In ‘Parra’dise!

A 100-year old home in Goa’s Parra undergoes a restoration by Studio Praia

16 Sep 2025

Fusing functionality with familial cheer within its airy, time-honoured interiors, Villa Parradise in Goa is a 4,400 sq ft heritage home that has received a reverent restoration by Studio Praia — while keeping its heart intact.

Comprising three living rooms, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen-dining area, a powder room and two courtyards; every nook of the house is wrapped in a futuristic foresight, while it honours a storied past of over 100 years. “From the outside, with elements like the verandah, arched windows, and pitched Mangalore-tiled roof, it looks like any other Goan home. However, the insides are quite atypical, with grayscale terrazzo floors, contemporary lighting and minimal to mid-century modern furniture pieces coming together,” says Rochelle Santimano, Principal Architect at Studio Praia, entrusted with refurbishing and designing an extension for the property. Assisted by team members Nikhil Doshi and Allison Joseph alongside structural engineer James Afonso, the project, she notes, opened up a sea of possibilities even as it presented its own challenges.

“I think the area we enjoyed designing the most is the open kitchen-dining room, designed as a contrasting contemporary glass box that clings on to the heritage house”

Rochelle Santimano, Studio Praia

The family room, replete with large openings and a lower ceiling, is designed to act as a transition between the new and the old. Sofa and side table by Josmo, Painting by Richa Kashelkar; Photography by Kuber Shah

A CLEAN CUT

Awash in a grayscale palette, with pops of colour introduced through a discerning choice of art, decor, and upholstery, this home follows no set rules. And rightly so, brimming with local appeal while also looking firmly toward the future. “The open kitchen and dining area, staircase, and master bedroom are new additions designed with an unbridled modernist flair,” Rochelle explains.

Rather than mimicking the architecture of the existing structure, the design team created an extension that is contemporary and clean, yet in sync with the sensibilities of today’s creatives and designers. “The area we enjoyed designing the most is the open kitchen-dining room, conceived as a contrasting contemporary glass box that clings to the heritage house,” she outlines, reiterating how history was honoured while paving the way for modern design to shine through.

The living room, cast in C2 Terrazzo flooring by Jyamiti & Sea is a lesson in restraint. The sofas are by JOSMO, pendant light by Oorjaa, Kangaroo chair by Phantom Hands, coffee table by Whalesong, cane furniture by local antique stores, and the painting is by Richa Kashelkar; Photography by Kuber Shah

The balcony ushers you to press pause and escape the din of daily living. The furniture and lights are from local antique vendors, and the side table is by Josmo; Photography by Kuber Shah

Tying the new and the old with an appearance that asks you to wander around, savouring every detail, the material palette of Mangalore tiles and laterite stone ties a grounded story together. “This space offers 360-degree views of the outdoors, making it feel almost like you are cooking and dining in a wild garden!”

A COURTYARD OF SECRETS?

In a refreshing twist of fate, the mango tree courtyard—which was earlier inaccessible from the home—was given a new lease of life by opening doorways from the passage as well as the family room, allowing direct connectivity.

“We worked with VSLA Landscape to safeguard the mango tree, level the land, and build a laterite-stepped access to the courtyard. This space has now become the core of the home,” she smilingly concludes, about a heritage house that plays out grandma’s mansion fantasy while carrying a vision firmly rooted in the future.