Maria
Goretti
and
Arshad
Warsi
have
beautifully
restored
a
150-year-old
Portuguese
home
in
the
sleepy
village
of
Saligao,
Goa,
and
its
unique
interiors
truly
transport
you
to
another
world.
The
couple
opens
their
doors
for
the
eighth
season
of
Asian
Paints’
Where
The
Heart
Is.
Welcome
to
Casa
Zen!
Maria
and
Arshad’s
Goa
home
has
vibrant
hues
and
colours,
and
packs
in
a
lot
of
heritage
and
style.
It
also
has
a
beautiful
swimming
pool,
that
can
be
glimpsed
above.
The
couple
restored
the
house
in
2021,
and
is
among
the
three
homes
that
they
built
together
‘from
scratch’.
The
house
has
high
ceilings
and
airy
rooms,
quite
a
contrast
from
many
Mumbai
homes.
As
an
avid
artist,
Arshad
finds
solace
in
painting,
drawing
inspiration
from
the
serene
surroundings
of
his
Goa
retreat.
‘Sometimes,
I
just
put
colours
together,
layer
prints
on
prints,
and
put
various
elements
together
—
and
I
think
it
works.
Sometimes
less
is
more,
and
sometimes
more
is
less,’
Maria
says,
explaining
how
she
designed
the
home.
A
sign
at
the
entrance
reads
‘Peace
to
all
who
enter
here’.
The
dining
room,
adorned
with
Asian
Paints
forest-themed
wallpaper
from
the
Nilaya
range,
complements
the
intricately
carved
wooden
chairs
painted
in
shades
of
green.
Details
like
Portuguese
coins,
3D
fish
sculptures
and
Christmas
tree
décor
are
tucked
into
unexpected
corners,
transforming
their
home
into
a
treasure
trove
of
hidden
gems.
‘A
lot
of
the
corners
in
this
house
don’t
meet
perfectly,
but
that’s
what’s
so
beautiful
about
it
—
it’s
not
perfect,’
Maria
says.
There
is
lush
greenery
surrounding
the
house.
‘Every
time
you
visit
a
new
place,
you
pick
up
something
and
put
it
in
your
house.
Your
house
becomes
a
big
album
of
your
life
—
so
making
a
home
never
really
ends,
and
that’s
the
beauty
of
it,’
Arshad
says.
