Last year, we spoke to VISHA NELSON from Singapore home décor brand The Cinnamon Room about designing her dream villa by the beach. Now, gorgeous Myla Beach Villa is ready for guests travelling to Sri Lanka. Take the first look at this luxury villa design with us!
Visha, congratulations on the completion of Myla Beach Villa! Is it everything you envisaged?
Waking up to uninterrupted ocean views has been a long-standing dream of ours. So finding this land set on a wide quiet beach ticked all the boxes.
The entire project has been a labour of love and has come to fruition against all odds. There were many challenges we faced while building through a pandemic, including import bans and a shortage of basic building materials. These did make us re-evaluate how we went about the design and rethink our options. But it has actually made the house even better.
We became more creative finding locally sourced and available materials alongside lovingly repurposing many antique pieces, bringing them back to their former glory. The end product turned out to be even better than what we had originally envisioned and hoped for.
Now Myla Beach Villa is filled with character and all the mod-cons of a contemporary luxury holiday home. The unique elements woven throughout the luxury villa design showcase the best of Sri Lanka without compromising any comfort.
What inspired your luxury villa design concept?
Sri Lanka has a great architectural heritage with Dutch and Portuguese influences. We wanted our villa by the beach to reflect these in harmony with a contemporary feel. As it was built entirely from ground up, we could carefully create this marriage of design.
Myla Beach Villa incorporates features we have loved when renting other villas for our family holidays. These include lots of interesting and varied living spaces, an outdoor eating pavilion, a games room with a pool table and a separate TV room or library to chill out in.
We’ve found that many people who rent luxury villas often still need to make work calls. So there’s a separate and private study wing with an ensuite and incredible ocean views to ease the pain of working on holiday!
For families with young kids, a downside to renting a villa is that they usually don’t have adjoining rooms. Our bedroom floor consists of two wings, each with two adjoining rooms. All four of these bedrooms has an ensuite and the same stunning views of the ocean.
We also wanted Myla Beach Villa to be ideal for groups of friends and extended families on holiday, so we designed it to have a seamless flow throughout, from the living spaces to the bedrooms.
Now Myla Beach Villa is filled with character and all the mod-cons of a contemporary luxury holiday home. The unique elements woven throughout the luxury villa design showcase the best of Sri Lanka without compromising any comfort.
Where have you sourced the home décor from?
Sri Lanka is a treasure trove of amazing antiques that we have lovingly restored and incorporated into the design of the house. We were already collecting pieces with trusted antique dealers before the foundations of the house were even laid! So many features of the house were built around our special finds. For example, we wanted the first thing you see entering the main living areas to be the stunning frame for oil lamps, which is from an old temple in Jaffna.
Our villa is also adorned with an eclectic mix of locally custom-made furniture that we’ve designed in a somewhat old colonial style. There are four poster beds, wide dining tables and contemporary caned chairs made from locally sourced teak wood. Old antique Dutch pieces like the almirah wardrobes and desks add character to each room.
We’ve also incorporated our own family collection of home décor and artefacts from our travels over the years throughout the villa – in particular, our artworks, antique map collection and, of course, our best loved Cinnamon Room rugs!
The last design feature to be installed was decorative lighting, designed and customised for each space that really brings a wow factor to the villa. Every detail in Myla Beach Villa has been thought through carefully to achieve a luxurious and comfortable feel. So you can relax on your holiday surrounded by beautiful design and serene ocean vistas!
What were the biggest challenges building your villa by the beach?
Building a home from the ground up is in itself a challenge, but building during COVID with limited and costly materials took it to a whole new level. With restricted travel, a lot of the house was designed virtually and with that, there were quite a few unexpected challenges that needed to be addressed and rectified.
Needless to say, we rolled with the challenges as they came up and it’s safe to say that this villa build has taught us many lessons of faith, trust, patience and grace – also how to embrace a more chilled island mentality of going with the flow.
What do you love most about the villa? Do you have a favourite corner?
I love the unobstructed ocean vista and the corners where these views are framed beautifully by the villa’s architecture.
Our favourite place has to be the outdoor eating pavilion by the pool. There’s a constant refreshing sea breeze, the sound of crashing waves and a 22-metre pool to cool off in! It’s undoubtedly going to be a happy place for many to enjoy.
What are some things to do in the area?
Myla Beach Villa is only a 15-minute drive from Galle Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fabulous enclave is steeped in history with wonderful shops and restaurants boasting a variety of cuisines. Wandering the narrow streets of Galle and taking in the architecture and history is a perfect outing for guests travelling to Sri Lanka.
Even closer to us is Hikkaduwa. Here you can find some of the best surfing beaches, water sports centres and great restaurants.
Who is the villa best suited for?
Myla Beach Villa is perfect for any group of friends or family who want a luxurious getaway. The property is fully staffed with a chef, stewards and security to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
It’s a great venue for a long weekend, for extended family gatherings or two families sharing over the school holidays. We can picture people staying in the villa for special occasions like birthday celebrations or during the Christmas and New Year break.
Meditation and yoga retreat groups are also welcome. Our villa is a special place where you feel grounded amongst the natural elements. We also have a separate shala and an upper deck overlooking the ocean perfect for outdoor yoga at sunrise or sunset.
For more information and villa updates, follow @mylabeachvilla on Instagram. To book a stay, visit mylabeachvilla.com or email jack@edenvillas.com.
This article first appeared in the October 2023 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
Want to learn more about this villa by the beach or tips for travelling to Sri Lanka? We have plenty of holiday inspiration and ideas in our Travel section.
