn to weave, knit, paint, something where touch is important. I would finally take cooking classes, I love it, but I've been saying that for 10 years without doing it... I would work in psychology... Yes, a psychologist - cook and knits unwearable jumpers for her children!

What is your definition of Saudade? 

It's a word whose essence is not easy to grasp when you are not Portuguese. For me, Saudade is nostalgia and hope at the same time. It represents the values of this country. I would say that it is also a mixture of pride, know-how and authenticity. I have the impression that the Portuguese are more turned towards their past, but in a positive way. The past is a source of inspiration for the present.  They draw strength from it. As expats, I hope we can play a role in discovering this culture and participating in its transmission.

Saudade's vintage rug and Sul club ceramics

Pursuing on the topic of Portuguese crafts, can you tell us about your project? 

When I arrived in Lisbon, my husband and I set up a tourism project called Alma Da Comporta.  With this project, we made some great encounters while trying to work with Portuguese craftsmen and local companies. The idea of building something around Portuguese handicrafts was born in my head. Then I met Adeila, my partner in the "Sul Club" project, and everything came together. 

She has been living in Lisbon for 5 years, and has a restaurant called Ma Biche Pizza. When I met her, she had taken the same path as me in her desires. We realised that we both wanted to be involved in the local community and that we both love ceramics. 

We started 6 months ago. We looked for and met a lot of ceramic factories: human-sized companies, which employ local people and which think about their environmental impact. We find the tableware that suits us: pretty, made according to the ancestral Portuguese know-how, using only local stoneware, but with the modern touch that suits us. That's how Sul Club was born!

https://sulclub.com/

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  • Marie Puzenat
  • Tags: crafts, rug, handmade rug, portuguese rug, vintage rug, upcycled coton, coton rug, made in portugal, architecture, interior design, vintage, portuguese crafts

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