The feel-good transformation of Can Ladera

What they jumped into was something of a building site. Renovations by island studio Blakstad had been put on pause and everything had come to a standstill. “The agent who showed us around warned us that we’d need some imagination,” recalls Maja, who also works as an architect. “But it was instant. When we came in, we looked at each other, and we both just knew.”

And so, the momentum continued. Blakstad picked up where they left off, this time alongside newly instructed Ibiza Interiors. Maja brought her ideas to the table too, taking each studio’s signature style and adding her own. “We played pretty good ping pong,” she reflects. “They had an idea and I caught it and added my own touch.”

Three heads proved to be better than one, and the renovations proceeded apace during the winter and early summer. “It was the best year of my life,” exclaims Maja. “We had so much fun. Looking back, it was a lot of work but we had luck on our side because we didn’t know anybody on the island and yet we ended up working alongside two of the most renowned studios in Ibiza.”

For Maja and Jan, buying in Ibiza was about embracing life rather than a “business decision”. Fittingly there’s a subtle sense of playfulness to Can Ladera. With such a traditional framework to play with, it would have been easy to stick to the tried-and-tested finca aesthetic, but Nordic simplicity comes to the fore, too.

“I like places that leave room,” explains Maja. “I wanted to take the Ibicencan natural look but make it cleaner.” Cue understated materials, finishes and tones which are echoed throughout, tying each space together. Sabina wood ceilings and stone floors remain, relics of the home’s farmhouse origins, but updated with contemporary sensibility. “It still has a heart to it, a soul. You come in and somehow with the colours and everything, you get the feeling of being at home.”

With living accommodation split between the main finca and a guest casita, Can Ladera offers pockets of privacy and togetherness, and an overarching sense of ease. At its heart, a courtyard unites both buildings. “It’s my favourite spot,” admits Maja. “We call it the marketplace because it’s where we like to hang out as a family. In the daytime, everyone can do their own thing. But in the evening, it’s a nice place to come together.”

With living accommodation split between the main finca and a guest casita, Can Ladera offers pockets of privacy and togetherness, and an overarching sense of ease. At its heart, a courtyard unites both buildings. “It’s my favourite spot,” admits Maja. “We call it the marketplace because it’s where we like to hang out as a family. In the daytime, everyone can do their own thing. But in the evening, it’s a nice place to come together.”

Elsewhere, the expansive plot means there’s no shortage of outside spaces to choose from. At Maja’s direction, pergolas dot the grounds which encompass a covered lounge, dining and kitchen terrace and a poolside cabana, together with a newly installed saltwater pool. From each, far-reaching views over Dalt Vila and the ocean emerge – the urban and the rural all rolled into one panorama.

Circled by pine forest and with Ibiza Town and Santa Gertrudis both a short drive away, there’s a best-of-both-worlds feel. “It’s nice to be so close to the city – cities always give me a secure feeling,” says Maja. “I’m an early bird. In the summer, I’ll wake up at 6am and sit outside to drink a coffee. Sometimes, I can just about hear the faint beats from Amnesia. Yet you still don’t see any neighbours and you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.”

Having recently sold Can Ladera through Domus Nova, something Maja describes as “closing the chapter”, the couple are looking forward to what comes next. Leaving will be bittersweet. “I’ll miss the whole vibe,” she says. “I’m a runner, and here you step out and you’re in the middle of the campo, just you and the farmers. I always feel great here. Being in the garden when the sun comes up, picking fresh lemons from the tree, being surrounded by all this nature. This house has so much soul.”

Can Ladera was sold by Domus Nova in 2024.