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The city of Goa is not only famous for its sun-kissed beaches, vivid colors, nightlife and sumptuous food but also for its rich cultural and architectural heritage. Goa was a Portuguese colony for around four and a half centuries, starting from the year 1510 till 1961, when it was liberated by the Indian military. During this period, the Portuguese brought with them many cultural and aesthetic influences from Europe and other places that they visited, to create a unique architectural style known as the ‘Indo-Portuguese’ style of architecture which is prominent in the homes of Old Goa. Although this style of architecture has diminished and given way to modern homes, some design elements are still a favorite in new home designs.

Take a look at some key design elements you can use to capture the essence of the homes of Old Goa.

Pick typical Goan architectural features

The homes of Old Goa can be broadly classified into homes of Portuguese origin and homes of Indian or Hindu origin. You can choose one of these styles, to start with.

The homes of Portuguese origin are often two-storeyed, they face the street and include a large veranda or an entrance porch that is locally known as the balcao. The porch served as a sitting area and also offered protection to the home from the harsh sunlight and heavy rain.

The homes of Indian or Hindu origin are inward-looking and were planned around the traditional courtyards. They have small windows, a measure to protect the privacy of women in earlier times.

Paint the façade in bright colours

The façades of traditional Goan homes were painted in bright colours like yellow, bright blue, peach and so on. These colours were achieved with the use of vegetable and natural dyes in earlier times.

Additionally, the façades of Goan houses are elaborately detailed with design elements like stucco mouldings around windows and intricate railing designs in cast iron.

Plan your home around courtyards

Introduce courtyards within the design of the home to make an inside-outside connection, and surround it with arches and pillars, which are typical to Goan homes of Hindu origin.

Incorporate sloping clay-tiled roofs

Design the home with sloping clay-tiled roofs that are set on a framework of wooden joists and rafters, as they are another prominent feature of Goan homes.

Go for patterned floors

The floors of traditional Goan homes stand out with the use of brightly coloured cement tiles. To bring in a similar old-world charm into your home, incorporate patterned floors,

Use local building materials

Consider using local building materials like laterite for the construction of the home or use it for cladding, as it has been used here; laterite is an excellent material that is resilient to the weather conditions of Goa.

Use wood

It is essential to incorporate a generous use of wood in the interiors of the home. Note that most of the traditional Goan homes have polished wood-panelled ceilings, staircases and so on.

Use mother-of-pearl

Create an ornate feature by insetting mother-of-pearl, the shell of molluscs, in the window screens. In this image, slices of nacre (mother-of-pearl) have been inserted into the framework of the blue wooden shutters.

Introduce eclectic accessories and décor

Introduce elegant vintage staples in the home.

Your bedroom would be incomplete without the hallmark four-poster bed.

Check out the light hanging from the ceiling of this bedroom. It resembles the classic colonial bell-jar-shaped lanterns that are common in traditional Goan homes.

Accessories such as elaborate crystal chandeliers and Chinese porcelain vases are vital to the classic decor of Goa.