the new mediterranean
What an absolutely magical few days spending time preparing & shooting this home in the Mallorcan countryside between Campos and Felanitx. Pernilla Danielsson (@lifestyle_mallorca) was approached by the homeowner, a German family who had bought & renovated this beautiful home, because they were preparing it for rental (snag it here on Airbnb if you can!!). For us, styling a home for photography can be just as exciting as doing its interiors. Scroll on to see how we captured its beauty for the pages of Airbnb.
“Styling is all about the art of arranging objects. It is how you display pieces to create a beautiful arrangement or scene. It’s how you curate your collections. It’s how you edit your spaces. And to style well - and with confidence - you really need to learn the art and science of composition.”
Like many homes here in Mallorca, Finca Son Serra is simple and elegant. It celebrates open-plan living and rustic finishes, and the homeowners have chosen natural materials and soft, earthy color schemes. A rustic oak kitchen paired with microcement, original stone arches and tons of woven basketry. There really is a focus on balance here - it is not about a single item, but rather a feeling the entire space beams out to its occupants. Each element of the design works together to give “that” Mediterranean spirit.
The use of raw finishes in this old stone home suggests a primitive hand carved feel. We can see it in the architecture as well as on its original plaster walls, those vintage wood shelves and the objects and art the homeowners have chosen to feature. Our job as stylists is simple: take all of these already-wonderful design decisions and edit them. What we love to live with is sometimes too much for a photo. We never want a beautiful home like this to look cluttered, so we take some pieces out, move them around, rearrange them — whatever is necessary for those original architectural features to shine.
Old stone fincas here in Mallorca oftentimes feature organic and sculptural shapes. And these days, people have a rediscovered appreciation for irregular, organic shapes probably because they are evocative of simpler times. Here, we like to use sisal and woven materials for added tactility and warmth. And we celebrate local craftsmanship and tradition because here, a home is a part of its surroundings. Everything is an ecosystem.
