On Turkey’s Aegean coast, Mediterranean design takes a distinctly artistic turn. Set within the Caja by Maxx Royal development in Hebil Bay, Bodrum, this five-bedroom private villa has been conceived not simply as a luxury holiday home, but as a place where contemporary art and everyday life can coexist.
Designed by Turkish interior designer Noyan Berkman for a prominent art collector, the 500-square-metre residence takes a considered approach to coastal living. Rather than leaning into the expected vocabulary of seaside luxury, the interiors provide a calm architectural framework for a significant collection of contemporary art, while expansive glazing and generous outdoor spaces keep the atmosphere relaxed.
A Home Designed Around Art
The starting point for the project was the homeowner’s desire to make art part of daily life. As Berkman explains: “The project was inspired by the idea of living with art rather than simply displaying it.”
That principle informs almost every aspect of the villa. Instead of treating artworks as additions to finished rooms, the design allows them to influence the composition of each space. Furniture, lighting, materials and architectural lines have been carefully considered to create moments where individual works can command attention.
The backdrop is intentionally restrained. “To support this vision, we developed a restrained tone-on-tone palette of soft neutrals, pale textures and muted grays that would act as a quiet backdrop for the artworks,” Berkman says.
This sense of calm prevents the home from becoming overly gallery-like. The intention is not a museum transplanted into a villa, but a comfortable home in which art happens to be part of the everyday experience.
Mediterranean Living, Reimagined
The architecture is equally important to the sense of ease. The villa’s layout balances communal spaces with more private rooms, creating a natural progression between gathering, retreat and outdoor living.
“Large openings and seamless indoor-outdoor connections reinforce the relaxed atmosphere of the home and its relationship to the Mediterranean landscape,” Berkman says.
Garden views and expansive glazing draw the surrounding landscape into the interiors, while the generous entertaining areas make the villa well suited to long summer days. Outside, a swimming pool, garden and lounge areas extend the living spaces into the landscape, reinforcing the effortless rhythm expected of a Turkish Riviera retreat.
A Neutral Palette With Playful Colour
Although neutral tones dominate, the interiors are far from austere. Carefully chosen flashes of purple, pink, lime and electric blue introduce the energy of Bodrum’s seaside setting.
“We introduced carefully selected accents of purple, pink, lime and electric blue through furniture, lighting and accessories,” Berkman reveals. These brighter moments create contrast while adding personality and a subtle sense of summer.
The result is a palette that allows the artwork to remain central while ensuring the rooms still feel inviting and lived in. European craftsmanship adds another layer, with contemporary furniture, artisanal pieces and collectible objects sourced from leading European brands.
The Livable Gallery
Furniture becomes part of the artistic dialogue. A B&B Italia Edamame sofa, Gallotti & Radice glass coffee tables and pieces by Imperfetto Lab are joined by lighting from Vitra, Marset, Artemide and Bomma. Moroso, Gervasoni and Zieta Studio feature in the more private spaces, alongside tactile Pierre Frey textiles.
Against this carefully curated setting are works by artists including Mehmet Ali Uysal, Marc Quinn and Ekrem Yalçındağ.
Yet the most successful aspect of the villa is perhaps its refusal to become overly precious. “Despite housing an important contemporary art collection, the villa was designed to feel comfortable and inviting rather than formal,” says Berkman.
In this Bodrum home, high-concept design is softened by colour, natural light, garden views and the rhythms of everyday life. The result is a Mediterranean holiday home that treats art not as something to admire from a distance, but as something to live alongside.
Credits
Interior design: Noyan Berkman, Instagram: @noyanberkmaninteriors
Photos: Fevzi Ondu, Instagram: @fevziondu
Production: Karine Monié, Instagram: @karinemonie
