Introduction to Villa Iman. I’m Vanessa Kanby, and I’m building my dream house in Ghana, so I have come to the hills of Peduase to see one of the most beautifully architecturally designed homes here in Ghana. This is Villa Iman, and it’s designed by the same architect that is designing my home, CeSa Design Studios.
It Is an Escape
And the thing about Peduase, which is right next to Aburi, is that it is absolutely stunning. It is an escape. It is completely different from Accra. There’s also some incredible hotels up here. Music. There’s the Aburi Botanical Gardens, and Bob Marley’s wife, Rita Marley, also has residents in the mountains. So come, let’s check it out! Music.
Arrival and Exterior Design
Arrival and Exterior Design. Welcome to Villa Iman. This luxury vacation home is nestled. Music. In Peduase, and it goes with the natural topography of the land. So there’s three distinct areas. Right now we are in the service area, parking, and just wait until you actually see the view.
A Lovely Little Glimpse of What’s to Come
So the first thing that we see is this bamboo, like thick bamboo planting. What I love most about this space is the fact that they have thought about the greenery first and the landscaping before the building itself, and also the view. So if we come this way, we get a lovely little glimpse of what’s to come. I mean, look at that!
On a Very Clear Day We Also See the Tema Port
So over this way we see Accra, we can see Tema, and on a very clear day we also see the Tema port. So this house was designed by CeSa Design Studios, who are also designing my home, and of course we do not have this view, but there is elements of the design that hopefully we will see in our own home.
Landscaping and House Details
Landscaping and House Details. So this is the service zone. So it has the staff accommodation, indoor and outdoor kitchens, water storage, backup generator, and it’s kept very separate from the home itself. And if we walk this way, the landscape is used to really soften between the different areas.
Villa Iman Ghana
It Literally Just Looks Like a Hedge, But It’s the Wall
So as you can see, this bamboo is just like so beautiful, and also I love these creeping plants here across the whole entire wall. It literally just looks like a hedge, but it’s the wall. All I’m thinking about is, wow, can you imagine actually doing this work? Like, this was a hill.
Look How Beautiful and Simple the Lines Are of Villa Iman
Like, to get here, it’s a steep hill down, so to be able to actually get this wall, the amount of digging and excavation that must have gone on is incredible. I mean, look how beautiful and simple the lines are of Villa Iman. I love so much, like the overhangs, which allow for shade within the home, and also you could sit and have shade outside of the home.
They Actually Have Tortoises Here
They actually have tortoises here. Oh my gosh, there’s one of them! I mean, how cool! Let me try and get, get in amongst toys. So there’s two. Oh no, it’s hiding from me. I think it’s scared. Laughter. Apparently when they came, they were just tiny, and now they’re much bigger, and they just free roam around the place.
They Wanted This Home to Be All About the Landscape and the View
So the green spaces are the arrival moment for the main building, and the owner intentionally only wanted two bedrooms. They didn’t want to maximize the amount of bedrooms. They wanted this home to be all about the landscape and the view, which you’re about to see. So it’s a very spacious home. So now we enter the main house. I absolutely love this thick wooden door.
Interior and Outdoor Living
Interior and Outdoor Living. And one incredible piece of information about this home is almost everything in here was made in Ghana, including the kitchen, the sofa, pretty much everything you can see in here was made in Ghana. And I mean, look at that view! That is absolutely stunning. And also this huge picture frame window, which just allows that clear view out there.
It Really Brings That Indoor-Outdoor Living
And if we just go straight outside, because I feel like we cannot ignore where we are, the architect actually has used this large seating area all around the building so that it’s a nice, casual place that you can sit. You know, it really brings that indoor-outdoor living. It gives more space to socialize outside, and they actually have had a few parties here, um, where people have come, and many people can sit on this, which is nice.
The Greenery Continues
Again, we’ve got that really, really wide overhang, which allows for great coverage of the home. And if we come around this way, we see how the lines go round all the way around the house and the greenery continues. I mean, I love these pink flowers. There’s, honestly, I don’t know how many different species of flowers. Is that even the right word, species? Who knows? There is in this whole house, but there is plenty.
The Pool Level Experience
The Pool Level Experience. So down here is the third level, and that is the U-shaped infinity pool, and that gives you that beautiful view. So the idea of the architecture is that on every level you get the view, which is just incredible. So the bedrooms, you get the view, and that’s why they’ve also stepped down the swimming pool, so that also gets the view. And then obviously at the top, you also get the view.
Beautiful Landscaping and, Like, Incredible Flowers
So let’s go down to the pool. This home has been off the market. It’s a vacation rental home, so you’ve not been able to rent it for a while. It’s just been under light refurbishment, so they’re just about to open up. So I love that from every side there is beautiful landscaping and, like, incredible flowers. I mean, have you ever seen something like this before? I mean, maybe you have, but I haven’t, and it’s very nice.
