Tucked away in one of Ibiza’s quietest bays is a home where outside and inside co-exist in perfect harmony.

Ibiza has been a dream holiday destination since the 1960s. Spain was at that time ruled by Franco, and hippies from the mainland found a hub of liberalism on the island. Soon, free-thinkers and artists from other countries followed them and began making Ibiza their home.
The tale spread, and the myth of Ibiza as a paradise island was born. Everybody wanted to move there, take part in the fun – or at least spend at least a few weeks on the island. Ibiza became Europe’s favourite holiday destination.

Today, the island is in the grip of mass tourism, and real hippies are rarely found there. But a few untouched spots still survive. On the west coast of the island, for instance, there is a magical bay that in the 60s and 70s was a favourite hideaway of the hippy community. Today a beautiful white house occupies a prime position, looking as though it has grown out of the landscape. The architecture – at once simple and refined – has an air of masculinity to its edges and clean lines.

The house was indeed built by a man – for his beloved, a rich heiress from the United States. Therefore, as masculine as the house may seem from outside, on entering, one can see that it is inhabited by a woman.  After the view of the house as a whole, the entrance is the next impressive feature. It is a huge old wooden door (7.5 metres high), covered in exotic ornaments. This magical gate opens onto a long staircase that seems to go on forever, and invites visitors on a journey of discovery.

On the first floor is a big, loft-like room, split into a living area, which is dominated by a large fireplace, a kitchen, and a dining area that is filled with treasures from all over the world. There is an interesting mix of African and Asian artefacts, paintings by contemporary artists, old school panels, posters from the early 20th century and – most impressively – a Hindu silk tapestry dating from 1840, which represents the marriage of a nobleman. All these elements from different cultures give the living area an air of bohemian chic.
 
There’s still a minimalist feel to the house, though, and some real luxurious touches, such as the magnificent view of the sea. The big windows not only frame it like a painting, but can also be slid away completely, so that the interior of the house virtually becomes part of the environment.

On the upper level are the bedrooms. Above the bed in the master bedroom hangs an unusual painting of an art nouveau church window that represents the coronation of a woman by two clergymen. The view from up here is even more breathtaking than it is from downstairs, and one can cherish the undisturbed natural environment that surrounds the house.

Another peculiarity is the way that the bedrooms merge with the bathrooms. In the master bedroom there is a circular bathtub sunk into the floor in one the corner, next to two doors that lead out onto one of the terraces.

The rooms on both levels all have external extensions – in the sense that when the windows stretching across the entire wall leading to the terrace are open, inside and outside become one. The huge white terraces on each level are interconnected and contain several lounging areas and a swimming pool. A stairway leads to a path down to the shore, where a boat is anchored and from here the bay and the nearby shores can be explored.