A luxury home in the Var
The clients were a lovely expat couple who were looking to renovate an existing weather-beaten house situated right on the seafront. The main requirements were to open up the spaces, improve the insulation and soundproofing, install a new kitchen and bathrooms, create an airy and light-filled living space with panoramic views. They weren’t planning on living there all year, so wanted to optimise the space to rent it out on Airbnb.
The villa is located in a charming seaside in the Var and has its own private staircase to the beach. It overlooks the sea and landscapes on the other side of the bay. Initially, it had 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a garden and a deck.
The Transformation
As you can see, the before photos show a house that is in dire need of some TLC. But with a stunning location like this, we knew it had potential to be something special. So, we set to work transforming it into a luxury beachfront villa.
We started by gutting the entire property, getting rid of all the old fixtures and fittings. The windows were replaced with double glazing and salt resistant joinery.
We then redistributed the top floor bedrooms and staircase, managed to fit in a master ensuite bedroom, 2 cosy bedrooms and an extra bathroom on the top floor. On the ground floor, we removed the walls between the garage and kitchen, and redistributed the space : the garage door was walled in and transformed into a wonderful guest bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. The kitchen was enlarged by integrating the upstairs terrace awning and part of the outdoor bathroom. This little space was transformed into a very practical utility room.
We created a large luxury kitchen and utility room, complete with an incredible deck that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The living space was slightly rearranged as we incorporated the outside entrance awning into the sitting room. We also changed the back garden into a carport which adds an extra value to this exquisite property where it is particularly difficult to find a parking spot.
Last but not least, we gave the outdoor deck a full makeover : new balustrades, new deck, new gates to let the owners use the full space and install their luxury outdoor furniture and enjoy the view.
Here are some ideas for making your home look as functional as this one:
Natural light is super important
We installed big French doors and a massive pocket door in the kitchen. When it’s scorching outside, the kitchen becomes a shaded extension of the terrace and vice versa.
Create a sense of space
By removing some internal walls, we were able to create a more open-plan living area that feels brighter and more spacious..
Air conditioning
It gets hot, cold and humid and sometimes all three in the same day! You need to be comfortable so we made sure the property had ducted air conditioning installed everywhere. As a result, you can get really cosy in the winter and cool off on sunny days in the summer. We couldn’t beleive how toasty it was in the winter months.
Lots of bathrooms
Including outside! The real luxury is to be able to have a piping hot shower and wash the sand and the salt off after a quick surf (believe me, it’s much better than a cold water hosepipe). We installed an outdoor shower and WC on the deck. Even though there are 2 luxury bathrooms on the top floor and an extra one on the ground floor, there’s nothing worse than salty puddles in the living room after a swim in the sea.
Soundproofing
We used luxury materials throughout to make sure the property was well insulated and soundproofed. This is essential to the location : sometimes the waves and the wind do howl, and it is impossible to turn the volume down. To avoid this inconvenience, we installed bespoke Teknal windows with double glazing that have made all the difference. The windows slide effortlessly and keep the noise down when it gets stormy at sea.
Storage space
Because we converted the old garage that also use to double up as storage, we extended the built-in wardrobes in the bedrooms and installed luxury dressing rooms in the master ensuite. Practicality is key when you’re on holiday : you want to be able to find everything easily so that you can enjoy your time off. We also designed a technical cupboard for the wifi box and electrical board making everything accessible within the same cupboard.
Sturdy and lo tech is the best :
Saltwater degrades installations in no time. It is essential to invest in good-quality materials that will stand the test of time, such as stainless steel or aluminium for your frames, shutters and joinery.
Optimising space for Airbnb guests
This was part of the brief so we made sure the clients could accommodate 10 people comfortably : this meant finding some optimised bunk beds and being creative.
As you can see, we’ve thought of everything to make this property a wonderful holiday location and a place to enjoy the Mediterranean.
This beachfront villa is the perfect place to enjoy the sun, the sand and the sea. It’s close to all the best restaurants and bars, and you can literally fish from the balcony! This is the kind of villa that anyone would be proud to own. It’s perfect for a family holiday, or for anyone looking for a luxury escape by the sea.
In fact, if you fancy having it for yourself for a few nights or a week, check out this luxury beachfront property on Airbnb.
Design & architecture : BLR International
Construction : BLR International
Tell us what you think in the comments below!
Leave a Reply