The idea was to maintain a casual, breezy, coastal vibe that screams of a vacation, yet with a home-away-from-home feel. The complex comprising pristine white villas and the tropical vibe of Goa instantly led the design team to a coastal design style for the interiors. Leaning towards design that blurs the boundaries between the indoors & outdoors resulted in a happy, coastal retreat in the sunny tropics of Goa.
Cues to the coastal life
Elegant simplicity and clean lines are hallmarks of contemporary design and we found an exciting challenge in weaving it in a coastal fabric without it seeming too clichéd. Instead of bright colors, beachy motifs and nautical decor, the team decided to incorporate a layered, restricted color palette, though in amalgamation with a tropical look and feel.
The design celebrates the seamless amalgamation of the indoors and outdoors. Further enhancing this ‘au naturel’ vibe, the design is intentionally kept understated, allowing key elements to shine through. Free movement between interior & exterior spaces and the coherent fusion of greenery and plants into the design are features that reflect our personal style. The living area with its large, glass front door, an abundance of natural light and a double heighted ceiling sets the tone for the space to follow. It was their quest to fabricate a space out of the ordinary, with a home-away-from-home feel and subtle connections to the surrounding tropical environment.
An open invitation
The villa has an open floor layout with the only major challenge faced being the lack of a dedicated kitchen space, which had to be integrated into the living area without taking away from the openness of the space. The layout consists of a living and dining area with an open kitchen and one bedroom on the ground floor, whereas a second bedroom and a den-like lounge space sits on the floor above which was converted into a third bedroom.
The lounge area with large glass facades for walls add to making the space inclusive and unobstructed. The design team broke down part of the wall separating the living area and the bedroom and opted instead for white, louvered, folding wooden doors that truly opened up the space. They also tore down a heavy, conventional staircase and went in for a sleek, floating, wooden staircase that aided the uncluttered look they were going for. Without sticking to a specific aesthetic, their approach was to create a warm, inviting space with pastel ocean hues and use pops of color and patterned tiles as elements to stand out. Sleek furniture pieces, elegant wooden rafters and soft, warm lighting is an extension of the overall coastal vibe we were leaning towards.
More with modernism
A coastal mélange of pastel hues is accentuated by light polish tones and natural materials like rattan, wicker and jute, used extensively for the furniture and lights. A bright, teal couch matches the kitchen backsplash next to which is an interactive dining cum bar table set up custom-made at two levels with regular dining as well as high chairs in metal with rope detailing.
A sleek, regal poster bed flanked on both sides by a tropical wallpaper sits at the focus of the secondary bedroom. The wardrobes kept minimal yet functional, with a perfect balance of open and closed portions, highlights the ‘less is more’ ideology. The sophistication of the space lies in the detailing of the light, classy furniture pieces that were handcrafted and custom-made to blend in and aid the overall vibe. Furthering the narrative, plants have also been strategically woven into the design fabric allowing for a cohesive blend between a coastal design style and modernism.
There is also a deliberate attempt to make way for private spaces in each room. A small reading corner or a space to just sit and sip on your morning coffee while taking in the expansive view was imperative. The rear side of the house has amazing unobstructed views and we wished to capitalize on them by creating cozy nooks and cute outdoor set ups to just enjoy the openness. These spaces serve as connectors between the indoors and outdoors and are an essential part of a better lifestyle and good health.
A mosaic of ideas and personally curated mood boards and material palettes resulted in this happy seaside retreat in the sunny tropics of Goa.
Fact file:
Name of the project: Tropical Paradise
Location: Siolim, North Goa
Area: 1,500 sq ft
Type: Interior Design
Design firm: Studio Tilt
Lead designers: Natasha Kumar & Abhijit Sawant
Photography: Manthan Yadav
