My Houzz: Polynesian Vacation Villa Overlooks a Blue Lagoon
It’s not unusual to spot dolphins swimming by this waterfront house on Moorea
Having traveled extensively around the world, Pierre Crot was looking to invest in a vacation home in an idyllic locale far from his native Switzerland. “My ex-wife and I visited many places we liked, such as Thailand and Indonesia, but we couldn’t buy there” because of restrictions on property ownership by foreigners, he says.
It was during a visit to Tahiti that the couple discovered their paradise on a neighboring island. “We fell in love with Moorea right away and focused our efforts on buying a house there,” Crot says. The couple found this rare gem on the edge of a lagoon tucked away from tourists.
It was during a visit to Tahiti that the couple discovered their paradise on a neighboring island. “We fell in love with Moorea right away and focused our efforts on buying a house there,” Crot says. The couple found this rare gem on the edge of a lagoon tucked away from tourists.
The home, on an 11,840-square-foot lot, looks as if it were built directly on top of the lagoon. “The house was not in good condition and needed some serious work, but we immediately saw its potential,” says Crot, pictured. The building’s metal-framed glass wall opened to a wood deck that extended right to the ocean.
“The place was not well-maintained, and the interior needed to be redesigned,” Crot says. He works in architecture and had been designing 3D models of projects for several years, so he put his professional knowledge to good use in designing the new interior himself.
Once the plans were finalized, Crot returned to the site several times to get his hands dirty. In particular, he took part in dismantling the damaged areas of the old house and in bringing the electricity up to code.
“The hardest part was mainly to find reliable craftsmen while living [almost 10,000 miles] away. Luckily, my best friend stayed there to direct the work, and we were able to find trusted professionals in the end,” he says.
“The place was not well-maintained, and the interior needed to be redesigned,” Crot says. He works in architecture and had been designing 3D models of projects for several years, so he put his professional knowledge to good use in designing the new interior himself.
Once the plans were finalized, Crot returned to the site several times to get his hands dirty. In particular, he took part in dismantling the damaged areas of the old house and in bringing the electricity up to code.
“The hardest part was mainly to find reliable craftsmen while living [almost 10,000 miles] away. Luckily, my best friend stayed there to direct the work, and we were able to find trusted professionals in the end,” he says.
The new owners chose to keep the original turquoise color of the wood siding. It recalls the bluish shades of the lagoon and is in keeping with the home’s surroundings.
Inside, a large living room covers an area of about 860 square feet and includes two lounge areas, a dining area and a kitchen. The owners kept the stunning glass wall with its wrought-iron frame, which opens up the space on the lagoon side. Facing south, it brings in the maximum amount of light and offers a breathtaking view of the sunset.
The walls and ceiling got a new coat of white paint. The two carved pillars featuring traditional Polynesian motifs (one is shown at right) were refurbished. So was the floor, which is the same wood as the deck outside “but treated with a different varnish and laid down with different spacing,” Crot says.
The walls and ceiling got a new coat of white paint. The two carved pillars featuring traditional Polynesian motifs (one is shown at right) were refurbished. So was the floor, which is the same wood as the deck outside “but treated with a different varnish and laid down with different spacing,” Crot says.
The view of the ocean is at the core of every space. “With a deck like this, we had no choice but to orient the layout in this direction,” he says.
The furniture was chosen to echo the ocean. For example, the shape of the chairs in the dining room recalls seashells. Raw materials and many forms of wood star throughout the space. The addition of a glass top modernizes the dining table while making it easier to clean, and the pendant light matches the glass wall’s framework.
Already open to the rest of the room, the original kitchen was in a space just big enough to hold a sink, an oven and a cooktop. It was completely redesigned and reoriented toward the outside view. “We dismantled the old furniture and replaced it with this large granite counter facing the sea. It was custom-made and echoes Tahiti’s volcanic stone,” Crot says.
The floor of the kitchen area is slightly raised. “The back of the room is on a concrete slab that was poured for the house, while the front lies on the structure on stilts that supports the terrace,” he says.
The floor of the kitchen area is slightly raised. “The back of the room is on a concrete slab that was poured for the house, while the front lies on the structure on stilts that supports the terrace,” he says.
The owners did not really need a television, and they had enough space behind the kitchen for a second living area. “We took advantage of this space to place an extra bed, which doubles as a sofa.” It is made of repurposed industrial pallets painted white.
A carpenter made the stairs, which lead to a bedroom mezzanine with a panoramic window overlooking the lagoon. “We did not want a banister or [second] railing because we wanted a more contemporary look,” Crot says.
