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COSMOPOLITAN

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Ali Pittam of Can Can Design and Roberta Jurado of Box3 Interiors worked miracles to inject personality into the blank canvas of a new-build house. The transformation took only six months, but resulted in the totally unrecognisable Can Fructu, now a truly unique and welcoming holiday home.

Ali Pittam, founder and director of Can Can Design, still gets emotional with the satisfaction of a job well done when she recalls the Can Fructu project and everything it entailed: ‘As I was driving home, dirty and exhausted, the clients called me to tell me they were completely blown away by what we had done, and that it was better than they ever dreamed it would be. Suddenly, all the adrenaline evaporated, and I had to stop the car at the side of the road and cry with happiness and relief–it had all worked out!’ It was far from an easy task for Pittam and her friend and collaborator Roberta Jurado of Box3 Interiores, who were charged with turning the recently bought newbuild house into the owners’ dream holiday home. It needed absolutely everything, from mattresses and martini glasses to curtains and coffee cups. Their work also included a curved, cantilevered platform to practise yoga, a pétanque court, wine cellar and a gym that had to be ‘fully equipped but still beautiful, not just functional’. And all this had to be completed in six months, as the brand-new owners wanted to use the house the first summer after buying it.

The building is a long, low, single-storey house, with a flat roof and beautiful, simple lines, large windows to show off the stunning views, interspersed with the warmth and texture of local stone. Much of the architecture is reminiscent of certain modernist gems in Palm Springs and California. ‘As Roberta and I developed the initial interiors concepts, we kept going back to the same phrase: contemporary Mediterranean modernism,’ says Pittam. ‘This gave us a useful style framework to work within, but it also gave us the confidence to move away from it when we felt it was necessary.’ They incorporated furniture, art and accessories from many different eras, multiple countries and continents, with some unique vintage pieces from the 1950s and 1960s that continue the original modernist thread. All of this is set against a backdrop of beautiful, suede-like polished-plaster walls and floors, with imposing full-height hardwood doors. To bring all this together, it was essential to first get to know the clients and visit some of their other properties. ‘It became clear they had a strong preference for a thousand

Instead of using the usual seaside blues and turquoises, the design duo wanted to root the house in the landscape. Their scheme is centred on terracotta tones and features contemporary designs such as these ‘Strip’ chairs by Massimo Castagna

shades of grey. Initially, we were afraid this might be a problem, but, luckily, from the outset they trusted us to guide them. We wanted to move away from the archetypal colours that have been used here on the island for decades: teal, blue, aquamarine; that is, the colours of the sea and the sky. The idea was to root the house in the landscape of the island, so we came up with a scheme centred around a palette of terracotta and ochre, the colours of the rich, living soil and the bright golden stone of Ibiza. ‘We set out to inject some fun, joyful personality and character into the home, using strong pops of colour with furniture, bathroom tiles, accessories, and, in particular, some amazing works of art.’

Art and sculpture play an important role in the interior of Can Fructu, as the clients are avid collectors. Some pieces from their other homes were incorporated, but Pittam and Jurado also made a lot of effort to find unique, playful pieces and, above all, to invest in local artists – such as Aline de Laforcade, who created an incredible textured piece in one of the main guest bedrooms, using local sheep wool, Posidonia balls from the beaches and locally produced fibres and fabrics.

‘As we developed the initial design concepts, we kept going back to the same phrase: contemporary Mediterranean modernism.’

Although the furniture had to be sourced quickly, the aim was for the home to feel like it had evolved naturally over time. To achieve this, contemporary European and South American designer items have been interspersed with vintage pieces

The low, singlestorey house comes with a pristine white exterior – the best colour to keep the house cool while also contrasting with the green surroundings

Beautiful,

Art and sculpture play an important role in the interior of Can Fructu, as the clients are avid collectors.

Summer hats and straw bags bring a touch of the beachside to this bathroom, finished in microcement and home to a bright red ‘Zig

Lots of wood, a bar area and comfortable sofas; another key element in this project was to create a relaxing space in which to enjoy the outside space and savour the sunset

HOME AT LAST

Having viewed over 80 houses, fashion CEO Sarah Crook was about to give up her search when she finally stumbled on The One. She turned interior designer and project manager to renovate it, in a truly impressive debut.

This house is at the heart of the island, near Santa Gertrudis, and yet at the same time it is completely isolated, says Sarah Crook of her villa. The fashion company director couldn’t be happier about her new home, though she had been on the verge of throwing in the towel before she found it: ‘I had seen more than 80 houses in just under two years,’ she explains. ‘Just when I felt like giving up, I went to see five villas with a new agent. Mine was the last one, and I had already given it a resounding no when I saw the pictures, as it was nothing like what I’d imagined. The house was built in the 1980s by two German owners and had a central tower topped with a crown, and no front door. It was the opposite of my dream house, but I could immediately see the potential the house would have once it was renovated.’

Sarah knew from the outset what she wanted to achieve, and despite not being a professional developer (her first foray as an interior designer was in this very place), she was quick when it came to making decisions: ‘I saw potential

straight away as I walked around the house. I completely remodelled the whole house, but without adding any square footage or touching the structure. There was a large garage and storage space to one side that I knew would make a great kitchen and living space, which would also allow me to have a large entrance hall to make the most of the views. Upstairs, I built an outdoor bathroom off the master bedroom and remodelled the existing family bathroom. Downstairs, I converted the original kitchen into a private bathroom next to the new bedroom that overlooks the pool and garden. This area has amazing views and it’s one of my favourite rooms. The house now has two very separate living areas; the kitchen that opens onto a new terrace, which in turn leads out onto a part of the garden that was completely overgrown; and the original living room, which is really snug in winter and wonderful to read in.’ Sarah also turned the walls into a textured blank canvas and installed iron-framed glass doors and windows.

Inside, a natural and textured palette was used, with wicker baskets, pale walls and rugs, and a 1950s rattan floor lamp

With this project, she was looking to recreate that sense of balance that exists on the island; so full of life in summer and so calm and cosy on winter days. She therefore settled on a natural and textured colour palette, while, in terms of materials, wood, wicker, bamboo, cement and natural plaster take centre stage, with splashes of colour appearing through objects, ceramics and paintings. ‘With the exception of the herringbone terracotta tiles in the bathroom, I wanted the flooring to be uniform throughout the entire house, maintaining the sense of space and light. All the walls are finished in a simple, raw plaster that gives a natural, textured finish as opposed to paint or colour.’ Pieces of furniture, drawn from a mixture of countries and exotic tastes, highlight Sarah’s unique style. ‘I love flea markets, vintage fairs, French antiques. I’m completely obsessed with chairs and continue to collect them for no reason. I adore mid-century designs from the 1960s and 1970s, especially wicker and rattan, as well as selected African pieces I’ve collected on various trips.’ It was well worth the wait, and now there’s nothing Sarah loves more than watching the sunrise in her bedroom as she indulges in a ‘slow and lazy’ breakfast.

‘I love flea markets, vintage fairs, French antiques and, more than anything else, chairs.’

The original living room has been preserved and is a snug haven in the winter months – the perfect spot for quiet reading

A little outdoor lounge with fireplace, built-in benches and a sculptural woven cactus: all you need to enjoy the peaceful side of Ibizan life