A Mediterranean Retreat in Marbella with Olivia O. Wickerts
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Updated: May 19
In Marbella, Spain, OMEO Design has redefined this Mediterranean villa with a renovation that bridges Andalusian heritage and global resort living. The villa maintains its connection to the place while showcasing bold details, from a monumental oak entrance door to a subterranean spa carved like a cenote.
BRAND
Omeo Design
TYPE
Luxury Villa
LOCATION
Marbella, Spain
SERVICES
Full feature on YouTube, IG, FB & TikTok
PRESENTED BY
Olivia O. Wickerts
The arrival sets the tone. A water feature greets visitors with a sense of calm, linking the exterior with the spa below. Towering palms root the villa in its Andalusian context, while the front door, a 3.3-meter oak portal weighing half a ton, announces grandeur with intention. “It is important to have something majestic at the beginning of a property,” says Olivia O. Wickerts of OMEO Design. “It sets the vibe.”
Inside the entrance hall, hidden doors lead to guest rooms, a mudroom, and utilities, while making sure the central space remains open and social.
Above, a vast dome skylight pours natural light across the ground floor and filters down into the basement.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen unites style with purpose. The porcelain island, more durable than marble, spans over three meters and serves as both workspace and gathering point.
Integrated seating looks out onto a vertical herb garden, while appliances hide discreetly behind pocket doors. A concealed breakfast pantry keeps clutter out of sight.
Even here, the design holds surprises. Beyond the cabinetry lies a generous walk-in pantry, which turns a potential limitation of storage into a feature. “I always try to create a kitchen that can be both functional and a social hangout,” Olivia explains.
The adjacent living spaces are both raw and refined. Original Andalusian carpentry has been painted white, keeping ceiling height while refreshing the atmosphere.
Bespoke oak joinery runs throughout, linking doors, floors, and shelving in a continuous rhythm.
The furniture often tells a story: a coffee table designed to resemble a broken slab of stone fused with carpentry and metal detail; sculptural horses as a nod to Andalusian heritage and pride.
Beyond the living room lies a garden designed as a private beach. White sand, teak and bamboo furnishings, and a hidden palm-framed shower evoke Bali, while a bamboo-ceilinged gazebo offers bar, dining, and lounge spaces. It is a resort experience woven into a private estate.
The master suite carries this balance of calm and character. Walls finished in off-white micro cement radiate warmth, while bespoke ash oak furniture anchors the space. A four-poster bed reinforces the Bali narrative established outdoors.
The suite expands into a suede-lined dressing room and a bathroom layered with textures: carpentry ceilings, antique-tone brassware, and stone tiles chosen for variety and texture.
Even the toilet has been designed to recede into the palette with a soft taupe finish.
Guest bedrooms continue the theme with subtle variations, including micro cement walls, raffia wallpapered panels, bespoke wardrobes with brass detailing. Each ensuite bathroom introduces a shift in tone, from darker tiles to bronzed shower screens that heighten a sense of luxury.
The basement extends the villa into an entirely different register. An entertainment room styled with curved seating and a suede green sofa channels a 1960s–70s spirit, anchored by personal photographs taken at Woodstock.
An adjoining wine-tasting area emphasizes warmth, with separate cellars for red and white.
From here, the villa’s most dramatic feature emerges: a spa conceived as a cenote. When construction discovered immovable structural blocks in the property, OMEO Design transformed them into the foundation for a stone-clad indoor pool with a skylight waterfall.
The spa also houses a plunge pool, hammam, sauna, and adjacent gym with space for yoga or reading. It is a retreat within a retreat, immersive in both design and atmosphere.
Even the practical areas have been elevated. A mint-green laundry with terrazzo floor sits discreetly behind wall panels, alongside ample storage.
OMEO Design’s Marbella villa is more than a renovation. It is an exploration of how heritage, global influences, and personal storytelling can coexist in architecture. Andalusian carpentry meets Balinese gardens, a cenote spa rests beneath a sunlit dome, and every hidden door reveals another layer of consideration resulting in a villa that feels both rooted in place and expansive in imagination.
