The Story Behind The Name Of 353 Degrees North.
So many people have tried to guess the reasoning behind the name 353 Degrees North.
Most people assume it’s because of the stunning views from almost every point on the property.
Except that from the rooftop lounge area, it’s 360 degrees of incredible ocean and mountain view – no 7 degrees of view missing from there.
Take one look at the logo though and you realise it’s to do with a compass.
Jodie, the owner and as she knows a thing or two about what looks good being that she has her own design business, Jodie Cooper Design, admits she put a lot of pressure on herself to find the perfect name for the perfect villa (you may think to call it the perfect villa is subject to bias but it’s also the bias of everyone who stays there).
She was looking for a name that suited and captured the spirit of the land, something unique and strong and recognisable.
And after struggling with a name for a while, it suddenly happened.
“In December 2013 the concrete pad had just been poured, this was the first time I was able to stand in the centre of the property.
I used the compass on my phone to establish true north…and there it was 353 Degrees North”.
And so the name was found.
I’ve just recently moved to Nusa Lembongan and I walk past 353 Degrees North every day.
Without fail, every time, my mind boggles at how Jodie managed to get all the beautiful furnishings and treasures across the ocean.
Mine was a tiny move by comparison but even that required weeks of planning.
And I certainly wasn’t moving precious cargo like the antique Moroccan rugs Jodie sought out, carried around, and lugged back to Perth before bringing them to Bali.
“My rugs are definitely special as they are all from my recent Moroccan adventure with my best friend.
The rug emporiums are amazing and some are even five floors.
To be honest I wasn’t actually sure what I had purchased by the time I got home and I had intended to sell half of them.
But I couldn’t bear to part with them as they are all antiques and have fabulous Bedouin tent histories; and now that they are in the villa, I realise I never really intended to sell any of them as they look perfect”.
‘Moving house’ in Bali is interesting anyway; ‘moving house’ to Nusa Lembongan…these photos shows exactly how it’s done.
Hire a boat, pack your stuff and watch as your treasures bounce across the water in the boat to the beach landing on the other side.
Then trek everything up the hill to the villa.
As I said, the mind boggles when I visit Jodie’s villa and look at the stunning pieces and think of how they have travelled.
I asked Jodie about the lighting because each light fixture is beautiful in its own right.
“The chiaroscuro created by my bedroom lights from Morocco are like works of art at night, as are the pendants I had made to mimic the traditional fish traps.
Pendants from Bali are in all the bathrooms and create a nice calming ambience at night.”
If you have ever lived in Bali, you’ll understand when I say, you covet a good wardrobe.
So seeing the wardrobes in 353 Degrees North, I almost cried.
Huge spacious wardrobes, deep drawers, well thought out hanging space… and the design work…
“The Moroccan inspired fretwork detailing to the cabinets in the bathroom are art, I actually sketched the pattern.
But to see the craftsmanship is truly beautiful, and the ventilation this provides is perfect for the tropics.
So functionality can be aesthetically pleasing too”.
Coco Chanel famously said something to the effect of that with an outfit and accessories, always take one thing away and then you have the right look.
I asked Jodie if it was the same as decorating a villa or designing interiors.
Jodie feels it’s the same theory but in reverse!!
“Once you fill a room with everything, you rarely take anything out”.
However, Jodie does say that she is happy with how the villa presents and never wanted the rooms to be full of unusable pieces.
“There is always pressure to have everything finished, but if the room is presentable and comfortable, I think it’s worth waiting for those special pieces that will be perfect.
So, for the time being, I am happy with how the villa presents and if anything I’ll be adding collector’s pieces rather than removing anything.
So my apologies to Coco, but I guess that’s where our design practices differ”.
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