architecture

Luxury and Simplicity at North Island Seychelles

North Island in the Seychelles is an oasis of calm, offering each guest a private villa to call their own.

In 1998, Cape Town architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens first visited North Island and by 2001 they lived on site with their two children; designing and creating the staff and sample villa. Their design celebrates nature with small details like the outdoor showers allowing guests to feel the night air or dining on the beach with feet in the sand. North Island was finished in July 2003. It has hosted many prestigious guest including Prince William and Kate for their honeymoon in 2011.

Materials

The original island buildings, originally a coconut plantation and copra furnace, were renovated to make the library and dive centre. Indigenous Takamaka trees were used to create the villas structure and smaller details such as handrails, showers, screens and root pergolas. Casuarina trees, an invasive species to the Seychelles were removed during construction and used to make furniture. The decks were made from sandblasted pine from South Africa and Banuas a chunky hardwood was used for the upright columns in the bedrooms. Other materials include Rosewood, Teak, Giant Bamboo as well as copper and brass. The materials of North Island’s construction have so much texture and natural synergy, such as the beachrock curtains that create privacy at the outdoor showers, the ylang ylang roofing grass, sandstone in the kitchenettes and the extensive use of Seychelles granite rock.

Villa Design

The essence of luxury is captured in the sheer indulgence of abundant volume - space is life’s big luxury. Each villa is a private domain allowing guests to surround themselves with all the features and experiences that they are acquainted to. Guests enter via a ramp at the rear and are immediately greeted by the panoramic view of the ocean. This outdoor room contains a comfortable couch and dining table as well as sandstone hanging drinks tables. The main bedroom has a small lounge area, dressing room and the a locally hand-crafted bed. The bathroom is more of a bathhouse with a large bath for two, huge vanity area and two large mirrors. We love the sala for relaxing next to the plunge pool and the outdoor shower pours out of a log instead of a shower head.

Interior Design

Understated elegance and authenticity is the hallmark of South African interior design firm LIFE, who texture the interiors of North Island with mindful creativity. Textures are tactile - rock, cork, sandstone, silk, cadiz shell, velvet, cotton and copper. Raw nature appears throughout, such as weathered wood, smoothed rock, granite walls and mother of pearl chandeliers. Tones and hues are subtle; sage, beige, stone, chalk, coral, sand, turquoise and aqua.

North Island is one of the finest private island in our Private Islands Collection. It is available for exclusive use as well as partial rental; a naturally crafted paradise, fully staffed and featuring plenty of luxury facilities and experiences. We look forward to arranging your North Island stay, please do get in touch.

Introducing our Australia and New Zealand Villas

We are proud to announce the addition of four beautiful properties for rental in Australasia, including an oceanfront villa, a lakeside architectural masterpiece, an elegant sydney harbour apartment and a chateau with a view.

Villa Aqua, Whitsunday's, Queensland, Australia

Villa Aqua, Whitsunday's, Queensland, Australia

La Corniche, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

La Corniche, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

Feathertop Chateau, Victoria, Australia

Feathertop Chateau, Victoria, Australia

Interested in renting a designer property in Australia or New Zealand? Please feel free to send us an email on [email protected] or make an enquiry.

New Seychelles Designer Villa: Praslin Private Beach Villa

Seychelles Villa 407 | Praslin
Main Villa & 2 Guest Villas
Discreet | Private Pools
Private Beach

Beachfront luxury private villas for rental in the Seychelles are extremely rare so when the owner of Villa Praslinproudly informed us of its completion, we were very excited to offer such a unique property to our clients.

Completed in 2014 the villa was conceived by the Indian Ocean Architecture practice Artema, known for their tropical elegance with a ‘French twist’. The designers have made the most of this beautiful beachfront plot and its lush tropical gardens, ensuring the property is immersed in nature. Space and light are important to its design as well as the use of natural materials throughout.

Nestled on the Anse Gouvernement beach in Praslin, Seychelles, this 5 bedroom villa (sleeping 10 adults and 2 children) is on an exclusive estate of 5300 m² opening up onto a private beach and the sea. The property consists of a main residence with 3 suites and infinity pool and 2 independent guest villas with their own private pool each.

