F
or Mercedes and João, the hunt for the perfect home away
from home was long, but well worth it. “We were looking
for something a little out of the ordinary,” says Mercedes,
who, along with João, had been visiting Mallorca for
years prior to buying their dream holiday home on theidyllic Spanish island. Their wish materialised with the discovery
of ‘Ca’n Marquet’, a rustic hideaway built from ancient, sun-warmed
stone walls tucked away in a verdant landscape. Recalls Mercedes,
“We fell for its charming appearance right away.”
The love affair was no passing fancy. More than 15 years later,
the London-based couple, their adult children Victoria and João,
and the family dog Pollock are spending more time than ever at
their second home in the Mediterranean, which harbours secrets its
owners are still unearthing. “Unfortunately, we know very little
about the history of the house,” explains Madrid-born Mercedes.
“But we have learnt that initially two families lived in the house
- and we also found an interesting underground alcove where,
supposedly, contraband items were hidden hundreds of years ago.”
Its shadowy past aside, the property offered scope that stretched
beyond a base for the warmer months. “We are starting to use it in
autumn as well, and because in the summer we usually invite friends
and family, the off-peak months are a nice time for us to relax here,”
she says. With the home playing an ever-more significant role in
their lives, Mercedes and João recently decided to renovate, enlisting
Mallorca-based architecture and design firm Moredesign. “The main
aim was to modernise the house without spoiling its traditional
Mallorquin characteristics,” says Mercedes. On the wish list: under-
floor heating – a must, as the island’s winters are wet and chilly – as
well as central airconditioning. The modern comforts had to be
introduced “without ruining its original characteristics,” says
Mercedes. “We also wanted to expand our outside area.”
The solution – the island’s signature pergola, times two. Embraced
by attractive grape vines or framed by fuchsia bougainvillea, the
pergolas needed to be “in complete harmony with nature and
the house,” says Mercedes. In this, as with elsewhere, Moredesign
delivered, say the happy homeowners. “It has become a very
comfortable, user-friendly, ‘all-year-round’ house,” she says.
Asked about her favourite spot in the home, Mercedes picks the
renovated kitchen, a sparsely radiant space refreshed by sage-green
accents that recur throughout the home to lift stark white
rooms warmed by timber touches. “The kitchen has a wonderful
window facing the garden and the pool area,” she says. “You feel
that you are outside and inside at the same time.”
Secluded from crowds, the serene ‘Ca’n Marquet’ has evolved with
the family, and today, the home is truly the retreat they always
dreamed of. Sums up Mercedes, with a smile, “We simply love it all.”
KITCHEN Avid cook Mercedes spends a lot of time in her eat-in
kitchen (top left & opposite), where a wide window keeps her in touch
with the family. “I love cooking, so it is ideal for me, as I can see what
is happening everywhere,” she notes. Custom oak-panelled joinery by
Moredesign (get the look with Laminex ‘Elegant Oak’) warms the space
and complements the 80cm-wide stone wall, and the view that it frames.
Local Binissalem stone creates a sleek countertop, while the pendants
add an industrial touch (try the ‘Orion’ pendant light in Aluminium from
Temple & Webster). Hans Wegner ‘Wishbone’ chairs from Carl Hansen
are right at home at the table, where a simple tablecloth in an earthy-
green shade (try the Habitat Pelham ‘Jadeite’ tablecloth from Pillow
Talk) gives nod to the accent colour used throughout the home.
PATIO Olive-wood trunks were seasoned for a year before being used
to support the pergola on the home’s north-west patio (left), where
sky-coloured and Ikat-print cushions brighten up the space (for similar,
try the Indigo Ikat indoor outdoor cushion from Temple & Webster).
A waterproof cover of polycarbonate membrane and natural fibres works
well during autumn downpours. >