Goan real estate company, Mayaland Homes, completed its first restoration project in Bastora- a 100- year, Goan- Portuguese villa. The company said that, it retained the beautiful, strong structure of the house while opening out spaces to allow the home to become more functional and relevant. Also retained is a well on the property, one of the oldest in the area handcrafted entirely by laterite stone and also one of the deepest, at around 84 feet.

Paul Dass, CEO, Mayaland Homes, said that, the company's projects so far, have all been contemporary constructions. "Now we are dipping experienced fingers into our first restoration project in Bastora that not only conserves local architecture but also saves a piece of history," said Dass.

"I'm a firm believer that architectural culture and history offers so much more than a pretty home. It's a step into the past, a connection with ancestors, the telling of a time long forgotten. This is our first restored Goan-Portuguese home and I am happy to have been able to freeze some of the stories that these walls offer us in time," he said.

The restored Bastora house has a impressive entry with a curved stairway- peculiar to old Goan homes- leading to an expansive outdoor balcão with comfortable seating and a swing that invites residents to while away their mornings with a cup of coffee and the news. The large foyer has natural clay printed flooring, an antique console table with a mirror and an antique hat and coat stand.