These Black Triangles That Hold Up the Seat
Let’s go down to the third level where the pool is. So here we have more bamboo planted to hide the ACs, making it accessible for maintenance, and a feature that I’m sure was thought of, which I actually love, is these black triangles that hold up the seat, which frames the building. I think that that gives it a really distinct, unique look against the white.
It’s a Totally Different Climate
And the pool is huge, honestly, and over here there is going to be pool chairs, so you can just sunbathe in the nice Ghanaian sun. One thing about Peduase, which is different from Accra, is that it’s a totally different climate. It rains almost every single day for a short time, which gives it a much cooler climate from the hot Accra.
A Really Nice Place to Come and Relax
It’s a really nice place to come and relax on the weekends, or on the weekdays if you’re able to work from home, or if you’re not working at all. I mean, how great! Just imagine coming swimming here, looking over the view. We come around here, we can see the shower for the pool, and I actually really, really like the texture of this overhang here.
You Can Have Your Drinks Out Here
It’s, I, I don’t know what about it. I just really like the fact it does have texture, and these creeping plants. Snorts. Also really delightfully cover the wall, and this is sort of pool house. You can have your drinks out here and just have a nice time. I mean, this place is so nice. Like, I’m trying to play it cool, but I absolutely, laughter, love this place.
Natural Features and Interiors
If we come over this way, we come down to the, Chapter 6: Natural Features and Interiors. Garden. What I found out is that there’s a lot of rocks under here. I mean, you can kind of feel them. So when building, that did pose a bit of a challenge, but what I love is that they’ve actually left some of the rocks. So if we come here, we can see, like, the natural rock which is under the ground. It’s like a really, really nice color.
You Cut Into the Rock
You know what would be so cool, actually, is, if I’ve seen it done, like, you cut into the rock and then you leave it as part of the actual building, like it’s one of your actual walls. That would be really cool. Anyway, that’s a complete side note. Everywhere I look, I’m thinking of ideas for the build.
This Is a Huge Area
This is a huge area. If you’ve got kids, they can be running around, and if you’re having a party here, you could set up a really nice place. I mean, this gives you, like, a beautiful view of the home. So this home is just meant to feel part of the natural landscape, which is why on top of the pool house it’s actually a green space, so it just naturally blends in with the environment.
Intentionally Minimal Indoors
So let’s head into the main house, and CeSa Design Studios intentionally designed this around the view and the landscape, so it is intentionally minimal indoors. So we have this open-plan living, kitchen area over here. I actually love these made here in Ghana, and this very nice, sleek and minimal dark gray kitchen, and also the fact that there’s so much natural light coming throughout this side.
Bedrooms and Final Walk-Through
All you’re seeing is that green, and then that way you’re seeing the view, so you really feel embedded in where we are, and there’s no shying away from that. So this is the lovely dining area over here, again to enjoy the view. Let’s go into the primary bedroom over here. So here, Chapter 7: Bedrooms and Final Walk-Through.
I Love This Solid Wood Bed as the Centerpiece of the Room
We come into the primary bedroom, which is enormous, a really, really great size, and I love this solid wood bed as the centerpiece of the room. They have intentionally kept the walls a nice neutral color so that you’re not distracted from the main event over here, and then again, we’ve got wall-to-wall glass doors throughout the whole front of the building, and again, I love these, like, wood shelves that they’ve got here.
This Bedroom Actually Has Its Own Office Space
So this bedroom actually has its own office space. So if we come in here, you’ve got an office. If you’ve got work to do, you work from home, you want to come here an extended period and do some work, perfect place for that. And then we come through to the other side over here, and this is the very spacious walk-in wardrobe.
Available to Rent on a Short-Term Basis
So if you actually want to stay here, you can, because it is available to rent on a short-term basis. And here we are now in the en suite. Honestly, great sizes, and that’s the beauty of choosing just two bedrooms, is that they can really maximize the space. And then even in the shower, sorry, come back, even in the shower we’re seeing out to the greenery here.
You Just See the View
Let’s now head through to, it’s hard to know if the doors open or closed, honestly, because you look out there and you just see the view. Let’s go through to the second bedroom over here. So this is the guest toilet for everyone, and then we come this way into the second bedroom. Perfect size, similar, if not the same, bed as over there, and you also have the view over here as well, or you can close the curtains for privacy.
This Is Like Night and Day
I mean, wow! Like, what an absolute dream. So peaceful, honestly. Compared to Accra living, this is like night and day, you know? All you hear outside is the pool, it’s just the water, maybe some birds chirping. It’s just so nice. And then we come around here into the en suite. So very good size en suite. Music.
There’s Space to Spread Out
And then it loops around into the walk-in wardrobe here, again, lots of space to hang your clothes. It’s a lot of space for a vacation home. I feel like, surely, people are coming with a few things, but do you know what? There’s space to spread out. And we loop around here back to the living room. Music.
Outro
Outro. Thanks so much for watching this video, and if you’re interested in working with CeSa Design Studio, I’ll put their information below, as well as if you want to stay here at Villa Iman, I will also put their music details below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel so that you can watch me building my own dream home and coming to more absolutely stunning homes like this. See you later. Bye.
