| FR
Tell us about yourself!
I’m Oliver Bucher, Swiss-born, and by profession I’m a furniture producer. I used to spend 300 days of the year travelling around the world for work. Once my kids started growing older I soon realised that when I was home, I wanted to be in a place that was warm and where I could sit outside and where they could practice sports all throughout the year. While I had always lived comfortably, I realised that my personal true luxury was the sun and an espresso; that was worth more than anything on the planet to me. So the quest started to find the perfect place for me and my family and we found Mallorca.
How did the idea of Villa Only Summer come about?
Throughout my travels, I soon noticed that 5-star hotels around the world all look the same. I wanted to do something different. This is where Villa Only Summer's philosophy came from, embodied in this finca in Mallorca. It was originally just an abandoned house but as we all may know, when you arrive somewhere, it either catches your eye in the first few seconds or it doesn’t. When I found the land and its 50,000 square metres, I knew it was the perfect spot for this new concept. I had never been in the travel business, so this villa really just came out from my heart, my soul. I knew instantly that this was the land where I wanted to bring my ideas to life.
Did you always believe in this philosophy, in connecting with the land?
This philosophy came with the lifestyle. I had travelled extensively all year-round up until 6-7 years ago. There comes the moment that you realise this isn’t the way to live your life. It was all so repetitive, and I wanted to be more connected to earth, and to nature. So I searched high and low for this perfect piece of land to pour my philosophy into. So many of my friends said I was crazy; to invest in a piece of property so far in-land and not by the water. But I really wanted to put nature at the forefront.
Did you find help through other designers or architects?
I discovered, through Villa Only Summer, that I could also be creative in landscaping, home design, and everything else. This creativity is something that I always wanted to cultivate, and I really wanted to put my ideas into this house. By travelling around the world, you see that it is full of beautiful ideas, and it’s just about collecting all of that and putting that into design that encapsulates your tastes.
What were you inspired by?
I was inspired by Ibiza, Greece, and a lot by Morocco, and it just so happened that many of the artisans who helped build the house were Moroccan. This was a perfect coincidence as it allowed for them to share ideas, and transform my vision into reality in a way that couldn’t have been done. They’d taken techniques that another constructor wouldn't have used or done, and it was a fun challenge to create these inspired elements from Morocco in the true Moroccan way.
How did the natural landscape play a role in Villa Only Summer?
When buying this huge land, a big aspect of what I wanted to do was make sure each part had a purpose and a role. The landscape is as important as the house itself, because you’re not meant to sit inside all day long. You spend most of your summer holidays outside and what’s amazing is that wherever your eyes travel, the views are amazing, and that continues to be an important facet that I wanted to highlight in Villa Only Summer.
You have tons of fruits, vegetables, and trees on the land! Tell us about it.
I believe that the luxury of the planet is in what the earth gives back to us. It’s because of this that I created a bio garden where we take care of over six species of bees, as well as 20 orange trees, 60 lemon trees, and endless olive trees. Allowing for the guests to be able to pick their own produce themselves is part of the philosophy. Because what’s better than grabbing the fruits and vegetables of the land around and using it fresh?
What have you learned about yourself through Villa Only Summer?
I had to be really honest with myself and ask: what truly makes me happy? I was happy flying in luxury, but I realised I find more bliss going through olive trees. So I found out that instead of sitting in first-class environments, I love being on a tractor. I love to discuss with people of all cultures to construct my dream-home, and I was simply surprised about myself and how much I could enjoy the simple things in life. In my opinion, this is the future, to enjoy the luxury and spoils of our nature.
What do you want people to experience at Villa Only Summer?
I want to give anyone the possibility to explore holidays in a different way. On one side you have this beautiful island with endless possibilities of restaurants, cafés and beaches, but Villa Only Summer offers something different; to show that life is about discovering the beauty of the earth and all it has to offer. It’s the possibility to escape from the normal four walls and step into this sort of dream-land I’ve created. I wanted to offer this kind of feeling, because I believe that that’s what holidays are for: to discover.
Why is it called ‘Only Summer’?
Summer holidays are so different from winter holidays, or ski holidays, where you are literally hiding underneath a pile of clothing or snow. Stepping out of your home when you’re on a winter holiday means putting on layers and layers just to face the outside world but on summer holidays you’re shedding as much clothing and inhibitions as possible! You’re exposing yourself to the sun, it’s letting go, it’s being free and constantly being open. So Only Summer is about creating a space where that summer mindset transcends to all 365 days of the year; where you’re always open to endless possibilities and consistently discovering new things about yourself and the people around you.
