FEATURES Mallorca breeze
Designer Carmen Pujol of Terraza Balear has created a light, soothing interior for Villa Bendinat, a contemporary residence next to the Mediterranean.
Carmen Pujol has created a light, soothing interior for Villa Bendinat, a Mediterranean contemporary residence
Whether it’s a majestic sunrise emerging from the sea or the bold palette of hues as the sun gently fades, the views from Villa Bendinat provide the ultimate invitations to escape.
“The spectacular site has views over Bendinat Castle, the prestigious golf course and the whole bay of Palma – a blueprint for the spirit of Mallorca. Each detail of this project has been designed to connect with the spirit of the island,” says Carmen Pujol, Terraza Balear’s lead interior designer for the project.
The new 1232 m² residence, located just above the Real Golf de Bendinat golf course in the exclusive Bendinat area of Mallorca, was created by lead architect Miguel Arenas and lead interior designer Carmen Pujol, who worked with her incredibly talented team at Terraza Balear.
“In this project, transparency seems to have been the keyword. Airy, light-filled rooms with plenty of space connecting the inside with the outside give it a feeling of openness,” explains Pujol.
Terraza Balear, known for its dedication to all areas of the interior – from designer furnishings and accessories to interior design – has a history of working on luxury products in the area.
“We are well-known for creating living spaces in natural and complete harmony with the souls of those who will encounter the spaces,” explains Pujol. “We create houses with elegance and comfort, based on a sophisticated design concept in connection with nature and the Mediterranean lifestyle. When we look at each project we agree that our passion for what we do is the real engine that allow us to enjoy the process as much as the outcome.”
Designed with an open plan to bring nature indoors and create a relaxing space for stylish living and entertaining, Pujol created a plan that highlighted the show-stopping architecture of the house.
“The living area consists of only one big room; there are no doors separating the living, dining and kitchen zones. Celling-high glass doors are nearly frameless and fold away or slide into the walls. Slim white columns support the sea-facing façades of the building, [and are] double-high above the seating area to give it even more space. The impression is breath-taking,” she reflects.
Her plan: “For us, the task was to create a connection between all the rooms and link them together. This seems to be quite obvious but with such a big space it’s easy to lose connection. I used neutral colours and unimposing furniture to give the apartment an elegant look. The house does not only have extraordinary qualities in terms of design but also in terms of living ‘bienestar’, as we call it in Spain. Arriving at home should have the wow-factor, as well as a totally natural sense of comfort. All the furniture pieces make a bold statement but at the same time are simple and uncluttered, without curves or decoration.”
An integral part of this comfort was the welcoming, daydream-inducing furnishings, such as Flexform’s Groundpiece modular sofa, Soft Dream sofa, Feel Good dining chairs and armchairs, Fly and Tris coffee tables, Jiff dining table, Guscio armchair, Cestone daybed and Feel Good bed, designed by Antonio Citterio.
“The Flexform brand is world-famous for sofas with soft, large cushions, representing its stylistic signature, and great care goes into the quality of the feathers and down that they contain,” says Pujol. “While the excellence of the products is related to manufacturing quality, it is equally true that the great competitive advantage of Italian design is beauty,” she explains.
“In this project, transparency seems to have been the keyword.” - Carmen Pujol
Throughout the whole house, which features only white walls, Terraza Balear used oak wooden floors throughout – including in the bathrooms – and only one more wood for all built-in furniture: walnut. These restrictions give it an elegance that’s further empowered by the colour palette of the textiles. Soft earthy tones – sandstone, weathered grey, terracotta red – reflect the landscape of the island, and the all-natural colours without patterns make the ambience calm and relaxing.
It was difficult for Pujol to choose only one area as her most coveted, but she really fell in love with the outside space.
“The whole terrace is like a big outdoor living room; we chose a classic sofa and table to furnish it. Two big poufs add a relaxed holiday feeling to the ambience. The stone façade of the house is contrasted by strong white elements – like the balcony on the first floor, which also works as sun-protection for the dining area of the main terrace. A long table seats eight and a custom-made outdoor kitchen is good fun for summer meals.”
Given their passion and dedication to all things beautiful, it’s no surprise that the duo’s next step is to bring their singular style to the heart of the home. Pujol says, “We think the kitchen is the heart and protagonist of the home, so in order to complement our overall interior and architecture design service we are introducing kitchen design into our future projects so that the whole space speaks the same language,” says Pujol. We can’t wait to see.