Traditional Mallorcan style: an inspiration for modern design

We live on an island with utmost beautiful architecture dating back to the 10th century, where we can still see remains from the Arab City that it once was with construction elements such as the interior columns recycled from bygone eras including Byzantine and Roman times. A couple of good examples are the Joan Miró Mallorca house, Son Boter. Built in the 18th century, it encompasses all the characteristics of traditional Mallorcan architecture as well as the Almudaina Palace, behind La Seu Cathedral which follows the line of the Mallorcan Baroque palaces.

Photo credits: Son Boter – Fundación Miró Mallorca

You will find many different periods of history when wandering the island, but its most popular traditional Mallorcan feature is on the island “pueblos” where you’ll find stone facades that cover the village homes. Idyllic villages such as Deia and Fornalutx are places where you’ll see the most of this design, encompassing the walls of the town from building to building, surrounded by a valley of hills.

Typical Mallorca stones that are used for these features are Marés and Binissalem. There are a few different styles and colours to choose from, from a grey tone throughout to a touch of orange and red in the patterns. It can be put together in a rustic position like it would have been back in the day or nowadays it is common for it to be perfectly placed which takes time and expert technique.

Bconnected Real Estate, property in Deià F-REF 222

The typical construction which you’ll find in the Raiguer region, central of the island is fast and does not require a lot of technical knowledge. The stone is joined with waterproof Mallorca cement (sand-colored), which stops the water and moisture from getting into the interior and keeps the wall dry.

The design here in the Raiguer region is of a red-ish tone and where the facade is a mix of rustic stone-clay combination and the surrounding of the doors and windows are smartly surrounded with a stone Caliza o Marés.

The Midjorn area of the island was where the once was an abundance of Marés queries which would all be taken to the city to be used back in the day, therefore the homes around this area were built with what was leftover and not so attractive to builders. A stone that was a little too triangular or small. This area, therefore, has quite a different style to many other areas of the island.

In the Tramuntana area you’ll find that the terraced houses look like they were built at the same time, all with the same stone, however, if you look closer you’ll see that the stone was actually built at separate times as each home has its stone-built leaning on the other as this was the most practical way for them to build this. This is also a sign that the neighbours were friendly with each other as they allowed for this to happen. The stone here is the standard one that makes up the island, calcareous rock. It has two variants: calcite, which is whitish in colour, and dolomite, which is darker.

Bconnected Real Estate, properties in Artà F-239, Biniali F-REF188, and Ses Salines F- REF 237

Traditional Mallorcan stone design is still used a lot in construction today, which proves that it is not only a good feature but also very practical. In many modern homes built in recent years on the island, a stone wall facade has become a standard feature that can be a great selling point. Stone features can be adapted to give a personal touch to each home depending on the design and colour scheme, there are a few variants which can be chosen.

If you are looking for a property with an authentic Mallorcan style, do not hesitate to contact our real estate agents.