SWISS FINANCIER AND FASHION ENTREPRENEUR SOPHIE BONVIN ON HOW SHE BUILT HER DREAM RETREAT ON THE SUNNY HILLSIDES OF PALMA

Even on an island with as many magnificent houses as Majorca, Sophie Bonvin's stands out.

- NANA BOTTAZZI

The villa's geometric avant-garde architecture makes it an eye-catching addition to the Mediterranean landscape, where its multiple levels march up a hillside in Palma with endless views over the sea.

This is the Swiss financier and fashion entrepreneur's summer paradise, and there's space for everything. She and her partner love to invite guests to mingle in the light-filled rooms decorated in bold orange and turquoise.

Here, they can admire an impressive collection of contemporary art, while outside, beautiful terraced gardens beckon, overflowing with palms and fragrant with orange blossom.

Sophie, why did you decide you wanted a home here?

"Majorca is wonderful. My partner and I do a lot of sailing, and we've always kept boats here. As well as the glorious sea, there are mountains. You can practise golf, polo, tennis- every kind of sport.

"Palma is a fun, lively capital where you're surrounded by culture and history. Go inland and you will find unspoilt villages."

What do you like about this neighbourhood?

"Son Vida is on the outskirts of the city and very green, but from our hillside, you can see two of Palma's most important monuments, the Cathedral of Santa Maria and Bellver Castle."

When did you acquire the property?

"I bought the land around four years ago and we built the house from scratch.

"There was already a huge house here, which we tore down. We also terraced the ground so that we could build up the hillside."

What were you aiming for with the design?

"A sense of space, geometric lines and a mix of materials. The architect, Maurice Sainz, gave the villa large windows to bring the outside in and also used lots of stone and wood, in keeping with its natural surroundings.

"The sloping ceilings are made of cedar, the floors are oak from the north of Spain and grey limestone features too.