Design & Interiors

All of our Soneva Private Residences in the Maldives are inspired by nature and built to accentuate the beauty of their idyllic island locations. Explore our sustainable design philosophy and the craftsmanship and materials we use for our interior design.

Design in Harmony with Nature

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Soneva, and our Private Residences are no exception. We are committed to creating an elegant, luxurious aesthetic while treading lightly on our planet.

All of our villas and their interiors are crafted from sustainable, ethically-sourced materials. We never use rainforest hardwoods, instead using fast-growing, ultra-sustainable and durable bamboo or plantation-grown wood. True to our ‘Waste to Wealth’ ethos, we re-use and recycle materials wherever we can, whether transforming driftwood into sculptures and statement lighting, using reclaimed telegraph poles for construction, or turning waste metals and glass into eye-catching design details

Eva’s Favourite Design Features

Our Creative Director and Conscience, Eva Malmström Shivdasani oversees every aspect of our design and interiors at Soneva, and her inimitable aesthetic and focus on earth-friendly design solutions can be seen across our private residences. Here are a selection of her best-loved design details.

Locally Made, Universally Loved

Every element of our interior design is completely unique to Soneva, overseen by Eva Malmström Shivdasani, our Co-Founder and Creative Director. We strive to employ local talent at Soneva, and our talented team of in-house carpenters and craftspeople create around 99 percent of the furnishings, fittings and décor at our villas. The rest is sourced from skilled artisans in countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, or curated by Eva during her travels.

Q&A with Eva Malmström Shivdasani, Creative Director and Conscience of Soneva

Materials Matter

All materials used at our resorts and private residences adhere to our strict, environmentally friendly and socially responsible standards. Our villas are constructed using wood from sustainable plantations that we visit to see their processes first-hand. Our hand-woven interiors fabrics are sourced from a women’s cooperative in Sri Lanka that helps rural women find work. And reclaimed materials, such as waste metal, plastics and glass, are recycled into works of art and functional items in our Makers’ Place and Soneva Art & Glass studio.

Beauty from Waste

Used glass bottles are melted in the Soneva Art & Glass furnace and transformed into beautiful works of art and unique glassware for our villas.

A Second Life

Discarded aluminium cans are washed and upcycled into useful items for our villas, from door hooks to drawer handles.

Craftmanship

Furnishings and fittings are crafted on-site by Soneva’s team of skilled artisans, or sustainably sourced from ethical suppliers around the world.

Jungle Vines

Vines are abundant in our island jungles – once dried, their beautiful curves and bends can be used for furniture, feature walls and lighting.

Colourful Fragments

Chips of glass are sorted by colour at the Soneva Art & Glass studio. These fragments will find a second life as glasswares and decorative pieces.

A large pile of brown coconuts, some with dried leaves and yellow leaves scattered among them, reminiscent of a scene from a Maldives foundation initiative. The coconuts are in various stages of ripeness and have a rough, textured appearance, capturing the natural, rustic look.

Nature’s Bounty

Coconuts are used extensively across our projects – from the wood and leafy fronds from coconut trees, to the versatile fibre from coconut husks.

Playful Details

Even our chess sets, a feature in every villa, are hewn from reclaimed woods from our surrounding jungle.

Totally Unique

Every item in our villas is bespoke, even down to the crockery, carefully chosen by Eva for its natural aesthetic.

Meet Our Visionary Founders

Creative Director and Conscience

Eva Malmström Shivdasani

Passionate about the environment and sustainability, Eva has the challenging role of creating and overseeing all of Soneva’s interior designs. Her philosophy marries absolute luxury with an unwavering commitment to using local and sustainable materials, resources and skills.

CEO and Guardian of the Culture

Sonu Shivdasani

Since the launch of Soneva Fushi in 1995, Sonu has pioneered greater environmental accountability within the hospitality sector and beyond. He believes strongly that companies must play their part in addressing the problems of the 21st century.