A carpenter made the stairs, which lead to a bedroom mezzanine with a panoramic window overlooking the lagoon. “We did not want a banister or [second] railing because we wanted a more contemporary look,” Crot says.
The waterfront terrace on stilts benefits from its exceptional location. It faces the entrance to the lagoon, and it is not unusual to spot dolphins and even whales swimming by. In front of the terrace, a flat shoreline offers a shallow entrance and access to deeper water for snorkeling among the marine life.
The deck, which was very damaged when Crot bought the home, was refurbished. He brought in sand to create decorative areas, such as between the sunbathing and shaded spots.
The deck, which was very damaged when Crot bought the home, was refurbished. He brought in sand to create decorative areas, such as between the sunbathing and shaded spots.
Crot added an outdoor shower for rinsing off after swimming in the ocean. It is surrounded by palm trees, some of which were pruned to keep them from being too imposing. The tiki stone statue of a Polynesian god was present on the property when Crot bought the house and found its new place here.
Besides serving as a shelter in case of rain, the roofed section of the terrace protects one of the bedrooms from the sun and heat.
The custom headboard is a blend of driftwood and aged wood. It creates an entryway at the bedroom door and incorporates bedside tables and the lamps’ electrical wiring.
The custom headboard is a blend of driftwood and aged wood. It creates an entryway at the bedroom door and incorporates bedside tables and the lamps’ electrical wiring.
The owners thought the original bathroom was too cramped, so the old shower was replaced to improve the layout. The tiles on the walls are from Spain. A carpenter built the wood vanity.
This bedroom faces the pool and was originally an independent studio. “It originally had a small bathroom, a kitchenette and a private entrance,” Crot says. It has been completely reworked into a master suite with a bathroom and dressing room. A new glass wall and clerestory window pull natural light into the once-dark room. The bleached look of the flooring makes the room even brighter.
The large headboard, made from a variety of woods, is the central feature of the space. Besides hiding the electrical wires and incorporating bedside tables, it separates the shower from the rest of the room. The vanity nearby is made with wood from a former kitchen counter, with the addition of custom cabinet doors.
The large headboard, made from a variety of woods, is the central feature of the space. Besides hiding the electrical wires and incorporating bedside tables, it separates the shower from the rest of the room. The vanity nearby is made with wood from a former kitchen counter, with the addition of custom cabinet doors.
Extending the length of the headboard, the shower has walls made of different materials. “I wanted to capture the light with imitation wood tiles in a lighter shade on one side and create a contrast with thin strips of slate on the other,” Crot says.
Browse wood-effect wall tile
Browse wood-effect wall tile
The French door in the bedroom looks out on a covered terrace with a lounging space. More pallet furniture sits alongside a regulation pool table to create a recreation area. The pieces sit directly on the raw concrete slab.
Right next to the terrace is a swimming pool. Completed last year, it takes the place of what was once the boat garage. “The lagoon is stunning, but you have to go far out to have a proper swim, so a swimming pool was more practical and less dangerous for children,” Crot says.
The pool deck and covering are made of the same wood as the terrace deck. Local stones complete the arrangement.
The pool deck and covering are made of the same wood as the terrace deck. Local stones complete the arrangement.
Buying and fixing up the house cost about $744,000 (600,000 euros), Crot says.
“There were some difficulties in realizing this project … but we also made some incredible finds,” he says. It took four years to complete the bulk of the work, though he still finds himself putting on finishing touches.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
“There were some difficulties in realizing this project … but we also made some incredible finds,” he says. It took four years to complete the bulk of the work, though he still finds himself putting on finishing touches.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Vacation House at a Glance
Who lives here: Pierre Crot
Location: Moorea, French Polynesia
Size: 2,691 square feet (250 square meters); four bedrooms, four bathrooms
That’s interesting: Crot stays at Villa Moana about twice a year and rents it for short periods through Tahiti Homes.
The research really began during Crot’s fourth visit to French Polynesia. “My ex-wife and I spent an entire week looking at a huge number of properties without finding anything we liked. It was only three days before our departure that we came across a classified ad in [local newspaper The Dispatch of Tahiti] about the sale of a house on Moorea,” he says. As soon as they set foot on the property, the couple fell in love with the place and knew they wanted to buy it.
A huge draw was that the villa is in a great location away from tourist hot spots. “It is located on a bay where only Polynesian families live, many of whom are fishermen,” Crot says.