- Interior
Hollie Bowden is one of the few with whom we associate the contrasting term minimalist maximalism. This is meant exclusively as an exceptional compliment. Her interiors are usually filled with an intriguing calm that at the same time does not refrain from telling an ongoing story. Here in Ibiza, she was involved in the construction of an imposing finca for no less than five years; a rural picture that seems to have risen from the ground almost on its own.
Gaining power with your ideas is done by naming them in a specific and original way. Hollie Bowden therefore immediately scores high marks with us when she describes herself as a beauty fundamentalist. This visionary designer and aesthete hails from London. She has been running her own studio in Shoreditch since 2013. Before that, she gained experience at various companies, after having successfully completed her studies at the KLC School of Design in Chelsea. Over the years, she has carved out an ever-expanding territory for herself in the interior design sector. With her team, she alternates between all kinds of commissions in a mix of residential and commercial projects. For this design, she took to the landscape of Ibiza, but equally draws to the glamour of Hollywood. Without exception, her style wallows in a witty yet intuitive character. While always spinning a particular narrative, her ideas constantly guard their natural tone. ‘I love the conceptual journey you go through during a project; how you transform ideas. For me, that is an organic process,’ says the interior designer. For that reason, her style responds directly to the location in question. 
This recent renovation of a finca in Ibiza embodies this perfectly. There were a lot of characterising features that needed to be preserved. Concomitantly, there was the need to give the property a more contemporary dimension, which at the same time would significantly increase living comfort. In short, the historical profile had to be given a modern edge, thus bringing together the best of both. The location only made it better, as the property is surrounded by a lively garden and looks straight out onto the southern side of the island. That outdoor setting contributed significantly to the slightly untameable, rugged atmosphere of the place. This did not pose the slightest problem, as the interior designer decided she just had to appreciate that quality. That way, the residents would also experience their climate to the fullest and get a home that brings inside and outside into an intense connection. 
The outdoor setting contributed significantly to the slightly untameable, rugged atmosphere of the place
For the walls, Bowden reserved a rather naked look. In addition, the ground plan consists mainly of open structures. Those two factors together ensure a fiercely minimalist-tinged look that is a remarkably good match for the rustic background of the property. Precisely because she makes these choices, every piece of furniture and decoration comes to the fore with optimal power. Yet she added the appropriate counterbalance to those minimal touches, so that the whole would become a fusion of different influences. Note, for example, the imposing cooker that is a clear reference to the southern location, and the wooden beams that proudly recall the project's rusticity. Just because all the elements are given breathing space to each come into their own, the design grows beyond pure minimalism. It happily exchanges that term for something less obvious. Despite the variety of things, the concept retains its unity and does not stray far from a neutral colour palette. Some tentative deviations can be seen in the terracotta-coloured backrests of the dining chairs and the muted green of the wall art in the kitchen. Still, the prevailing feel remains mostly neutral without falling into predictability or introducing only familiar items. 
Here in Ibiza, London-based interior designer Hollie Bowden built undisturbedly on her international status that she has been nurturing on her own since 2013. The traditional finca style was given a contemporary addition that does not shy away from highlighting the ruggedness of the place. Without adding too many elements together, she still developed a rich concept that challenges the existing boundaries of styles and skillfully blurs them. Her style is 100% her own and at the same time compatible with a wide range of tastes and desires. From the untouchedness of a southern island to the opulence of a metropolis: in every kind of environment, she knows how to transform her ideas into haunting realisations that never lose sight of the essence. We hope she continues to challenge the status quo in the future and seizes many more opportunities to continue to amaze her loyal audience.
Photography by Genevieve Lutkin Text by Cara Jacobs