description

A house is like a book and every time the book is picked up by a new owner, a fresh chapter gets written, a timeless process of re-creation. Now El Rincón del Escritor was once home to an actual writer and in its carefully planned interior, one gets the whiff of the human imagination at work, of a life held in the embrace of what is a beautiful place, a house acting at once as muse and as shelter from the vagaries of modern life. This dwelling is a dialogue between comfort and practicality, a discourse on beauty blended effortlessly with functionality, a homage to good taste and, dare we say, Feng-Shui harmony. We could say the Writer was indeed not just a little inspired. The description of the property would be technically Bauhaus in terms of design, rectangular, symmetrical edges, no nonsense. In the main house, each space flows into the next, so we have the kitchen, the dining area, the lounge, the study and three steps later the master bedroom and finally a beautiful bathroom. French doors lead outside from the kitchen, more French doors lead from the living area so despite the linear movement of the house, this creates a huge sense of airiness and light. Running the length of the main dwelling, there is a vast, wooden pergola supported on old beams and decorative columns, that offer shade and solace, a perfect ‘venue’ to have Sunday morning Vermouth, or al fresco breakfast or, given there is a pizza oven and barbecue, a delicious evening meal. But this is a Bauhaus house which means form and functionality must, by definition, blend. To this purpose, there is a guest quarters that is connected to the main house but with separate access. It provides a comfortable bedroom with private, ensuite bathroom. And the guest quarters has its own terrace, a brilliant idea that prevents the guests from going off after a stay of three days or more. Ah yes that cliché about fish and foul ever proves true. Surrounding the house there are mature gardens, mimosa trees, space to wander through and reflect on the mystery of why do butterflies not fly straight. And as we are talking Bauhaus, there is a lot of functionality incorporated in this beautifully conceived space. There is a solar system with a state-of-the-art generator for energy. There is a 200 metre deep well but, alas, the pump needs to be replaced but a water source is guaranteed. Perhaps the new chapter could include a solar pump, a blissful idea than when the sun shines, the pump brings water to the surface and fills the cistern of 20,000 liters. In turn a domestic pump then takes the water from the cistern and sends it to the house. The funcionality does not end there. In the utility room there is a diesel-powered central heating system and a hot water boiler. And to make access comfortable, a wide entrance road brings you to a covered parking area. And peace more than anything, blessed peace resides in each square brick of this beautifully designed property. And lest we forget, there is a solarium from where views of the surrounding mountains and plains of Catalonia all come into view. Never, ever say Bauhaus is boring.