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Pandemic, or no pandemic, human beings around the world have always sought out beauty and comfort, and here in Ibiza it’s no different. While the island lies dormant, waiting for the impending summer season to start, the show must go on for homeowners, restaurants, bars, beach clubs and hotels seeking to transform their surroundings. Design waits for no man, and any renovations, design projects, restorations or refits will need to be completed before the influx of international visitors and with this in mind, KsaR Living presents a clearance sale of epic proportions throughout the months of March and April.
From next Monday – March 1, 2021 – the stunning design showroom and warehouse on the famous San Juan road will be discounting all of its current stock as a way of thanking islanders for their ongoing support, and to make way for the new collections that are currently being shipped in from exotic locations around the world. It’s important to note that this is not old stock or outdated collections – it is the current brands, timeless pieces and valuable materials housed within the walls of KsaR Living that will be available at a fraction of their retail prices. From 20% and up to 50% off, you’ll find beds, chairs, sofas, dining tables, outdoor furnishings, soft furnishings, art, lighting, tiling, bathtubs, kitchenware, tableware, cutlery, flooring, building materials, beautiful reclaimed wooden doors and much, much more – from high-end brands and one-off pieces to the in-house collections alike.
KsaR Living founder Alberto Cortes would like to extend his personal invitation to White Ibiza readers and clients in Ibiza to be the very first people through its doors. “We are living in the here and now,” he explains. “Now is the time to take care of one another, after all this Corona drama, and I want to give the people living on the island the opportunity to shop our timeless collections at a discounted rate before the summer.” There are just two short months to make the most of this incredible offer – from May 1, 2021, everything will revert to its original prices. Whether you’ve spent the winter dreaming about revamping your interiors, or have been seeking a particular piece for one room; if you’re a hotel or restaurant owner looking to upgrade your furniture or décor; if you’re a villa owner preparing your house for the summer season – now is the time to put the love, effort and KsaR Living pieces into your spaces before life as we know it returns to full swing.
In recent years, it has become quite the trend to call oneself a nomad – be it digital nomad, domestic, spiritual, corporate or occupational. Falling into the latter category – driven by his nomadic nature, definitely not by any trend or label – is Alberto Cortes, the one-of-a-kind creative mind behind Ibiza interior design brand KsaR Living. And while most nomads have, quite literally, been stopped in their tracks in 2020 thanks to the ever-evolving global health crisis, Alberto’s strong global connections mean his business continues to design, produce, source, ship and style Ibiza homes, hotels and villas, even in the face of travel restrictions.
Born into a semi-nomadic life, it’s no surprise Alberto he found his calling through exploring the cultures across many continents. Born in Barcelona, he was brought up in Amsterdam and spent eleven years in India before his inner compass sent him to discover the wonders of Morocco, Indonesia, and of course, the Balearic Islands – along with many other far-flung corners of the world. Like many other bohemian travellers on the hippie trail before him, he fell in love with the warmth of the people, the quality of life (not to mention the food!), the beauty of nature and the amazing craftsmanship of local artisans in these places. Unlike other visitors however, Alberto – whose eye for style kickstarted his career in fashion – saw an opportunity. A way to connect each of his beloved adopted homes, fusing their unique style with his own interior design work. KsaR Living was born.
For over two decades, Alberto has pioneered a style he calls ‘holiday architecture’ – a moniker that is somewhat ironic for the designer, who is a self-confessed workaholic. It just so happens that through his work, he is immersed in the cultures of some of the greatest holiday destinations in the world, with his eyes perpetually open in the pursuit of beauty. Ibiza is home base, so to speak, and the home of the flagship KsaR Living showroom (a second is located in Menorca and a third in Barcelona). The subtle storefront – an old finca style façade – gives no clue as to the treasure trove of discoveries that lies within. Step inside and a cavernous multi-storey warehouse is revealed behind the showroom, filled with antique finds from Alberto’s exotic travels, his own custom-made-in-Indonesia furnishings, plus a very carefully curated selection of contemporary designs from Italy, Holland, Denmark and more.
If Ibiza is home base for KsaR Living, then Indonesia is the life source. Alberto spends almost half the year in Bali, and also exploring Java and as many of the surrounding islands as he can access in search of antique handicrafts – Indonesia is very much his second home. But to be very clear, Alberto is no expat simply shipping mass-produced, cookie cutter furniture to Europe to make a quick buck – quite the opposite, in fact. Alberto is well and truly immersed in Indonesian culture, having lived and worked in Bali for 20 years, covering every inch of soil that he could in search of the very finest artisans, the rarest reclaimed wood and the most striking artefacts on the continent. He connects with his craftsmen on a human level: from the heart and from the soul.
