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The view westwards from the house, towards Valldemossa and Banyalbufar. -
The local stone used to clad the home’s façade comes from nearby Esporles, and the shutters are made from natural iroko wood, which will turn silver over time. -
The curvaceous, sculptural spiral staircase connects all levels of the house through the common areas, making it “not only a staircase but a path”, according to architect Manuel Villanueva of More Design. -
The suar wood dining table and benches are a bespoke design by More Decor, as are the hanging woven lampshades. -
In the lounge, reclaimed-wood ceiling beams are offset by discreet, contemporary wall sconces. The large decorative pot is an antique, hand-worked Spanish storage jar, dating back to the 1850s and sourced at a local antiques market. -
A boldly sculptural fireplace is softened by the grouping of candles within it. The Cubist coffee table, metal-framed LA chairs and modular daybed are all by More Decor. The bamboo screen cleverly conceals a hallway space. -
The lower-level bedrooms – including this one – feature floors finished in microcement, and furnishings and linen by More Decor. -
Furnishing the area at the top of the central spiral staircase is a More Decor daybed made from reclaimed oak and upholstered in natural, hand-dyed linen. -
In the en-suite master bathroom, More Design’s artisans created the stone basin, the vanity and the wooden shelf, while the brass fixtures were supplied by Vola. -
This staircase leads to the top floor of the house, which is entirely occupied by a master bedroom suite. -
This casual lounge area, situated one floor below the main living spaces, is mainly used as a “kids’ corner”. More Decor sourced the “trophy heads” on the wall from local artists. -
In the vanity/study area that leads into the master bedroom on the top level of the house, the wooden floors are complemented by a jute rug. The raw brass mirror with smoky glass is a More Decor design, as is the chair (made from oak and a single piece of vegetable- tanned leather), and the aged brass and iron desk. OPPOSITE The metal four-poster bed, hand-carved wooden bench and natural hemp bed linen are all by More Decor, while the brass bedside tables are by 101 Copenhagen.
WORDS Robyn Alexander PRODUCTION Tille Del Negro PHOTOS Greg Cox/Bureaux
A boldly conceived Spanish holiday home situated on the mountains close to the historic town of Valldemossa blends an urbanely contemporary sensibility with elemental ease.
On the one side lies a forest of Mallorcan holm oak trees. On the other, a sea view in which, on most days, the division between the Mediterranean and the sky becomes blurred into a single vista of blue. And in between is this arresting, almost sculptural, stone-clad house, which combines the relaxed simplicity of holidays with an elemental, otherworldly quality that is difficult to define, but extremely easy to admire.
Situated between Valldemossa and Deià on the scenic west coast of the island of Mallorca, this home may occupy a spectacular position, but the structure has not always been a match for its site. Originally built in the 19th century and extended during the 20th, by the 1990s it was burdened by ill-conceived renovations, and in a poor state when purchased by its present owners.
Architect Manuel Villanueva of Mallorca-based More Design was the lead designer on the renovation project that followed, taking on a home that was not merely unsightly but practically collapsing, and legally out of code.And because the island’s strict building codes mean a house cannot be completely demolished and a new structure built on the site, More Design had to come up with an architectural solution that incorporated the existing structure while conforming to regulations – and satisfying the clients’ brief.
READ MORE: Comporta Home
“The solution was to introduce a new structure within the existing building, then open up some spaces and demolish others,” says Manuel. The result is a home that is the same in terms of volume but an entirely different interior space. “It was also carefully reconnected to the surrounding landscape in a way that reduced its environmental impact,” he adds.
In terms of its design aesthetic, the new home was conceived as a dialogue between extremes: the mountain side, with its prevailing green, brown and orange tones, stone and oaks; and the other side, which is all about shades of blue and the breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Mediterranean. The site is very steep, so you enter the house on its top level – where the spectacular swimming pool area is also located – then walk down through it into the rest of the spaces, which also provide access to the lower sections of the landscaped garden.
The house belongs to two families who regularly spend their holidays there, and features eight en suite bedrooms anchored by an almost gallery-like central living area. More Design conceived the house with two differentiated sleeping quarters – one for each family – with one situated across the top floors and the other on the lowest level. The middle portion, which features all the common areas, is shared, with the double-volume central space forming an especially lovely part of the home. Like many successful design elements, that double-volume space does double duty in terms of aesthetics and its structural function. Natural morning light, coming from the mountain side at the rear of the house, beams right through into the lower levels from the patio windows and openings on the top level.
A key component of the home’s elemental appeal is its striking stone-clad façade, which the More Design team spent much time working on. The stone is laid with attention to varying the depth of the façade, so it already has “the visual appearance of the passage of time embedded in its skin,” says Manuel.
“This house,” he says, “is for a person who looks for a quiet location and enjoys spending time watching boats and time go by – but it also has a contemporary approach to art and architecture.” It’s also proof positive that a holiday home can be a sophisticated space that nevertheless enables its occupants to completely relax when they spend time there.
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