Nestled in the serene bylanes of Goa, Villa Akari is a nature-inspired retreat that reflects a thoughtful blend of Balinese and Japanese aesthetics, grounded in Buddhist spiritualism. While the home owners wanted to borrow from Balinese and Japanese cultures, being inclined towards Buddhist spiritualism, they wanted the home to be anything but typically neutral-hued.
Project Name: Akari
Studio Name: Studio Tilt
Location: Siolim, North Goa
Carpet Area: 1500 sqft
Photographer: Manthan Yadav
Collaborating with Studio Tilt, the couple envisioned a space that balances the simplicity of Japanese design with bold, organic elements. The ground floor hosts an open-plan living and dining area that flows into a splash pool and garden, framed by black-and-white chequered flooring and curated accents like leather chairs and abstract rugs.
The dining space stands out with a wrap-around green bookshelf and grey, wabi-sabi pendant lights, while upstairs, personalized niches and a cherry blossom wallpaper in the primary bedroom reflect the home’s deeply personal and spiritual essence.
With large windows welcoming natural light, the two-bedroom villa is all about a seamless connection to its surroundings, ensuring a continuous dialogue between the indoors and outdoors.
While our mood board had a lot of timeless whites, we wanted to infuse a sense of surprise and depth, thereby experimenting a little with colors, patterns and textures. Natural materials such as rattan, brick, IPS and exposed laterite stone dictate the design language of the space, whereas elements such as the flooring, art and fabric showcase a wide range of patterns and textures, pulling the home towards a tone of whimsy.
The carefully curated artwork—ranging from custom pieces by local artisans to the homeowners’ personal collection—imbues the space with warmth and individuality. Akari is ultimately a celebration of mindful living, where cultural influences, natural materials, and a rich interplay of color and texture come together to create a tranquil yet dynamic sanctuary.