In Ibiza, there is no designer with more tried and trusted, deeply personal Indonesian connections than Alberto. His little black book is filled with artisan families who have been carving wood or stone for generations; with the workshops that can still source antique wood even when most other places will tell you it’s all but extinct – he even has his very own atelier for his own designs. Whatever you’re seeking from Indonesia, KsaR Living can be counted on to either source, or design and produce it at the most accessible prices in Ibiza. In addition to villas, this includes large scale projects, such as hotels and restaurants, who may require a high volume of beds, chairs, oversized daybeds or tiling for an entire complex worth of bathrooms – in fact, one of Alberto’s own hotel projects, The Purist Villas, is located in Ubud, Bali and is a testament to his skills and style when it comes to hospitality.
Elsewhere, the spice of life at KsaR Living comes courtesy of Morocco. Alberto has been living on and off in Marrakesh since 2004 (between Bali and Ibiza), where another of his incredible hotel projects, Ryad Dyor, is located. And just as he has done in Indonesia, Alberto has spent the better part of 15 years wandering the magical alleyways of Medina and the dusty streets beyond, always in search of the best ceramics, mosaic tables and tiles, handicrafts, textiles and more. He maintains extremely close relationships with the best terracotta craftsmen, and one of the collections that excites Alberto the most in 2020 is his new line of ceramic tableware – beautiful handmade plates, cups and breakfast bowls that are like the perfect finishing touch on one of KsaR Living’s signature reclaimed wooden tables.
That’s the beauty of holiday architecture. There are no rules when it comes to mixing and matching pieces of furniture, décor, art and tableware from across the globe – although it certainly helps to have an expert like Alberto Cortes on your speed dial. While much of the world has come to a standstill due to the global pandemic, for Alberto and the KsaR Living artisans across the world, life – and their work – goes on. Wooden four-poster beds are still being meticulously hand-carved in Bali; master craftsmen are searching the rubble of ancient Javanese houses to find unique pieces of wood, or ornate doors to transform into something special; the wheels of a ceramicist in Marrakesh keep on turning, organically creating shapes that will one day bring joy to a dinner table across the sea. Most importantly, containers are still being shipped to the white isle, where they are unpacked at KsaR Living, before finding their rightful homes in Ibiza.
Right now, for the first time in a very long time, Alberto finds himself with his feet planted firmly on Spanish soil. The short flight between Ibiza (where he is also co-owner of another style setting destination, The Giri Residence) and Menorca is as close to his former jet set life as he can get for now, but at the same time, thanks to his nomadic background and unrivalled list of contacts, there are no delays in production, nothing is lost in translation and no project too big or small. Regardless of his location, Alberto is always working – it is in his nature. Even when he’s relaxing, you can see his eyes sharply assessing every space, absorbing the aesthetics and his brain ticking over with new ideas and inspiration. As more and more people seek comfort in their immediate surroundings, it seems holiday architecture is emerging as a permanent way of life, and there’s no one better to turn to than the man who lives and breathes it at KsaR Living.
Being confined to our homes for many months certainly highlighted the significance of many things in life – from the value of human connection, to the importance of being truly happy with the environment in which we live. For Alberto Cortes, owner of Ibiza design haven KsaR Living, creating comfortable, stylish and most importantly, liveable spaces has been a lifelong passion – a love affair that started with textiles and fashion over 25 years ago, and grew into a deep adoration, and some may say, an obsession for what he calls ‘holiday architecture’.
What is KsaR Living ‘holiday architecture’ exactly? It’s one part art, another part science and the rest pure instinct. You see, Alberto – who was born in Barcelona, grew up in Amsterdam and now spends his time between the Balearics, Marrakech and Indonesia – is a natural born designer. He sees a fabric, a piece of wood or a slab of marble and can instantly envision its potential to become sofa upholstery, a table or dresser, or a bathroom shelf. At the same time, he intrinsically understands the environments in which his creations will live – in Ibiza, for example, he knows that older, reclaimed teak wood can survive the relentless sunshine and high humidity levels when used in outdoor furnishings. And finally, it is his sharp intuitive skills that brings an entire space together – knowing exactly what will work for his clients’ unique holiday needs.