Seychelles enjoys world renown for its flora and fauna, its turquoise sea and heavenly beaches. Among the hundreds of islands that form the archipelago “Praslin” is the most famous.

Villa Praslin is ideal for a group of friends, a family get together or a VIP stay. The villa is very private, in a unique location on a pristine and immaculate private beach. Fully staffed with a private chef, butler and all meals included, come and unwind and enjoy the bounty of authentic Seychelles in your own private home.


Featured Villa: Steel & Glass Cape Town 305, Camps Bay

Featured in our Spring Summer 2014 Villa Rental Collection

A beautiful minimalist home for rental, winner of House & Leisure “ SA House of the Year” – September 2009, commanding a 270º view of Lions Head, Camps Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Designed by SAOTA - Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects, this sublime steel and glass haven offers living spaces that are highly transparent to take full advantage of these views. Interiors are by Antoni Associates.

In an upmarket suburb of Cape Town with its absolute exclusivity and privacy, this elegantly casual & ultra-contemporary villa is a sublime steel & glass haven for you to entertain your guests in. It ambiguously blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors and shifts, changes and challenges expectations at every turn, with effortless fluidity. It’s understated but so powerful.

Light

It harnesses and captures every nuance of the changing light through its generous frameless sky-lights and ample glass sliding doors, which can totally disappear, eliminating any demarcation between the living spaces and the lush greenery of the garden, and seamlessly fusing the two rim-flow swimming pools and their generous bleached Balou terraces.

Structure

Heavy, fixed building features seem to defy the laws of gravity and appear literally to float, like the cantilevered roof with its internal hidden steel support structure on the top level and the thick walnut staircase that links the perfectly independent upstairs with the self-sufficient downstairs. Overall, the effect is one of fluid spacial symbiosis, much like the ebb and flow of the ocean that can be glimpsed from almost every vantage point.

Uncluttered

In keeping with Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects’ (SAOTA) belief that the most successful living spaces are uncluttered, refined and have a great directness which compliments the casual lifestyle of their clients, there is absolutely nothing to disappoint.

Finishing Touches

The interiors' palette and décor match the structure with a cloud-like weightlessness and natural harmony. Muted, misty greys, white Carrara marble, limed oak, expansive white porcelain tiles and Zen pebble accents. Artworks like the mystically atmospheric Patricia Driscoll photographic prints and a long water channel animated by Koi. With superb flow and aesthetic restraint, it’s a perfect entertainment, party space, too.

Technology

The house has a box of technological tricks: motorized, automated hairdryers, heat-reflecting blinds, hi-tech remote control home automation pads and XBox with an extensive selection of DVDs, Wi-Fi, plasma screens, Satellite, integrated air-conditioning, underfloor heating, CCTV security system… as well as a six-car garage.

Additional Facts

- The Penthouse (on top floor) has 3 en-suite bedrooms

- The Main House (on ground floor) has 2 en-suite bedrooms

- The separate Guest Apartment (also on ground floor) has an en-suite bathroom, kitchen, lounge/ bedroom and balcony.

- The Basement Studio Apartment is situated at the back of the property and has its own entrance.

- Both lounge areas open to the outdoor terrace with stunning sea views and Spectacular rim-flow heated swimming pools.

- Shaded 8 seater sandstone table adjacent to the gas BBQ overlooking pool on

Highlights

Steel & Glass Haven

Floor to Ceiling Glass

Architecture by Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen

Deemed Cape Town’s most acclaimed designer villas

Studio Guest & Basement Separate Apartments

Breathtaking Ocean Views

Two Rim-flow Private Pools

Blurs Boundaries between Indoors & Outdoors

270º View of Lions Head, Camps Bay & Atlantic

Winner of House & Leisure
“SA House of the Year”
September 2009

Perfect for...

Large family celebrations

Corporate Retreats

Design Lovers

Key facts

Sleeps 14

7 Bedrooms

7 Bathrooms

Children Welcome

Serviced from Mon - Sat

Chef & Butler on request

If you are interested in renting this villa or would like further information on the rest of our Spring Summer 2014 Designer Villa Collection, then do get in contact.

Email us on
[email protected]