Cover This Bali home is nestled in the quiet village of Sayan, with magnificent views of the jungle
This Bali home is nestled in the quiet village of Sayan, with magnificent views of the jungle
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Filmmakers Andras S Takacs and Eszter Cseke fell in love with this property in Sayan, a village west of Ubud, Bali—and revamped it into a beautiful villa
In Bali, the village of Sayan, nestled amid luxuriant jungles and picturesque rice paddies and located about 5km west of the town of Ubud, is home to some of the island’s most exclusive properties, including Amankila, Four Seasons Resort Bali and The Ritz-Carlton, Bali. It’s also where the award-winning Hungarian documentary filmmakers Andras S Takacs and Eszter Cseke, who are also a husband-and-wife duo behind Spot Productions, decided to put down roots.
“My wife and I had a sabbatical here ten years ago and we fell in love with the breathtakingly beautiful area,” says Takacs. “We never thought that one day we would live [here].”
In 2021, the couple came across a villa, which was then abandoned, on a property agent’s website. The 25-year-old structure was originally the work of Balinese architect Popo Danes. Overlooking the majestic Sayan Ridge, it has a 3,767 sq ft floor plan on a 8,073 sq ft plot of land that is surrounded by frangipani trees. Neglected for many years, with plants climbing in through its thatched roof, the home was in desperate need of love and care. But when the couple walked in, they felt that “this was it”.
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Above The living room features chequered tiled floors, glass and steel doors and an original alang alang grass thatched-style roof
Above The inviting swimming pool
The living room features chequered tiled floors, glass and steel doors and an original alang alang grass thatched-style roof
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In a renovation process of about a year, the duo worked together with Bali-based interior designer Zohra Boukhari to bring the villa back to life. Every part of the space was overhauled, with the exception of the marble floors in the bedrooms and bathrooms, which were retained and polished to reveal the natural state of the stone. The roof was also kept in its original thatching made with alang alang, a plant native to Bali; this style is used in the construction of Balinese huts throughout the island. The feature allows the house to breathe throughout the day and night.
Above Throughout the home, earthy tones and natural materials such as wood, marble and linen create a serene atmosphere
Above A cosy space for dining
Throughout the home, earthy tones and natural materials such as wood, marble and linen create a serene atmosphere
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“We renovated … with a great sense of respect for Bali and [its] nature,” says Cseke. “It has an eclectic, passionate ambiance, with warm earthy tones, chequered floors and interesting shapes.”
The once open-air living room was installed with glass and steel doors painted in marine grey; old Balinese carved beams, meanwhile, pay homage to the original architecture.
Two separate pavilion-style rooms were added; they connect to the main house through a glass-enclosed office and reading room, revisiting the original three-bedroom and three-bathroom layout. This was created with the couple’s young family in mind: “This way, you can run over in the middle of the night to check on your kids without passing through the garden,” says Cseke.
Above A view of the dining room
A view of the dining room
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Above Takacs and Cseke pictured in their home
Takacs and Cseke pictured in their home
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Custom-made polished concrete surfaces dot the space throughout, from bathroom sinks and bathtubs to walls and built-in shelves. They are complemented by rough marble, granite and old, carved Balinese doors. The master ensuite features a semi-outdoor shower paved with dark river stones and looking out onto a bathroom garden.
Above The master bedroom opens onto a terrace overlooking the jungle
Above In the dining room, the table and chairs were originally found in the house and redesigned and up-cycled by Cseke
The master bedroom opens onto a terrace overlooking the jungle
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Above A view of the master bedroom
Above In a space dubbed the museum room, an antique daybed found in an antique shop in Bali is paired with linens from Cloth by Medina
A view of the master bedroom
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Antiques and new pieces, sourced from Bali-based Balquisse Living and DC Habitat Interiors, are combined with pillows and rugs from Cloth by Medina and items Cseke designed.
“We found a lot of original furniture in the house, and my passion as a designer is to up-cycle, so our house is full of re-designed pieces,” says Cseke. “For me, they are works of art.”
The renovation was completed in April 2022. “I love how the colours of the house complement the green hues of the Sayan Ridge,” she adds. “We love sitting on the master bedroom’s terrace early in the morning, bird-watching with the kids, or watching the sunset just before dinner time, playing around in the living room while we cook. We have created a real home here in Bali.”
Credits
Photography: Tommaso Riva
Styling: Lisa Scappin
Nina Milhaud is a freelance journalist based in Hong Kong. She previously worked as a journalist and editor at AFP, Monocle and Design Anthology, covering issues ranging from arts, design and culture to politics, social issues and entrepreneurship. Follow her on Instagram.
