Originally characterised by heavy proportions, decorative detailing and colourful finishes, the villa retained the charm of its Spanish origins but felt visually dense. Instead of erasing that identity, designer D'Ora Tokai reinterpreted it through a quieter architectural language, drawing equally from Moorish geometry and European restraint. "Rather than redesigning the house, we refined its language," she says. The result is an interior where arches, natural materials and carefully filtered daylight create a home that feels calm, sculptural and quietly balanced.

ARCHITECTURE IN SOFT CURVES

The defining motif is the arch. Present only in a few original openings, it became the starting point for the entire renovation, expanding across doorways, passages, windows and ceiling transitions. Repeated throughout the house, these gentle curves soften the architecture while establishing a calm rhythm that connects every room. "Arches became the heartbeat of the project," Tokai says. "They slow movement and soften the way spaces unfold."

At the heart of the home sits a double-height courtyard, reorganised as its emotional and architectural centre. Once sunken and visually disconnected, it has been transformed into a luminous gathering space anchored by a bespoke C-shaped sofa designed by DOT Objects, D'Ora Tokai's furniture collection. Echoing the surrounding arches, the sculptural piece embraces the courtyard rather than occupying it, becoming the first gesture visitors encounter upon entering the house. Above, a glazed roof draws daylight deep into the interior, creating layered views between both floors and allowing family life to unfold naturally around its quiet centre. "We wanted the courtyard to become the emotional centre of the home," she says.