Arshad Warsi graciously opened his home for a tour, showcasing a charming, historic Portuguese residence that serves as a true tropical retreat. The space is adorned with vibrant colors, prominently featuring lush greens alongside earthy wooden accents that create an inviting and homely atmosphere. In an interview with Asian Paints' Where The Heart Is, Warsi provided insights into his old Portuguese home located in Goa.

Every room has a personality

Each room possesses its own distinct character. While the home retains its authentic Portuguese features, such as high ceilings, grand pillars, and expansive wooden windows, it also embraces a bold and adventurous design aesthetic. Maria Goretti, his wife, shared that every room has a unique feel, contributing to a diverse ambiance throughout the house. She has even assigned names to each room, reflecting their individuality. This uniqueness is further emphasized by the distinct styles in which the walls around the doorways are painted.

One of the rooms, referred to as the ‘blue room,’ showcases elegant blue accents, including intricate designs in the floor tiles. A standout feature is the POP wall paneling behind their wooden bed, which originated from a sketch by Maria. This paneling was meticulously personalized, with careful attention to detail, including stencil work along the edges. The charm lies in the imperfections of the designs, as Arshad Warsi aptly notes; perfection often lacks intrigue.

Warsi also highlighted a hallway known as the ‘sunshine walk,’ which boasts various wonders, including a blue cabinet adorned with a rusted golden design that displays cherished ancestral knick-knacks, such as delicate cup saucers from Maria’s grandmother. An avant-garde feature of this hallway includes half-fish tails protruding from the wall, with the other halves extending outside the home, creating a striking visual element.

The dining area of the couple's residence immerses you in a forest ambiance, featuring wallpaper adorned with white storks and lush tropical foliage, complemented by a wooden dining table and green-painted chairs. Additionally, there exists a space that Arshad referred to as ‘a peculiar room,’ characterized by oversized dandelions depicted on the walls and three distinct doorways—round, angular, and square—leading into the area.

The couple's historic Portuguese home exemplifies the art of harmonizing interior design with both classic and innovative elements.

Rooted and experimental style

The traditional Portuguese residence showcases a rustic aesthetic, with significant wooden features prevailing throughout the environment. However, the couple did not allow wood to define the entire character of their inviting home. They embraced an experimental mindset, applying various colors to half of the wooden furniture to create a distinctive appearance. Despite this creative exploration, they remained connected to their heritage, as the spaces were filled with generational wooden pieces inherited from Maria Goretti’s mother and grandmother.

The decor in certain rooms exhibited a maximalist style, while other areas favored a minimalist approach. As Maria Goretti aptly stated, “Sometimes less is more, sometimes more is less.” There are no strict guidelines; each room possesses its own unique allure, reflecting a blend of tradition and personal expression.

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