Doornberg

Elegant, discreet, curatorial and historical, Doornberg, a private-hire house of four over-sized rooms on the island of Sri Lanka, stands beautifully sentinel on Richmond Hill overlooking the Indian Ocean and the UNESCO-heritage Galle Fort, set within an acre of private tropical gardens and manicured landscaping. 

Built in 1712 by a retired Dutch Admiral, Doornberg has notched up a couple of storied centuries, and whilst the legacy of its elegant colonial architecture of perfect symmetry remained a constant, there were the inevitable chapters of adaption and reincarnations. Today, the house has come full circle: preserved, re-loved and restored to its authentic architectural bones thanks to the present owner and custodian, Australian-born Peter Harris –a fittingly kindred modern-day explorer who, by happenstance, was already familiar with the house. Peter's palpable creativity is felt; he is an alchemist of detail, design, art, and architecture, and as such, Doornberg's interiors speak the language of age and modernism.

Love, 23,000 Tiles, Termites and Serendipity

Fortuitously, Peter Harris set about his first trip to Sri Lanka in 2004 from his home base in Hong Kong; he had been inspired by a gifted set of diaries of an artist. He stayed at a guesthouse, the then-called Dutch House (aka Doornberg) and was immediately enamoured by the house's form, originality, deep verandahs, sea views and setting - it was a calming sanctuary that he consequently revisited, serving as the perfect antidote to the buzz of Hong Kong. The love story had begun, and after a spell of absence, Peter heard the news in 2021 that the house was up for sale; he instinctively jumped at the chance, termites and all.

The house had fallen into neglect, patiently waiting for the right person to nourish the architecture, restore the elegance and, importantly, return the house and grounds to their former grace and provenance; it was a stroke of serendipity for both Doornberg and Peter. Salvaging, repurposing and ethical management ensure the house is preserved for the coming centuries whilst delightfully hanging firmly on to its 18th-century roots.

Previous major restoration works had been overseen by Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte, who worked alongside prolific and renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. Hence, the structure was at least sound and true to its heritage. Peter wanted to go one step further, so he engaged with UNESCO historical architects and local craftspeople; he dug deep into the history of Doornberg, Sri Lanka, and captured the original intents and dreams of a retired Admiral. He pieced together the historical tapestry whilst adding a hidden network of behind-the-scenes technologies. The standing Palladio columns held the house structurally sound, but new occupants, termites, had infested door frames and windows, roof beams had rotted, and terracotta roof tiles were beyond repair. As anyone who has taken on such a task will surely testify, love and tenacity are prerequisites. 

The termites were the first battle. Roofs were stripped, beams replaced, and 23,000 terracotta tiles were sourced from an old Dutch church north of Negombo. Inlaid copper pipes replaced plastic casings on the exterior walls, and door frames and windows were painstakingly removed, sanded, stained and refitted. 

Ole Wanscher & Co.

Doornberg is the canvas for Peter's consummate collection, which orchestrates the interiors with a sense of residency and creatively flirts with colonial antiques, Sri Lankan crafts, impressionist artworks and a gallery of furniture icons, including Carl Hansen & Søn. A sweet melange of mid-century Danish pieces marries an aged tropical ambience with a hint of colonial past. 

There are four generous bedroom suites, equipped as one might expect with a remit of a luxury hotel – high thread-count monogrammed linens, cast iron bathtubs and restored Dutch bed frames. Each suite has private chambers for reading, relaxing or perhaps writing your memoir, and all have direct garden access. 

Skirting the views of the Indian Ocean and lawns, the library is a particular highlight stacked with pages of culture, architecture, design and history. Other cultural touchpoints include the house's absorbing art collection, personally sourced by Harris over the years in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Colombo and Australia, where he was brought up. The austerity, formality and large room formats lend the house well to the eclectic display of his art and sculpture, and Harris is clearly a man with bold, confident and artistic taste. The hushed gallery-like living areas and rooms make perfect hanging spaces, and its curation has been artfully juxtaposed. 

Sri Lanka’s rich cultural diversity is represented by intricate canvases by Hema Shironi, one of which, a commissioned eight-footwork that takes up the entrance hall, using embroidery and threads to address history, religion and mythology. Colourful simplicity is placed in the library with works by Chandaguptha Thenuwara. Australian artist Marissa Purcell’s acrylic wash and Michael Cusack’s trio of canvases sit confidently in a living space alongside Shanghai-based artist Shi Yong.

The weight of Harris' art collection is supported by the house's lofty space and also the tasteful placement of Danish furniture and sculptural light fixings.

A Rose Apple Tree, Mangoes and a nod from Hong Kong

Another restoration triumph for Peter is his meticulous attention to landscaping and the formal structure that wraps Doornberg. Fortune was once again his ally, as the former gardener of 30 years back, Nandasena, crossed paths. With a brutal hand, they tamed back the overgrown jungle, repopulated the grounds with indigenous flora and reclaimed ten feet of lawn from the property's perimeter. A visual delight of harmonious design, Doornberg's frontage is demarcated by the grandeur of four Palladio columns and a deep-set verandah wrapping the house, flowing onto a verdant lawn dotted with palms and banyans. A hideaway pool is found within the lower levels of the garden, fringed by a mango tree and flourishing jungle.

The large rose apple tree central to the courtyard, that had fallen to disease, was rescued, and a programme of local planting commenced, with the exception of two bauhinia trees - the flower of Hong Kong – which would serve as a reminder of the wonderful decades Harris had spent there. 

On the Fringes of Galle

Doornberg is fortunate enough to preside over one of Sri Lanka's most cultural cities, a melting pot of architecture and a UNESCO-preserved fort. Against a gorgeous heritage backdrop and a time capsule of history that goes as far back as the Portuguese with the 16th-century Zwart Bastion, 17th-century Dutch builds and churches and the British lighthouse, it's actually its modern-day pleasures that draw you in. Artisan shops, cafes to linger in, colonial villas to take lunch, rooftop cocktail bars, and the fort's ramparts make Galle loveable.

Doornberg is more than a vacation villa; it is an elegant abode in which to reside with family and friends or egoistically solo to enjoy the beauty of a private house estate clasped in greenery on a hillside overlooking the ocean.