ROCK OF AGES
Living Etc UK|August 2024
The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone
Robyn Alexander/Bureaux and Rachel Christie
ROCK OF AGES

menorca’s autochthonous limestone, known as marés, is a beautiful natural material that varies in colour between ochre and white and is seen everywhere on the island – from the ancient structures left behind by the Talayotic culture to everyday farm buildings. When Benedicta Linares Pearce and Benoît Pellegrini acquired this abandoned rural property, they knew that its renovation would require sensitivity in terms of preserving the marés stone and also in bringing this beautiful old house into the 21st century.

‘We decided to leave the facade unprotected with the marés stone on show, as the farmhouse is all about working with local materials and this limestone is, undoubtedly, the island’s star one,’ they say.

Born in Menorca, but having lived in London, Benedicta had long wanted to fully reconnect with her place of birth, while Benoît – having visited the island many times – also felt its pull. Looking around for the best team to help them create their luxe eco retreat, the couple met Anne-Cécile Comar, an architect and co-founder of the French architectural practice Atelier du Pont, who, due to many visits, also knew the island well.

This story is from the August 2024 edition of Living Etc UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2024 edition of Living Etc UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LIVING ETC UKView All
modern extensions
Living Etc UK

modern extensions

WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
think like a pro
Living Etc UK

think like a pro

It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
colour decoded
Living Etc UK

colour decoded

As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
enduring style
Living Etc UK

enduring style

B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Living Etc UK

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
ROCK OF AGES
Living Etc UK

ROCK OF AGES

The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
FORCE OF NATURE
Living Etc UK

FORCE OF NATURE

An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
TOP OF THE WORLD
Living Etc UK

TOP OF THE WORLD

High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
A PLACE IN THE SUN
Living Etc UK

A PLACE IN THE SUN

An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
OUTSIDE IN
Living Etc UK

OUTSIDE IN

The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024