A Dreamy Casita in Mallorca
Images by Aina Costa
Interview by Yasmine Ganley
Nestled at the Center of Mallorca Island, in a small village called Sencelles, Ola Kawalko and Adrián Martínez Marí operate a gentle and considerate lifestyle brand Accidente con Flores. Informed by the island’s local surroundings and its people’s slow arts heritage, Accidente con Flores is constantly evolving, a project the duo finds difficult to define…
“It is very fluid and very influenced by our continuous search for better and new ways to help others and to contribute back into our local communities. Currently, Accidente con Flores is a creative studio where we design and produce a clothing line and accessories, as well as collaborate with many local artisans on different kinds of products, such as ceramic objects, wool pieces, handwoven baskets, woven palms and more.”
Their latest evolution was directed by the move to their current casita, which comes with a slice of land that grows numerous orange, almond and olive trees. “It has always been our dream to grow our own garden and raise some chickens. In Mallorca this dream came true and we will always be very grateful for that.” Keen to invigorate their soil with fresh edible produce, Ola and Adrián have approached their vegetable garden with the same amount of excitement and experimentation as their brand.
“We believe the best way to get to know something is by having your own experiences and mistakes. We have definitely made many mistakes in the past, but we have deeply enjoyed the whole process, from regenerating the soil last winter, planting in spring, and harvesting this summer. It was the first time we could prepare our food using only our own veggies and herbs. It brought us many new insights and, frankly, a lot of happiness. We have planted many kinds of tomatoes, zucchinis, eggplants, cucumbers, beans, squash, peppers, potatoes, beets, plenty of herbs, flowers, a little bit of everything.
We believe the best way to get to know something is by having your own experiences and mistakes.
Self sufficiency is the goal for eating food, but Adri and Ola also feel immense joy from sharing what they have with their community, which is why the pair open up their home to the public for a schedule of creative workshops.
“This year we hosted workshops almost every month. We opened our space to local artisans, such as Eugenia Marcote who is a natural dyer and wool spinner; Gema Parades who is an artist and guides people how to make natural egg and casein tempera; and Gabrielle Anand Hardevi who is a Kundalini Yoga teacher. We have met so many amazing and interesting groups of people, we have made great creative connections and dear friendships.”
Ola & Adrián’s bed is dressed in an IN BED 100% linen duvet cover in khaki, pillowslips & fitted sheet in peach and a flat sheet in dover grey.
Ola and Adrián continue to work towards a cyclical operation where between themselves and their local community they can be a source of health, creativity and support for each other.
“We believe that change often starts small, therefore, we try to focus specifically on the needs of our local community. We engage with our neighbours and learn what their most pressing problems are. We ask ourselves: How can we be useful for them? How can we serve and support them? How can we use our talents in the most meaningful way?”
“We think now is the time where we have to unite and take care of each other, we have to be present, kind and gentle to each other. As creative people we should try to set an example, and provide inspiration and motivation for others.”
We believe that change often starts small, therefore, we try to focus specifically on the needs of our local community.
Their most recent collaborative project is called How They Work https://howtheywork.org/ — a nonprofit project that brings together creative artists from all over the Balearic Islands. It seeks to present rare, behind-the-scenes insights into the life and work of local artists and artisans in their studios. “We hope this website will serve as a useful guide for anyone interested in discovering new artists and supporting their work.”
Right now, ACF is committed to a very special collaboration which focuses on Mallorcan sheep wool, unfortunately classified as ‘trash’ in Mallorca, which creates a huge waste problem each season. “Recently we have paired with two amazing women, Eugenia and Gema, who run a very important project called Llanatura. They work together with the local shepherds in order to recover the wool and turn it into a beautiful, high quality felt. We are working together on ACF's upcoming wool clothing line made entirely on the island and most importantly using our local sources.”
We asked Adri and Ola if they could describe for us some recent memories of afternoons spent around their casita and village…
“So many! A sunny day, not too hot, being outside taking care of our plants and animals, harvesting the veggies and eating beautiful food prepared by Adri. Then chilling on our terrace with a book and listening to the meditative sound of the bells from sheeps grazing in the pasture just around the corner.”
“We also enjoy biking and walking around our local area. During these little trips, we often discover new hidden pathways and farmlands full of beautiful olive trees and sheeps resting in their shadow.”
It is a pace of life that feels intentional yet progressive, a push against the industrial grain. Accidente con Flores are living examples of what it means to be producing honest work that benefits a wider net of makers, a network so localised that it can be traced to one village, all working and creating in biking distance to each other, between sheep bells and fruit trees.
Ola & Adrián’s bed is dressed in an IN BED 100% linen duvet cover in khaki, pillowslips & fitted sheet in peach and a flat sheet in dover grey.