In addition to sourcing stylish for the KsaR Living warehouse and showroom – located on a winding stretch of the San Juan road in Ibiza’s northern countryside – Alberto also designs his own signature collections, made with reclaimed wood hailing from all corners of the globe. Beds, tables, vanities, chairs, daybeds, doors and more – there is no limit to what he can create, including custom pieces designed to fit large Ibiza villas, hotels or restaurants. Reclaimed wood itself is another of Alberto’s passions – first of all, for its obvious beauty, uniqueness, and proven durability, but also for the element of sustainability. “I feel a little bit guilty with my work,” says the designer with genuine humility. “I love design, but I don’t want to cut down trees to make my furniture. I understand that a shop is a shop, and not everything we sell can be 100% sustainable, but for my own designs, I do what I can to preserve the environment.”
He first discovered reclaimed wood in Indonesia around 25 years ago. Be it planks of colourful wood that was once a fishing boat, ornately carved doors that no longer served a purpose, disused railway sleepers, old beams and decking from Javanese houses, ancient rice harvesters – just because they were no longer needed for their original purposes, didn’t mean they couldn’t be transformed into something new and practical. In these old, weathered woods, Alberto could imagine future pieces of furniture, and he began working with experienced carpenters in an atelier in Bali to create the KsaR Living collections – artisans with whom he still collaborates to this day.
While you may think old, discarded wood could be easy to source, it’s actually a commodity that is becoming more scarce and expensive year on year, as supplies dwindle and demand increases. Over the years, Alberto has enlisted the world’s finest reclaimed wood dealers – from Spain and Holland to Morocco and Indonesia among other places – to supply him with unique and certified materials. Each and every piece of reclaimed wood used in the KsaR Living collections has been hand-picked by Alberto on his travels, safely stored until he is ready to work his design magic on them. His personal favourite types of wood to work with are teak and ironwood, both ideal for the climate in Ibiza, and both known to mature with beauty.
“I love the patina of reclaimed wood,” Alberto explains. “It has so much character, it speaks.” The dryness of this older wood also means it is more durable than softer, plantation woods, again perfect to adapt into pieces designed for the Ibiza lifestyle – the rusticity too, lending itself perfectly to the contemporary bohemian look that is so loved for an Ibiza villa. “It’s tough, and durable. It’s heavy and hard. It doesn’t crack when being shipped or as it’s being built into furniture.” The beauty of working with this type of material is that although the model of furniture may be the same style, no two pieces will ever be alike due to the characteristics of the wood. And the beauty of shopping in KsaR Living is that if you see something you like, you can snap it up and have it delivered within 24 hours – Alberto’s philosophy is to always have plenty of stock on hand so his customers can have instant gratification.
Much of the KsaR Living collection is oversized – designed for lazing, lounging, resting and relaxing. “I am a workaholic, but I also love to be lazy,” laughs Alberto when asked about his inspiration. “Comfort is so important, along with practicality. If you have an outdoor living space, it’s important to be able to stretch out on the furniture – to really live in the space.” With this in mind, he also works with an amazing selection of durable, waterproof and colourfast textiles – hand-picked again, from designer brands around the world – to create cushions of all shapes and sizes, to upholster sofas, or create throws for daybeds. In 2020, Alberto has also introduced a new collection of reclaimed hemp fabric pieces, hailing from Istanbul, to KsaR Living. “It’s the perfect fabric for Ibiza,” he explains. “It’s strong and durable, but very cooling in the summer.”
With a deep understanding of his customers’ lifestyles and needs, especially after the crisis, Alberto has added another unique offering to the KsaR Living collection this season that really makes spending time at home a pure joy. High-end pots and pans – dubbed ‘foodwear’ – designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for KnIndustrie are the final piece of the puzzle that his clients in Ibiza were missing. “I love cooking,” Alberto says. “I cook every day, and I also know many of my customers enjoy having more time to cook when they are on holiday in Ibiza. This is what the island was missing – beautiful cookware that is fun, practical and stylish.” Chic stone-washed pots and pans have innovative removable handles made from walnut wood, that mean you can deliver a sharing-style dish to the centre of the table and turn it into a serving bowl. Add amazing chef’s knives, designed by BE-KNife for KnIndustrie, vintage style cutlery in a variety of finishes, plus stunning dishwasher-proof, handmade ceramic plates and bowls in gorgeous organic shapes, and it seems you really can kit our your entire home for summer at KsaR Living. More than just holiday architecture, you’ll find everything you need to go along with holiday living.
