If you think that a trip to Bali may on the cards for you, there is no denying that this island is an interior designer’s paradise. My husband and three children will each have their own wonder-struck memories of our recent trip, but mine are from the lens of an interior designer who returned back to her hometown (Auckland, New Zealand) with a dose of rustic and eclectic Indonesian interior inspiration. In less than nine hours we went from a crisp Auckland morning to a hot and tropical paradise. Just like anyone who has had the curiosity to browse the calibre of accommodation available in Bali, when it came to booking our accommodation, I was a little overwhelmed with choice. To make it easier for anyone intending to go, I have outlined each of the three places that we stayed during our trip in detail below.
The road into Villa Nest - the pool awaits you behind the large doors.
Seminyak
Villa Nest Seminyak - Villa Dua
(5 nights)
Seminyak is a beach resort area at the southern end of Bali very close to Denpasar International Airport. Seminyak is busy, but where we stayed was about 1km from the main road.
We stayed in Villa Nest Seminyak where there were four different villas to choose from. We stayed in the gorgeous Dua, a large two bedroom villa. Most of its breathtaking living space was outdoors and just like what you’d see in a magazine, the pool ran the length of the open living area. The décor was contemporary, but the villa also had aspects of traditional Balinese culture. The living room adorned a large comfy green sofa and a real fish pond.
Seminyak Villa Nest - Simple stunning
The kitchen was on a lower level. I personally didn’t love the drop in levels across the villa, but this helped define the spaces and did create a sense of compartmentalisation. The bedrooms were also very separate like two small houses. The whole villa was enclosed so if you are travelling with kids it is safe and secure, but if you have very small children, their may be a little too much separation between the bedrooms. Our children’s room had a king size bed and the hotel staff were kind enough to bring us in an extra bed.
We enjoyed a delicious pancake breakfast in the morning. The staff were very accommodating to our coeliac son who had a separate batch made for him with gluten free flour that we brought ourselves. I don’t normally love Asian food for breakfast but this was also an amazing experience and even the kids loved it. We would be served either noodles, or fried rice with an egg. There was so much food that we rarely needed lunch.
Tip: Before you arrive, request that the hotel staff provide some supplies for your arrival, such as snacks and beverages.
In terms of daily activities, my kids absolutely loved the famous water park “Waterboom”. If you are travelling with children you must check this out. If natural adventures are more your style, then surfing is very popular at Seminyak beach. If you are like me, then all you need to do for entertainment is get lost in the ocean of boutique shops with everything under the sun, a true designer’s paradise.
I spent three days exploring the wholesale suppliers, lovely craft shops and home-ware stores with my dear friend Emma from Bozhali. These shops and suppliers where located between north Seminyak and Canggu and a stand out favourite to note was Kim So Home. If you have a passion for interior design and you find yourself in Bali, make sure to visit this area.
Desa Visesa Ubub, the most magical resort in the rice paddies.
Ubud
Desa Visesa Ubud
(4 nights)
The next destination on our Bali adventure was Ubud, a very popular destination for overseas visitors. We hired a driver for the day and stopped at Bali Zoo on the way. The zoo was much smaller than Auckland zoo, so only took a few hours to see everything. But the close encounters were amazing. If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend the experience of feeding an elephant by hand, it was amazing! (We didn’t ride the elephants).
We stayed at Desa Visesa Ubud in a two-bedroom suite called the Forest View Villa. Inside the villa reflected a traditional Balinese design, with the right amount of timber and rattan (a type of material that is used in wicker weaves, similar to bamboo).
Tip: If you have plenty of checked baggage space available for souvenirs, I would highly recommend finding the perfect rattan light shade to suit your home.
The rooms were separated, similar to our Seminyak accommodation, but as our children are quite independent they were fine with this. After five nights in the bustling Seminyak, we really wanted a dose of tranquil Indonesian wildlife. To that effect, our room had a gorgeous view of the forest, (whereas the other rooms overlooked the main pool).
This resort was one of the prettiest places I have ever stayed. It was exactly the kind of setting you go to South East Asia in search of, we were surrounded by rice paddies! The main pool was unexpectedly quiet and it was larger than we expected. The accommodation had its own working farm with a few activities for the kids. (But no “kids club” like you tend to find in some resorts.)
A little work mixed in… Hello Saturday
My husband Matt and my older kids visited the Monkey Forest, while my youngest Evie and I explored the shops and enjoyed ice creams. Despite Ubud’s infamous reputation for an electric nightlife, we spent most of our time relaxing which suited us just fine. You could walk from our resort into Ubud through the rice paddies which was a beautiful experience. If you’re not a huge fan of walking in heat, this journey could be a little tricky for you, but there was also the option of a shuttle. The resort villas were built to look like a traditional old road. I love seeing the offerings to the gods left on the stone walls, and the little flags dotted around the villages.
The perfect mix of cultural experience, interiors and family fun.
Canggu
Villa Azcoyen
(4 nights)
Our final destination in Bali was Canggu where we spent four nights in an AirBnb Villa. This villa was even more beautiful in real life. It had three bedrooms, all similar in size all with small outdoor bathrooms, each room had a slightly different design. All three bedrooms came off one side of the pool and the outdoor living space, with the kitchen at the separate end. The tiles were incredible, in each bedroom was a different coloured hexagonal tile on the floor, pink, cream and aqua. The doors into the bedrooms were custom made by an artist in Jakarta. The swimming chair was a favorite space for the kids to sit and read, I loved the large day beds in and out of the sun.
Villa Azcoyen in Canggu is a work of art.
During the time we were there, Canggu was smaller than Seminyak, easier to walk around and a lot more laid back, however Bali is developing at a rapid rate so this may no longer be the case. Canggu beach was too rough to swim at so we sat and watched the surfers. Breakfast was not included in our accommodation so we went to a cafe just five minutes walk away called Crate, where they had the most amazing food I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience and would highly recommend!
Final notes
In case you hadn’t noticed, I absolutely fell in love with Bali and all of the Balinese design inspiration that I picked up along my journey. If interior design is not something that comes naturally to you but you want to bring a piece of Bali back to your home, I would recommend looking for a handmade Macrame wall hanging, or as previously mentioned, a piece of rattan furniture (if you are happy to ship this home). Of course, if you need more help with styling your home with eclectic Balinese flare, please feel free to get in touch with me for a consultation.
