Villa UMAH DURI - Bali Seminyak Villas
Located in the
picturesque area known as Umalas, the three bedrooms Umah Duri is a short
fifteen minutes drive by car to the upscale areas of Seminyak and Legian, which
boast some of the finest shopping, dining, and nightlife on the island, along
with several fine beaches ideal for swimming and surfing.
This contemporary
Asian influenced villa provides a cozy yet open-air lodging from which to
escape the bustle of downtown and retire into ones own private world.
Guests approach the
villa by passing by the security post at the shared entrance, and then through
a stone yin-yang mosaic entrance. A long walled walkway flanked on both sides
by blooming Birds of Paradise and other tropical flora native to Bali adds
another level of privacy.
Two separate
buildings constitute the main living areas of the villa, separated by an open
lawn and swimming pool, and natural tiled walkways lined in decorative smooth
stones. The slightly elevated main building consists of a living area and
kitchen flanked on both sides by wrap-around veranda and two bedrooms with
private en-suite bathrooms. A formal dining terrace is located to the far right
of the structure. The master bedroom and its en-suite bathroom are situated in
the second building. All the bedrooms are air-conditioned.
Dividing the shaded
wrap-around porch of the main building into two distinct areas is the main
living room, which can be opened up for natural ventilation or closed off by
full-length sliding glass doors. A fantastically choreographed colour scheme
dominates the room, accentuating the geometric forms of the walls of the
structure. Canary yellow walls offer a playful contrast to the antique Asian
decor, including carved elephants, and Japanese rice-papered lamps set atop an
antique Chinese console. The furniture
is a mix of sculpted modern and antique styles.
Two blissfully
relaxing Indonesian day beds offer lounging space atop white mattresses and a
rainbow of plush pillows. A solid carved coffee table from India rests in the
middle, and along one wall is a streamlined wood cabinet concealing the TV and
DVD player. Towards the back of the room is a striking blue-toned lavender
guest bathroom. A wavy tiled wall conceals part of the fully equipped, modern
kitchen. The contours of the solid teak bar top accentuate the natural patterns
of the wood, and create a comfortable bar area in front of the kitchen,
complete with barstools, from which one can overlook the expanse of the
property. A provocatively limited edition lithograph of a house interior
enhances the cozy feel this area emanates. The exposed timber cathedral ceiling
arches to a point incorporating ceiling fans.
Two contemporary
bedrooms are set off to either side of the main living room. The floors and
ceilings of both rooms are paneled with dark teak-wood, offering a subtle contrast
to the prominent light green and blue toned walls, accented by recessed
lighting fixtures. All of the bedrooms are decorated with a collection of
limited edition lithographs from modern Chinese artists, and boast a phone
system complete with internet access.
The bedroom to the
left of the main living area is dominated by a queen sized bed around which
hangs a delicate white mosquito net canopy, and a built-in wardrobe takes up
the entire back wall. The partially open-air en-suite bathroom is done in gray
terrazzo, with a modern wrap-around shower, a large vanity and mirror, and an
exceptional vase filled with fragrant flowers.
The spacious second
bedroom is furnished with a king sized bed, topped off with canopy-style white
mosquito netting suspended from the ceiling, and a massive solid table ideal
for study. A large adjoining enclave is lined with a standing wardrobe to
tastefully conceal guest clothing and belongings, offering everything a guest
could desire in terms of a private living space. The en-suite bathroom is done
in crème terrazzo, with a matching wrap around shower and vanity with
mirror. Generously sized windows open up
to overlook the back garden.
The completely
open-air palimanan dining terrace is set to the far right side of the main
structure of the villa. A slatted wooden overhang covered with glass creates a
giant sun-roof over the entire area, which is perpendicularly oriented to the
rest of the villa so as to be set in an open yet separate enclave of the house.
The dining table comfortably seats twelve.
An orange wall gives a funky flair to this room, co-ordinating
wonderfully with the remaining colour scheme of the villa. A desire to close
off the dining room terrace can be fulfilled by drawing down the natural bamboo
blinds that surround the three open sides. This allows cool breezes to enter
and bring with them wafts of frangipani given off by the garden lining the
surrounding wall of the villa grounds. The villa temple is situated behind the
rear of the dining terrace.
A tiled pathway
slices through the meticulous lawn and leads from the dining terrace to the
second structure, housing the air-conditioned master bedroom. The organic
materials used in the construction of this traditional structure emanate a
natural ambience. The high alang-alang (thatched) roof provides an arched
ceiling with a ceiling fan, complimenting the rich teak-wood floors. The two
prominent walls are composed of huge sliding glass doors allowing the room to
be completely opened up to the property or closed off and concealed by swaths
of eggshell-toned draperies for absolute serenity and privacy.
Draped with delicate
white mosquito netting, the king sized canopy bed with Lombok sarong covers
dominates the room, and is complimented on either side by matching wooden
beside tables topped off with modern lamps and vases overflowing with fragrant
fresh cut flowers. An oversized standing wardrobe is concealed behind the
bed. Nestled in one corner, the TV
offers an added means of escape. The enormous en-suite bathroom is separated
from the room by sliding glass doors. Partially open-air, it is done completely
in crème marbled terrazzo for a contemporary minimalist feel. The large bathtub
is set atop a Japanese-style slatted wood platform, with a tropical rain-head
showerhead arching above. A magnificent
mirror sits above the massive elegant double vanity, and all the amenities are
tastefully done in dark wood and bamboo.
The tranquil sounds
of fountains spouting three streams of cool water into the ten meter swimming
pool compliment the sun dappled property, embracing the tropical easy-living
climate produced by the villa layout. On both sides of the pool are sets of
wooden sun-deck lounges and elegant white umbrellas casting desirable shade
when needed.
From any position on
the villa grounds, one is able to absorb the fine feel of open space and
comfort that Umah Duri embraces so well, while watching the maturing palm
fronds play in the breeze. The villa offers a stimulating and fully relaxing
retreat.
