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Ibiza living

Old town magic

Once a ballerina for the Royal Ballet and costume designer for Take That, Bonita Spencer-Percival now applies her wonderful eye for creativity to interior design, as seen in the...

A former ballerina for the Royal Ballet, stylist and costume designer for pop sensations Take That at the height of their global success, television performer, choreographer, theatre set designer, Bonita Spencer-Percival is a charismatic, true creative spirit.

Photography by Gypsy Westwood.

Today she applies her talents to her role as Design Director for worldwide energy recruitment company Spencer Ogden, who just so happen to have an office here in Ibiza, located above the stunning contemporary apartment Bonita shares with her husband David Spencer-Percival… The bright lights and buzz of the island lifestyle had never appealed to Bonita, who had enough glitz and sparkle in her own life and varied career to keep her in London and travelling through other parts of the world. However David – who Bonita describes as “an Ibiza boy when I met him, with long hair – he grew up in funny places like Space,” – eventually tempted her to visit his beloved island five years ago, showing her a side to island life she hadn’t expected, and instantly fell in love with. It wasn’t long before the couple decided to invest in property in Ibiza.

“I never really wanted an apartment,” Bonita says, as she begins to tell the tale behind the gorgeous one-bedroom Ibiza town apartment. “I wanted a finca. Well, actually, originally I wanted a house in Provence – you know, I’m a woman of a certain age and all the women of my era went to France. I saw myself pottering around with lavender… But David brought me here and I completely fell in love with it, so as a starter, we took this apartment.” “We were very lucky,” she continues. “The building is beyond beautiful, and the apartment was very well finished, a lovely empty shell. All we had to do was style it.” And style it she did, fusing Brit-esque urban design detailing with crisp, clean furnishings and just a dash of modern bohemianism. Believing in sourcing locally, Bonita didn’t have to go much further than her own backyard, so to speak, finding much of the décor in quirky concept store Natura, plus one-off rustic wooden pieces from Ibiza Troc that were restored in white to suit the apartment style.

A self-confessed perfectionist (“I am just like Monica from friends,” she assures us while fluffing perfect pillows, re-arranging pristine flowers and neatening stacks of Ibiza-themed magazines), Bonita’s eye for style is evident in every corner, on every shelf or hanging from every hook throughout the intimate apartment space. “We did the apartment very quickly,” she says of the creative process. “Once we know what we want, my husband and I just go for it.” The impressive collection of urban art lining the wall is a testament to David’s taste – an avid collector, he boasts pieces of many different styles, ranging from Renaissance and old masters through to contemporary names such as Damien Hirst throughout their properties in Chelsea and the Cotswolds, however the Ibiza apartment called for something with a more vibrant, modern edge.

“My husband found all of the art in London, had it framed and then shipped it here,” says Bonita, who professes a particular fondness for the amazing Amy Winehouse portrait in pride of place in the living space, where the shadows on her skin were created with script citing the lyrics of Back to Black. A David Bowie awaits hanging, another tribute to a fallen hero. A particularly personal touch are the two framed Playboy covers, which on closer inspection are custom designed to feature Bonita’s face (“I think it may be Pammy Anderson’s body though,” she laughs) and carefully constructed coverlines relating to the couple’s lifestyle. Within the bathroom, a framed black and white poster reveals Bonita with the boys of Take That, a young Robbie Williams looking barely recognisable as a fresh-faced youngster.

Describing the old town location – set just off the bustling square of Plaza del Parque and main street of Vara de Rey – as “absolutely perfect”, Bonita and David have everything they need in Ibiza at their fingertips, from fabulous restaurants, bars and cafes to stylish shops and the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Site Dalt Vila. Just five minutes from Pacha (“I love it on a Tuesday! It’s my era, I have all the clothes,” says Bonita of Flower Power), Heart (“Ohhh I love, LOVE Heart!”) and Lio (“The costumes and the dancers are just fabulous,”), where she’s been known to get up on stage, the couple hire a car whenever they wish to explore the rest of island. “We just get lost,” says Bonita. “We drive, we walk on the beach, sit under pine trees, we find somewhere for lunch, it’s just amazing. We don’t get to the island very often, but in three years we have done it all.”

Such is the nature of their corporate and creative lifestyles respectively, David and Bonita often find themselves in different countries and properties at different times, and so the opportunity to connect on an island, away from the demands of daily life, is important to them. “Ibiza is just such a wonderful retreat from the frenetic life of any metropolis, and it’s only four hours door-to-door from London,” says Bonita. “It keeps me young!” Despite the fact the couple are only in Ibiza for around two (separate) weeks a year, the apartment is always immaculate, prepared for the arrival of friends and family at a moment’s notice. “We are just so busy, and travelling the world all the time but it would be ridiculous to just leave it,” says Bonita, who says she prefers to visit the island out-of-season, having never been much of a sun-worshipper. “It’s ready to go at any time, for my sister, my girls, David’s friends and family – whoever needs it.”

This extraordinary private house is one of the exclusive places to stay in White Ibiza´s villa collection. Find out more today.