Home tour: How More Design gave this Mallorca farmhouse a beautiful modern minimalist renovation

With its enviable setting in the Tramuntana range, this holiday home in Mallorca, Spain, combines pared-back simplicity with total tranquillity

Having been regular visitors to Mallorca prior to purchasing a property on the Spanish island, Mercedes and João Marques Pinto searched for their ideal home for quite a while before they found it. This was because they were looking for something a little out of the ordinary, explains Mercedes. “We wanted to find [a house] that we could come to all year around,” she says. They were also looking for a location that “would have activities for us and the kids, and we also wanted it to be in quite close proximity to a port”.

When they finally discovered this abode—more than 15 years ago now—the couple fell for its “charming appearance” right away, says Mercedes. She adds that the house is called Ca’n Marquet, a name that it has had since long before the Marques Pintos became its owners and one which hints at its long and probably complex history.

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Above The arched doorway is typical of entrances to Mallorquin farmhouses, while the glass and wood doors were retained and refreshed

Above The olive wood trunks used to support this pergola were seasoned for a year before being used, and the roof layers a polycarbonate membrane between natural fibres to make it waterproof

“Unfortunately, we know very little about [the history of] the house or the families who lived here,” says 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.”

Ca’n Marquet is certainly very private, peaceful, and secluded, and is situated on the outskirts of the small village of S’Arraco. Close by is the port of Andratx, where the Marques Pintos keep their boat in the marina. And the property’s location within the protected confines of the Serra de Tramuntana, a Unesco World Heritage site, makes it part, Mercedes says, of “the most unspoiled part of Mallorca—and this is why we love it [here]”.

The couple lives in London—Mercedes is originally from Madrid and João hails from Porto in Portugal—but escape to their Mallorquin bolthole regularly, along with their children Victoria and João Jr, and the family dog, Pollock.

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Above The living room’s sofas and cushions were upholstered in fabrics by More Decor—the interior-decor arm of More Design—using Tibi Soft linen from Yutes, while the tree-stump side tables and traditional glassware were sourced locally

Above This beautiful old wooden lintel was an original feature of the house, with these beams typically made from olive wood that grows in riverbeds and becomes hardened to an almost stone-like texture and strength by its life in the water fabrics by More Decor—the interior-decor arm of More Design—using Tibi Soft linen from Yutes, while the tree-stump side tables and traditional glassware were sourced locally

“We try to use it as much as possible, especially in the spring and summer months,” says Mercedes. As they (and the children) get older, they have been using the house more frequently, she says. “We are starting to use it in the 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.”

So, when the time came to renovate the home recently, Mercedes and João knew they definitely intended to spend time here all year round. With this in mind, they chose Mallorca- based architectural and design firm More Design to work on the updates to their abode with them. More Design has a reputation for specialising in renovations that enhance the heritage elements of traditional Mallorquin architecture while also bringing a modern yet casual feel to its designs.

Above Featuring a set of Carl Hansen Wishbone chairs by Hans Wegner, the culinary space looks out to views of the patio

Above These kitchen units were custom- designed and made by More Design using oak wood panelling, with local Binissalem stone installed for the countertops

Their brief to More Design was relatively simple, says Mercedes: the main aim was “to modernise [the house] without spoiling its traditional Mallorquin characteristics” They wanted to introduce under-floor heating—useful when visiting in the autumn and winter because Mallorquin winters are rainy and can be quite cold—as well as central air-conditioning without detracting from its original elements, she says. “We also wanted to expand our outdoor area, which was achieved by introducing classic Mallorquin pergolas.”

In spite of their beautifully simple—and design-appropriate—present appearance, the pergolas were far from easy to get right, Mercedes says. The challenge was to ensure that they ended up being “in complete harmony with nature and the house”. In this, as elsewhere, More Design succeeded wonderfully, say the homeowners.

Photo 1 of 3 The built-in seats under the pergola feature cushions upholstered in Tibi Soft linen from Yutes

Photo 2 of 3 This wooden table was made by local artisans, upcycled from an old door. Also pictured here are homeowners Mercedes and João Marques Pinto

Photo 3 of 3 The designers consolidated the olive grove and incorporated terraces, paths and some additional greenery

“We simply love it all,” says Mercedes. “It has become a very comfortable, user-friendly, all-year-round house that also retains the traditional Mallorquin style. All the materials introduced were typical local elements, as were the building techniques.” Oro del Negro, design director of More Design, agrees that the key to the success of the project was ensuring that it “preserved the authenticity of the building and accentuated [the home’s] raw beauty with Mallorquin craftsmanship”.

Asked about her favourite place in the house, Mercedes instantly picks the renovated kitchen. “It 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. I love cooking, [so] it is ideal for me [as] I can see what is happening everywhere.”

Above This bedroom belongs to Victoria, the couple’s daughter, and features the original terracotta floor tiles. The built-in cupboard doors were made from reclaimed oak in hand- cut strips, along with salt oxide-aged nails and brass hardware. The arched detail above the bed incorporates recessed LED strips that softly illuminate it at night

Above This bathroom features brass fittings from Lefroy Brooks

Above The bedroom of João Jr, the couple’s son, is a light-filled, rustic retreat

Above This bathroom features a stone sink created for More Design by local artisan Miquel Ramis of Artifex

Now that the Marques Pintos visit Mallorca more often in the autumn and spring, they have been able to spend time discovering the attractions of the island’s capital city of Palma and its flea markets, says Mercedes.

But when they are staying at Ca’n Marquet in the warmer months, “our day usually starts with an outdoor breakfast followed by a walk up the mountain with Pollock, our dog. We enjoy the beautiful views of the island and unspoiled scenery. Then we usually go out on the boat or stay at home by the pool”. It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect summer agenda—or a lovelier setting for it.

Above The landscaped garden was part of the recent renovation, which also involved reshaping the stone terrace walls and adding a spot for sunbeds

Above The pool features travertine-slab edges and is lined with Portuguese glass tiles

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Credits

Photography

Greg Cox / Bureaux

Topics

Home design Mallorca Decor

Tatler Asia

Home tour: A modern minimalist farmhouse in Mallorca with beautifully textured walls