DECORATION TIPS FROM HACO MUEBLES

With successful stores on the mainland and in Holland, the Haco Muebles group first opened for business here in Ibiza in December 2014. Haco Ibiza is located at the top of carrer d’Aragó on the corner of Av. La Pau in Ibiza Town. IbiCASA went along recently to meet manager and interior design guru, Martin Buijtelaar, to talk with him about his passion, and to find out what sets him aside from the rest.
 
Despite the fact that Haco Ibiza opened so recently, upon walking through the door there is a sense of entering a long-standing and well-established store. This is perhaps not so surprising when one takes into account that Martin has worked in furnishings and the interior design business for a staggering thirty years. This is a man who not only knows his craft, but is passionate about it.
One key area that gives Martin a special edge is his work with real estate agents and their furnished properties. Liaising with the agent, he will completely furnish the house or apartment. In addition, Martin also visits people in their homes for private interior design consultations. This can be for just one room, or the entire property. He smiles as he tells me that his favourite part of the job is “seeing that everything is beautifully furnished when we leave the house, and seeing that the people are happy with the end result.”
Originating from Holland, Martin tells me that all his products come from his homeland, and all the beds are Dutch-manufactured. Haco Ibiza is one of only a couple of outlets on Ibiza to sell box-spring beds (known as Divan beds in the UK) which are renowned for their durability and comfort. These types of bed bases are solid, as opposed to the slatted bases which are the norm on the island.
 
Whilst the majority of his customers are foreigners living in Ibiza, Martin is also pleased that many local Spanish people are calling into the store and liking what he offers. The products range from very sleek and modern, to colourful and fun. My particular favourite was the VW camper van bedding! It is fair to say that there is something for most tastes and budgets here.
Of course, I couldn’t leave without asking for a few hints and tips for our readers from this interior design master. And Martin agreed most willingly!
 
- “You must not be symmetric”, was his first piece of advice. This can give a room a very formal feeling and can look, quite frankly, a tad boring. As far as Martin is concerned, it is asymmetric all the way.
- Colour co-ordination is all-important and very much a matter of personal choice. Martin’s advice is “don’t get too busy with lots of different colours.” For the best effect, decide on one colour theme for the room (or even the entire house) and stick to varieties of that.
- Painting the doors in the same, or at least a similar colour to the walls will give the room a more spacious feeling and creates a calmer, quieter ambience.
- If you are limited for space in your living room, one big sofa will give a better effect than a few smaller couches.
- Have a good range of different lighting throughout each room to cater for different moods, activities etc. The best light plan is plenty of bright lights, combined with a few subtle lamps.
- When deciding on flooring, the two key areas to bear in mind are climate and location. For instance, a house situated on a dirt road in the middle of the countryside is apt to stay less clean than a third-storey apartment in the centre of town. Think comfort. Think ease of cleaning.
- Real plants and fresh flowers will give any room a completely different and lighter atmosphere in an instant.
- Never be afraid to break the rules!
Above all, Martin points out “a house has to be a home”.
 
And, having dedicated his entire professional career to this, it is clear to see that creating beautiful and comfortable homes is his absolute passion and joy.