In Tabanan, Bali, the design firm Unreal Studio Bali has crafted three residential villas featuring pools that integrate seamlessly with the living spaces through an innovative elevation shift. The living areas are positioned below the garden level, positioning the pool’s edge directly at eye level for anyone seated on the sofa. This unconventional approach contributes to the villas’ sophisticated design, which belies their simple whitewashed exteriors.
The transition from kitchen to living room involves descending several steps into a recessed area framed by expansive black-framed windows that offer sweeping views of the garden and pool. This deliberate floor-level adjustment redefines the connection between indoor and outdoor environments, ensuring occupants perceive the waterline at natural eye height rather than from an raised perspective. The design also creates a visual separation between the kitchen and living space without requiring physical barriers.
Pool-Integrated Living Room Design
From the kitchen, a few ascending steps lead to a central island that serves as both a meal preparation and dining area. Beyond this, an arched glass doorway opens directly onto the pool courtyard, supporting a fluid connection between interior and exterior spaces.
Angled Wings Form a Private Pool Courtyard
The villas’ floor plans divide each three-bedroom unit into two distinct sections. One wing contains the entrance, kitchen, and living areas in a linear arrangement, while the second wing, positioned at an angle, houses the bedrooms and staircase. Where these wings converge, they create an enclosed outdoor courtyard centered around the swimming pool.
This configuration provides essential privacy for the pool and garden areas, particularly valuable on the narrow site where neighboring properties are in close proximity. Additionally, the angled bedroom wing is oriented toward the surrounding rice fields, optimizing sightlines, seclusion, and outdoor access. The overall layout balances these competing priorities through strategic spatial organization.
The development comprises six identical villas organized in two parallel rows along a shared access lane. The first three units were finalized in 2026. Architecturally, the villas draw from Mediterranean influences, characterized by thick whitewashed walls, smooth rounded corners, arched doorways, and circular window shapes.
Curved Architecture and Circular Windows Define the Design
Contrasting dark pitched roofs and black window frames accentuate the white facades, while the curved wall profiles lend a softer aesthetic to the structures. The circular windows are most prominent in the bedrooms, framing expansive views of the surrounding environment. Larger arched windows maximize natural light penetration, complemented by wood-paneled ceilings that follow the roof’s sloping contours.
Interior elements blend Mediterranean styling with locally sourced Balinese materials and furnishings. Custom wood cabinetry, rattan pendant lighting, and light-toned finishes maintain visual cohesion throughout. All interior finishes and furniture were crafted to specification by a local workshop, ensuring each villa arrives fully appointed.
The bathroom designs maintain the curved theme through rounded vanities, terrazzo sinks, arched mirrors, and standalone freestanding bathtubs. Beyond the ground-level pool, each villa features an raised roof terrace equipped with a circular jacuzzi sheltered beneath a wooden pergola.
