Defying expectations, the interior designer has turned quintessential Balearic style on its head at this 500-year-old finca with unexpected materials and vintage furniture.
The most inspiring interior refurbishment projects are the result of more than adhering to a particular style; their success lies in something instinctive. When it comes to transforming villas in Ibiza, it takes a similarly intuitive understanding of the island’s architectural heritage and cosmopolitan culture to create homes that feel authentic and compelling.
Enter Dymfy Erens, the visionary behind Can San Mateo’s artful renovation. “Interior design is imprinted in my DNA,” she begins. “My father is a well-known designer, my mother an interior stylist and my grandfather was an architect.” Having been nurtured in such a creative family, it’s no surprise that Dymfy would be drawn to this kind of creative field.
Much like interior design, her relationship with Ibiza was foretold. “For as long as I can remember, my father brought me to the island, saying: ‘We are home’.” As a child, Dymfy would stay in a renovated finca with captivating seventies and African-inspired design, a rather unusual style for Balearic properties at the time. “It was then that I realised how much more fun it is to create an interior that defies expectations,” she says.
Dymfy travelled extensively and explored several artistic pursuits, but it became impossible to ignore that interior design was her “true calling”. One thing remained constant during this time: her love for originality and freedom in design. “I would buy vintage furniture and reupholster it in daring fabrics to be a bit rebellious,” she recalls. “People seemed to like what I had done and soon enough they asked me to decorate their homes. Before I knew it, I was fully immersed in the practice of interior design.”
Having made the move to Ibiza, the island provided the perfect environment to apply her adventurous creativity. “Of course, there are always people who want the typical bohemian ‘Balearic interiors’, but these are just not my clients,” Dymfy says. ”My imagination goes through the roof here. The people who buy island properties are a special sort; they’re more open, so I feel bolder in my choices.”
Where better to put this ethos into practice than at Can San Mateo, a historic finca hidden in the pine-tufted valleys of northwest Ibiza. The vast 55,970 square metre plot was ripe for reinvention and captured Dymfy’s interest at first sight. “The road leading to the house is one of my favourites on the island, driving through the fields, with the sun reflecting off the valley.”
''My imagination goes through the roof in Ibiza. The people who buy island properties are a special sort; they’re more open, so I feel bolder in my choices”
Can Mateo comprises a 500-year-old main house, plus an extension created by famed architect Pascal Cheikh Djavadi. “The architectural lines are impeccable – slick and chic. It’s a perfectly executed blend of an authentic structure with a contemporary wing.”
To honour this architectural lineage, the villa demanded something pioneering yet contextually appropriate for its transformation. “The house exudes tranquillity and a touch of quirkiness,” says Dymfy. “It feels like the real, authentic Ibiza – somewhere reminiscent of the old days. That was my goal: to nod to the seventies, which I consider to be Ibiza’s prime time.”
Furniture provided the starting point – as it always does – for Dymfy’s design. The first items sourced for the villa were dining chairs from Los Angeles-based studio Estudio Persona. “The rusty-coloured fabric reflects the island’s earthy tones, with the mohair texture adding a touch of indulgence,” she explains. Commanding attention at the centre of the dining room is a monochromatic striped table – a personal design of Dymfy’s, along with the checkerboard coffee table that showcase her fondness for black and white.
There’s a gallery-like ambiance to the spacious living room too, where expansive stone floors and walls act as a canvas for the furniture. A Howard Keith striped sofa is paired with Soriana lounge chairs in their original leather. “I adore the vintage versions of these chairs, which are far more comfortable than their modern re-editions,” she affirms. “Only the originals will do.”
“It feels like the real, authentic Ibiza, reminiscent of the old days. That was my goal: to nod to the seventies, which I consider to be the island’s prime time.”
Dymfy’s pièce de resistance though is the kitchen, wrapped in glossy Patagonia marble with a striking central island. As with the rest of the house, it’s characteristically impressive and inviting; a space you want to spend time in. So, what does the ideal look like at Can San Mateo? Dymfy always starts with breakfast on the terrace, soaking up the amazing morning light. “After exploring the hidden paths and surrounding pine forest, I’d invite friends over to cook in the outdoor kitchen next to the citrus trees,” she reflects. “At night, stargazing is best from the cosy seating area under the bougainvillea.”
Through her innate interior talent, Dymfy has retained the villa’s time-honoured charm while conjuring an atmosphere that feels emotive and dynamic. “Every finish is special and evokes a powerful response,” she muses. “It’s a project that resonates deeply.”
Can San Mateo is for sale at €10,800,000
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