On the road to Ronda sits a traditional-style villa with a contemporary homely twist, built by Malcolm and Amanda Reagan to be their dream home.

The Ronda road twists and turns up from the hustle and bustle of San Pedro de Alcantara on the Costa del Sol, passing luxury housing developments that cling to the rocky hillside. A short distance past the exclusive Los Arqueros Golf Club is El Madroñal, an urbanisation of luxury villas dotted across the rugged Andalucian hillside. Steel entrance gates swing open and the narrow private road meanders down into the lush valley past pastel painted villas of varying grandeur just visible behind high walls and thick foliage.

The steep road eventually takes a sharp turn to the right and Casa Calista comes into view. I swing through the open entrance and the owner, Malcolm Reagan, greets me as I step out of the car.
The majestic villa, built in a traditional Spanish style, was finally completed three years ago but the project actually started more than seven years previously. As we walk through the spacious sitting room to the terrace overlooking the swimming pool Malcolm explains.

“We originally looked to buy a completed new house but couldn’t find anything that we liked even after three years of looking. Then we decided to build our own house, but spent a further year looking for the right plot of land. Once we had found the plot we then had to go through the lengthy process of applying for building licences and locating a good architect and team of builders. We eventually found a Spanish architect and a local builder. I must say that I have been extremely happy with both and if we ever decided to build a house again I would certainly use the same people.”

The extensive villa is built on a plot in excess of 5000m2 and the build is 900m2. Features include five en suite bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, a fully fitted kitchen and breakfast room with walk fridge and larder, bodega and a garage for 5 cars. Ample space for Malcolm, Amanda and their daughter Holly, aged ten. 

As we walk around the kidney shaped pool Malcolm explains, “Actually we had intended to move to Spain permanently when we were building the house, but because of work commitments in the UK we couldn’t, so Casa Calista has now become a holiday home really. We love the house but it is rather large for a holiday home. We are looking for something a bit smaller and not quite so extravagant. We will stay in the area though as we love it here and I can play golf at Los Arqueros. There are also some superb restaurants nearby, such as El Coto, which we love.”

Holly is swimming in the pool, positioned in the garden between the two sweeping staircases that bookend either end of the house, leading to the covered BBQ and main living areas. As we ascend the stairs I ask Malcolm what he considers to be the three best features of the property. He stops, chuckles and points down the valley towards the sea in the distance. “The view, the view and the view.”

While Malcolm really influenced the actual design of the villa, it was Amanda that dealt with choice of the furniture, fixtures and fittings. Malcolm says, “Amanda sourced most of the furniture on the internet from the UK or during visits to the big department stores such as Harrods, House of Fraser and Debenhams during the sales."

“The house took 18 months to build which gave us time to carefully choose exactly how we wanted the house to look. And by shopping on the internet for some of the more unusual items and buying when the sales were on in the UK we probably saved between 30 and 40 per cent on our purchases. Also by shopping globally we had far more choice than we would have had shopping just in Spain.
“We also picked up interesting items on our holidays such as the dining room table and chairs, which we found on a visit to Zimbabwe. We stored our purchases at our home in Henley and when the house was completed I decided to give myself a little adventure. My dad, Derek, and I hired a large van and drove to Spain with the furniture for our new home. It was great fun.”  

Malcolm and Amanda have chosen a mix of modern and traditional furniture throughout the villa, with a hint of art deco such as the rattan and leather chairs in the games room.

“Because it is a holiday home we wanted to create somewhere clutter free but at the same time simplistic and stylish. We wanted an environment where we can arrive and not have a lot to do. Just visit a nice local restaurant, play a leisurely round of golf or just sit on the terrace and look at the views.”