What home was always meant to be

Feeling precedes form and function at this Goan villa by ARA Designs and Isprava

26 Mar 2026

Villa Marissa existed long before a blueprint for the home could be drawn. Before the scaffolding could stand, the proportions drawn or a brick laid, a pertinent question stood headfirst: what should a home feel like? ARA Designs and Isprava looked to the surroundings for an answer: moulding the home to Goa’s undulating terrain, folding in rounded arches, pristine plastered walls and the warmth of wood to meld the vernacular and the modern. As a result, the 8,000 sq ft home mirrors the breezy, unhurried pace of the coastal state — aplomb with picturesque nooks, sit-outs and courtyards that remind you that home is where you come to rest, not rush.

Although the genesis of the home was conceptual, ARA Designs has carefully calibrated the architecture for both function and feeling. Public spaces are placed where both the view and privacy remain uncompromised (and are certain to remain so for years to come), while the more private spaces recede deep into the home’s heart for complete, uninterrupted repose.

Catering to the senses

The home is crowned by a sloping, tiled roof that sits atop latticed timber beams. Devised from both laterite and pristine plaster, the facade sets the stage for the unique meld of the old and the new to follow later. Your senses are immediately engaged — visually, the repetitive window forms and arches across the exterior wash the interiors with light and shadow. Tangibly, the interiors alternate between wooden panelling and flooring vis-à-vis pristine white walls and tiling — holding the outpouring of light from the windows captive, yet refusing to compromise on warmth. The living and the dining are interconnected, visually separated only by a wainscoted arch. This uninterrupted volume is ideal for entertaining, bathed in natural light streaming in from French windows positioned on all sides. In the more private spaces, the home’s vernacular character is more visible. Arches here resemble those of older Goan homes, the upper section bearing curving, semi-circular strips of wood.

On the lower level, a verandah decked out with plush armchairs overlooks the azure swimming pool, where the rustle of palm trees and the gurgle of water spilling forth from a water sprout are the only sounds you’ll hear. Upstairs, an al fresco dining space and a bar sit in the expansive balcony, overlooking the sea in the distance. The sand and the sea, luckily, are never too far away wherever you go.

Minimal to the tee

The interiors, conceptualised by Isprava, are steadfastly minimal yet never stark — a feat possible due to healthy dollops of warm curves, rattan, cane and wood. In the shared spaces where the sea can peek indoors, this easy, breezy palette makes way for hints of blue — like the ultramarine blue credenza in the dining, or the baby blue upholstered sofas and chairs in the living and the verandah. As you enter inwards, these pops of blue are replaced by rustic beiges and burnt oranges, in sync with the abundance of wooden panelling, rafters and window frames, as well as hints of rattan and cane. Delicate tone-on-tone florals and stripes populate the furnishings and the upholstery, playing to the home’s more vintage side.

Iron-rich and porous, laterite is a Goan favourite for many reasons. But at Estate de Marissa, the stone is utilised for cladding and structural interventions, as well as for its timeless visual appeal. This melding of material and cultural integrity is the bedrock of the home’s foundation — visible in every room, nook and corner. Firmly rooted in the context it was born from yet accommodating of the future, the villa sets a precedent for architecture that follows both form, function and feeling in the same breath.