A Villa on the Black Sea Coast: A Home That Curates a Family’s Journeys

Hinton Magazine
9 hours ago
4 min read

Perched above the shimmering waters of Gelendzhik Bay, this newly completed villa on Russia’s Black Sea coast is more than a luxury residence. It is a living archive of travel, memory, and personal discovery—an elegant home shaped by a family’s lifelong passion for exploration.

Designed by Oksana Trunova in collaboration with international furniture brand Dantone Home, the project transforms a dramatic coastal site in Gelendzhik into a refined, timeless retreat overlooking the Black Sea.

Architecture in Dialogue with the Landscape

The villa’s architecture adopts a contemporary Mediterranean language: clean lines, geometric volumes, light plaster façades, and accents of natural stone. Flat roof terraces and expansive glazing dissolve the boundary between indoors and outdoors, allowing sea, sky, and sunlight to become integral design elements.

Panoramic windows frame the coastline like a series of living artworks, while sliding glass doors open the main living areas directly onto terraces and the infinity pool. The result is a home that feels embedded in its setting—responsive to both climate and history.

A Modern Interpretation of Greek Style

Inside, the designers turned to a contemporary interpretation of Greek aesthetics as a unifying thread. This approach provided a flexible framework capable of accommodating objects, textures, and influences gathered from around the world.

A restrained palette of cream, sand, and blue-grey sets a calm foundation, complemented by plaster finishes, light oak parquet, and porcelain tiles reminiscent of marble and concrete. Linen and cotton textiles soften the architecture, while travel souvenirs, books, and artworks bring personal depth.

Against this neutral backdrop, each object finds its place without disrupting the home’s visual harmony.

Four Levels, One Seamless Narrative

The villa unfolds across four levels, each dedicated to a distinct function:

Ground Floor (Public Zone): Living room, kitchen, and dining area
Lower Level (Leisure): Home cinema, gym, spa, and wine cellar
Upper Floors (Private): Master suite, son’s bedroom, and guest rooms

This vertical organization allows social, private, and wellness spaces to coexist without overlap, ensuring privacy while maintaining flow.

Living Room: Framed by Arches and Light

The living room anchors the home’s enfilade layout, where a sequence of arched openings creates visual rhythm and spatial depth. A modular Narvik sofa encourages relaxed family gatherings, while one section faces the fireplace for intimate evenings.

A curved niche integrates open shelving, echoing the architectural language of the arches. A bespoke painting by a family friend reinforces the personal narrative, and a full-height woodpile introduces a rustic counterpoint to the refined interior.

From here, glass doors lead directly to the pool terrace, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor connection.

Kitchen: A Professional Heart of the Home

Hidden behind the woodshed wall, the kitchen functions as both a professional workspace and social hub. Custom cabinetry by Dantone Kitchen surrounds a large granite-topped island, creating a stage for culinary experimentation.

Ribbed copper façades reflect warm light, while a graphic black backsplash adds contrast. Four full-height cabinets conceal appliances, and a dedicated coffee station streamlines daily routines. Practicality and elegance coexist in perfect balance.

Dining Room: A Tribute to Travel

At the centre of the dining room stands a solid elm table paired with Contempo chairs by Swiss designer David Girelli. Custom consoles perform triple duty as storage, staircase railing, and spatial divider.

A colonial-style chest inspired by Inca terraces reinforces the home’s travel narrative, transforming the dining space into both gathering point and storytelling platform.

Wellness and Retreat

Spa Zone

The private spa includes a hammam, sauna, and massage room. Smooth stone, mosaic surfaces, and soft lighting create a cocoon-like atmosphere, while warm timber elements introduce tactile comfort.

Study

The master study references English club interiors, anchored by a deep emerald bookcase filled with books collected worldwide. Vinyl equipment and colonial artefacts transform the room into a personal archive of ideas and experiences.

Bedrooms: Global Influences, Personal Comfort

Each bedroom reflects a different cultural inspiration, from American classics to colonial motifs. The son’s room stands out with panoramic glazing, graphic black-and-white accents, wave-patterned headboards, and carefully layered shelving.

Soft grey textiles and warm wood finishes balance the bold contrasts, creating a space suited to both creativity and rest.

Terraces and Outdoor Living

The villa’s terraces respond directly to climate and topography. The main level hosts an outdoor lounge and poolside seating, while upper terraces provide private alfresco spaces.

The infinity pool, encircled by timber decking, recalls the colour of tropical lagoons. Outdoor furnishings from the Tulum and Taormina collections mirror the surrounding landscape, ensuring visual continuity between architecture and nature.

Smart Living and Sustainable Systems

A central smart-home system manages lighting, climate, curtains, security, and multimedia, allowing customised modes for entertaining or extended absence. Lighting is set to a warm 2700K throughout, promoting relaxation.

Sustainability is supported by:

Heated floors
Heat-recovery ventilation
Solar thermal collectors
Automated irrigation and pool systems

These solutions ensure comfort while reducing environmental impact.

More than a luxury residence, this Black Sea villa functions as a spatial diary. Every room reflects a chapter of the family’s travels, values, and aspirations. Its neutral architectural framework allows new memories and objects to be added over time, ensuring the home evolves without losing coherence.

As designer Oksana Trunova notes, the villa is “a space for recharging, inspiration, and immersion in nature”—a place where simplicity, craftsmanship, and storytelling meet.

Project Details