Interiors

April 22, 2020 – Published in Design & Decor Spring 2015 issue

The dream villa

Words: James Dimech – Interior Designer

Dream homes don’t usually land on your lap in a straight-forward manner. When they do, they are usually ready to receive some tender loving care, and hard work has to be put into their completion if the ‘dream’ equation is to come true. Such is the story of a couple whose family life had evolved around an average sized, normal looking terraced house for almost 25 years of marriage. In this house, they had raised their family of three boys. A happy house and home for sure, but their dream home was something different. When this hard working couple saw the chance of having a villa home both were ready to take on the project hands on, so that the construction started from scratch. They were thus creating an idyllic villa home which satisfied their requirements and those of their three sons. 

Freelance interior designer James Dimech was the key person to inspire much of what went on, starting from a direct involvement in the design of the actual plan of the villa. The team which contributed on this project included not only James Dimech but also architect Andrew Sapienza and artist designer Paul Scerri from Halmann. A first necessary step was to create a basement space which could not only house the family cars but also accommodate the boys’ diverse hobbies. Thus a multi-purpose room was created, expansive enough to hold home cinema equipment and a snooker table, plus a well-equipped gym, an office and a recreation area. Definitely the kind of space where all the family can feel comfortable and also share ‘together’ time.

The ground floor itself is not excessively large, but still takes into consideration the family members’ requirements. The kitchen comes equipped with a capacious island that serves its purpose well, being the main working and food preparation area. The kitchen is directly linked to a combined yet separate dining space, over which a fully extendable dining table reigns supreme, ready to seat not only the family but also friends, girlfriends and extended family members. The living area beckons with its large and comfortable corner sofa opposite a TV unit which has been strategically placed so that it can be seen from all around the room. Holding pride of place is a wood burning fireplace located adjacent to the stairway that links to the basement. The designer has effectively created a feature wall here with the help of Spanish stone wall cladding.

All the bedrooms have been decked out with customised furniture designed by Dimech who has sought to maximise space and reflect each and every individual’s personality. The master bedroom’s main attraction is the luxuriously upholstered bed and accompanying pouffe all expertly created by Mark Tufigno. Coordinating soft furnishings complement an elegant and rich feel. The main bathroom is also designed to create a continuation with the open living space. Travertine floors are present here, with the additional dash of Emparador marble. 

The perimeter on the front of the villa holds a beautiful front garden with pool and pool deck area plus a barbecue area, all of which is reached via a wide three-leaf sliding door in the living area. Out of doors, a stunning feature has been created out of sliced Maltese Hardstone and the combination of the Silver Travertine used on the facade, the all being well-complemented by the Honed Travertine utilised on the external paving. The clever use of Travertine floor marble inside and out, with a polished version for the indoor space, has excellently transmitted a walk-through continuity.

From the simple yet carefully thought out details of clean lines on the gypsum ceiling designs, and the neat incorporation of seamless light fittings, through to the general feel of the villa, the end result is one of exquisite style. One can truly say that this is one dream home that has been created not only with much love and hard work, but also with more than a handful of thought and flair.