Philly Gebbie who owns the property with her husband Tim, has this to say about the creative processes behind the villa: “The design was entirely Stuart’s vision, with our brief being ‘Ralph Lauren with Indonesian influences’. I guess we envisaged rattan furniture, white mosquito nets, slow moving tropical ceiling fans, dark wooden flooring along with terrazzo splashes everywhere …”. She has nothing but praise for Membery, who she describes as an “extremely talented designer in both interiors and architecture”, and she couldn’t be happier with the end result.
A slightly nautical front entrance gives out into a modern open-plan kitchen pavilion on the left, living quarters ahead, balé beyond and a two-storey building housing bedrooms on the right. All overlook the pool. The atmosphere is light, airy, summery, pristine and pure. In fact, as a study in purity, the home has some important lessons to impart: Everything looks super casual and thrown together, but, because of the palette, is far from it—corners cannot be cut and nothing can be hidden in such a clean-cut environment.
The results of meticulous craftsmanship are evident all around: Tongue-and-groove paneling and second-storey balustrades in benkerai give a boathouse feel; classical columns set around deep verandahs with overhanging eaves add European elements; and ground-floor terrazzo laid in situ creates a surface shimmer that contrasts with warm wooden decking and teak floors above. Much of the furniture was sourced from Membery’s Home Collection, in particular the bunk beds in the children’s room and the mahogany-colored four-posters, with other prints and pieces sourced from Bali-based interior designer, Charles Orchard.
Philly is particularly happy with the plantings in the garden, all of which were overseen by the “very passionate garden designer, Bruce Johnson”. She sees the outdoors as more than an adjunct to her villa—rather it is part of the whole. As such, a pretty colorful garden with more than a few ornamentals was a must.
An open-plan area in front of the kitchen gives a good view of the balé on the opposite side of the pool. According to Philly, the family had always wanted a clean-lined open kitchen feeling: “We believe it suits and enhances family living,” she says.
The living pavilion and bedroom building (on right, above) are fronted by ulin wood decking. It’s hoped that over time the decks will turn a soft grey to match the grey ironwood shingle roofing.
The front entrance with its blue doors and wooden awning has a jaunty, boat-house feel. “We adore Ralph Lauren’s boathouse in Jamaica and, being so near the sea ourselves, we wanted Villa Lulito to express a nautical element,” explains Philly, the owner.
Comfortable, yet chic, the living pavilion features a pitched roof and creamy stone floors. Many of the tropical prints sourced from Charles Orchard have a Bali theme; mixed with potted palms, they keep the atmosphere light and bright.
While owners, Philly and Tim, appreciate the traditional Bali style of villa architecture, they wanted their island home to be a bit different. For inspiration they looked at some of the remaining Dutch plantation-style homes in Singaraja, the island’s former colonial capital, and in the coffee-growing hills around the town of Munduk.
Splashes of color in the scatter cushions as well as the deep blue sails on the model boat enliven the cool, white-on-white décor in the balé.
Inbuilt bunk beds in the sweet children’s room are from the Stuart Membery Home Collection; practical and stylish, they make for great fun sleepovers. Unlike the other structures, the bedroom building is fully closable, ensuring total security at night.
One of the master suites features a dark glossy bamboo four poster bed with elegant mosquito netting. Antique style drawers, side tables, Indonesian art and illustrations complete the romantic feel. Photos of family are displayed in the up-market adjoining bathroom
BUMBAK 3
Merging House and Landscape
Architect GM Architects
Location Umalas
Date Of Completion 2011
The architectural partnership of Gianni Francione and Mauro Garavoglia is well known in Bali for producing a type of tropical villa that is instantly recognizable as a GM Architects building. The duo always tries to minimize the impact of buildings on the landscape, and often combines two different architectural elements together—namely curved ironwood shingled roofs and flat volumes clad in stone.
This home is no exception, lying as it does amidst the rice fields of Umalas. On previous visits to Bali, the two Italian owners rented a GM Architect villa, so when it came to building their own home it was a logical step to employ the duo. “We like their work, we find the homes livable, so we discussed a few options, then chose the one we thought was best for the site.”
The highest point of the complex is found at the entrance where visitors get a good view of GM Architect’s signature ironwood shingled roofs. Often reaching down to the ground at key points, the roofs seem to sheath and protect the spaces below, yet allow for key points of exit and entrance, as well as excellent cross ventilation.
The house, which took nearly two years from conception to completion, was finished in early 2011. GM signature touches are to be seen everywhere: over-arching articulated roof forms, severe angles, partial walls, picture views of garden, pool and rice terrace, and a built form that fully integrates with the swells of the land. Built on a gently sloping site, there is a detached guest pavilion at the highest point, the main house in the middle and a garden and pool at the lowest level.
“We try to build homes with a variety of spaces—some more open and airy, others more cocooned,” explains Mauro. The main living room is of the former variety: With views through the eaves out along a crazy paving path inset with pebbles to the pool and garden, it features stand-alone “walls” in grey Indian stone, a beautifully grained teak floor and several pieces of comfy furniture. “The interiors developed step by step during the building process,” explain the owners. “We wanted them to match the style of the house, the materials used, and our tastes, of course.” With help from one of the owners’ sister, an interior designer, the overall effect is subtle, yet refined, with ethnic Indonesian furniture predominating.
The raised entertainment niche, on the left of the house and accessed by a staircase of black Indian stone inset with teak treads, nestles beneath the open roof. An example of one of GM’s “cocooned spaces”, it houses a lowslung comfy sofa facing a large DVD screen on a Nakashima-esque table. There’s also an adjacent small upstairs terrace with picture postcard views over the surrounding