This is a jewel of a property situated in the historical heart of the city of Palma, a stone’s throw from the Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum and the Cathedral. Formerly the home of a family of the upper Majorcan gentry, this three-storey building purchased by a British/Swiss development company was renovated to the most exquisitely highest standard. Justine had already worked with them on a previous project, so they turned to her once again to help with design choices, furniture, furnishings and accessories to appeal to high-end buyers. Market research suggests that most second homes in city locations are used as substitutes for hotel stays, so the goal was to create a boutique hotel feel with all the comforts of an uber-luxury home, ideal for urban stays and remote working.
Most of these historical properties boast palatial entrance halls and this one was no different. Justine elected to allow the austere grandeur of yesteryear shine through in the stone flooring and the staircase with its wrought iron balustrade, adding only a minimal side console and bespoke glass lighting to respect its original authenticity as much as possible. It’s all about history and modernity living side by side, with features of the past blended in with modern conveniences such as a lift rising from the two-car garage on the ground floor right up to the rooftop.
All the bedrooms in this property have spacious marble en suite bathrooms, and are decorated with sumptuous fabrics, wall coverings and rugs in shades of sand, taupe and cream and a touch of teal in cushions, throws or headboards. The result is a perfect balance between opulence and elegance. This same mood is carried into the living areas. There is a comfortable L-shaped sofa in the lounge opposite a modern copper metallic wall compete with fireplace and modern round coffee tables, showing how using metals and textures helps to infuse warmth without overpowering these spaces. This is also achieved by mixing and matching high-end contemporary design pieces with others of a softer feel like the upholstered dining room chairs and the artisanship of the wooden Asian teal sideboard in the dining room situated under the ultramodern edgy Cobra photographic artwork.
One of the marks of good home design is versatility of spaces, which has been successfully achieved by Justine throughout this project. One of the bedrooms has been fitted out as an office, with a stylish desk and feature wallpaper as an ideal backdrop for zoom calls, but also a sofa bed so that it can be used as an extra guest bedroom. All the floors in this property have generously-sized landings. One has been cleverly dressed to be used as a library, with comfortable armchairs and a bookcase; whilst another features a glass round table and chairs, for use as a smaller dining space.
The property is crowned by an attractive rooftop terrace, complete with plunge pool and fabulous views of the cathedral of Palma. Versatility and functionality once again characterise this space, with furniture that can be used indoors and out as well as a summer kitchen for preparing meals upstairs. The end result is a luxurious home staged to appeal to the high net worth market, where the deluxe setting created by Justine highlights the magnificence of the property without forgetting to invite potential buyers to imagine putting their own stamp on it and making it their own.