The island love story of Kiki

I was 25 when I first came to Palma, for what was meant to be just a one-month holiday.

I remember one warm evening so clearly. I was sitting outside, looking at the palm trees gently moving in the soft evening breeze. The air was warm, the light golden, and the sea never far away. And suddenly a simple thought crossed my mind: Why would I continue living in the Netherlands, if I could live here?

At that moment it was just a thought , a quiet dream, planted somewhere deep inside my heart.

Two years later, without much planning, that dream began to unfold. My best friend and I decided to leave the Netherlands together, a road trip…. We left on April 1st, which made everyone think it was an April Fool’s joke. But it wasn’t…

We packed Chantal’s old Opel Corsa with a tent, our duvets, clothes and an impressive supply of canned food and simply started driving South. Slowly the landscapes changed, we saw palmtrees and jumped in the ( cold ) sea.

Already after one month traveling we decided to take the boat to Mallorca, as we needed money and therefore work.

Not long after, I felt in love, with a boy and with the island.

I drove back after that summer to collect my belongings and pick up my car, my red little Renault 5. After that, I never left , Mallorca slowly became my home

For the past 16 years i have been running my shop Mimar Lifestyle where i have the privelege of meeting beautiful people ( actually i met here most of my friends here )

Mallorca still inspires me every day; the ever changing landscapes, where every part of the island feels like a different world, the seasons, the warmth of its people, and the sea…. my healing space.

Then last winter, unexpectedly, a sweet customer of mine, Jacqui Burger, casually asked me, on her way out of the shop, If I would like to create a Mallorca book together….

before i even had the time to think about it, I heard myself say; YES!!

Only afterwards did I realise what an honour it actually was, to be asked to do something like this, especially without any experience in making a book. It felt super exciting, a little scary and deeply special at the same time….

when Jacqui asked me if I knew someone who could take the photograps, I immediatly thought of Denise Pronk also a lovely costumer of my shop. She takes beautiful photographs and is also graphic designer, with lots of creative experience.

Not in making a book either, though…. which makes this project something very special for all three of us, a process that feels very honest, pure and also very vulnerable.

…. maybe thats also exactly what the island does… it brings people together, in unexpected ways and invited you to create from the heart♥️

I cannot wait to share our journey with you, kiki