Delhi Houzz: An Outhouse Teases With Its Luxury & Opulence
Exposed brick & restored wood blend seamlessly with nature in this relaxed home's two-part outhouse
Amanda Peters
28 September 2019
Houzz India Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist who loves writing about all things travel, culture and design. My favourite pieces to write are the Houzz Tours, as I love exploring real homes of all shapes and sizes.
Houzz India Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist who loves writing about all things... More
To balance out the stress that comes from being highly successful entrepreneurs, a mother and daughter-in-law duo wanted a home that felt more like a tranquil retreat away from the city. Spread across three acres, the farm came with plenty of beautiful trees, peacocks and other exotic birds. The homeowners’ requirement was that they wanted a space they could relax in and one where they could socialise.
To shape their dream, designer Monica Khanna of Monica Khanna Designs had a clear vision from the word go. “After seeing the space, it was clear that the concept needed to revolve around nature,” says Khanna. The design for this family home is planned in two parts – the main house that consists of private quarters where the family lives and a two-part outhouse which holds the socialising areas. While the outhouse has been ready and complete since 2014, work on the main house still continues.
To shape their dream, designer Monica Khanna of Monica Khanna Designs had a clear vision from the word go. “After seeing the space, it was clear that the concept needed to revolve around nature,” says Khanna. The design for this family home is planned in two parts – the main house that consists of private quarters where the family lives and a two-part outhouse which holds the socialising areas. While the outhouse has been ready and complete since 2014, work on the main house still continues.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their two-year-old son, and the in-laws
Location: Chhatarpur, New Delhi
Year built: 2014
Architectural and interior designer: Monica Khanna of Monica Khanna Designs
The outhouse is divided into two parts and covers about 4,000 square feet (371.6 square metres), not including the pool, lily pond and other additional open spaces, while the main house is an additional 15,000 square feet (1393.5 square metres).
“Conceived as an all-inclusive entertainment pad,” says Khanna, “the outhouse has everything from a pool, deck and six-seater open dining area to an informal sitting room, a separate massage room, library, meditation room, a shower-cum-steam room, a powder room and two bathrooms.”
Find an interior designer form your next home project
Who lives here: A couple with their two-year-old son, and the in-laws
Location: Chhatarpur, New Delhi
Year built: 2014
Architectural and interior designer: Monica Khanna of Monica Khanna Designs
The outhouse is divided into two parts and covers about 4,000 square feet (371.6 square metres), not including the pool, lily pond and other additional open spaces, while the main house is an additional 15,000 square feet (1393.5 square metres).
“Conceived as an all-inclusive entertainment pad,” says Khanna, “the outhouse has everything from a pool, deck and six-seater open dining area to an informal sitting room, a separate massage room, library, meditation room, a shower-cum-steam room, a powder room and two bathrooms.”
Find an interior designer form your next home project
The designer has created a getaway that follows an unconventional design. Khanna has done away with the usual solid block-like structural format and focused on the exterior views. Large windows and skylights are incorporated connecting the exteriors to the interiors – they have been positioned such that the landscape and greenery are easily viewed.
In the initial phase though, Khanna faced a big challenge and she had to rework the orientation of the structure and the pool. This happened at the time of the dig for the original pool site, when a four times larger and deeper hollow was unearthed. This created a massive additional structural cost. Many design details were then reworked based on vastu but by trying to avoid excessive expenses. “It was like sitting on the hardest jigsaw puzzle. But we kept at it, till one by one they fell into place,” says Khanna.
Read more about making your home vastu-friendly
In the initial phase though, Khanna faced a big challenge and she had to rework the orientation of the structure and the pool. This happened at the time of the dig for the original pool site, when a four times larger and deeper hollow was unearthed. This created a massive additional structural cost. Many design details were then reworked based on vastu but by trying to avoid excessive expenses. “It was like sitting on the hardest jigsaw puzzle. But we kept at it, till one by one they fell into place,” says Khanna.
Read more about making your home vastu-friendly
This dramatic deck sets the opulent and earthy tone for the rest of the house. Constructed from old, restored wood on site, it serves as the entrance to the home and extends into the living and the dining areas.
See more patio images
See more patio images
The deck leads into an uncluttered interior space, where the design details are subtle but carefully planned and create a feeling of luxury. “The materials chosen for the interiors seamlessly blend with nature,” says the designer, “but at the same time have a whisper of luxury.”
Khanna describes her style as elegant and timeless. She explains, “I don’t believe in designs that are trendy. Trends come and go but timeless designs and materials are everlasting. Hence, using sustainable materials is a great way to contribute to the environment.”
Continuing with the earthy theme, the dining is framed by an exposed brick ceiling and an antique fan with complimenting brass switches. Old pieces of Indian stone have been used for panels in this area. The look is firmed with traditional wooden chairs paired with a rough-finished table that was conceptualised by the designer on site.
Continuing with the earthy theme, the dining is framed by an exposed brick ceiling and an antique fan with complimenting brass switches. Old pieces of Indian stone have been used for panels in this area. The look is firmed with traditional wooden chairs paired with a rough-finished table that was conceptualised by the designer on site.
The informal sitting area is situated in the midst of the pool on one side, the lily pond on the other and the large Buddha water body and garden on the third side. To take advantage of its strategic location, the space is encased in glass walls. “The owner said this is her favourite room in winter to laze around all weekend long,” she says proudly.
This is the only space where Khanna brings in some colour through use of upholstered chairs and other soft furnishings in red. “We kept the interiors quiet and elegant, so the focus would go to the outdoors,” she says. “There was no need for accessories. Instead, we instead tried to highlight the interior structural details including windows, wooden flooring, lighting, ceiling and wall finishes.”
The passage near the Buddha water body leads to the second part of the outhouse which consists of the powder room, showers and toilets for the swimming pool.
Khanna points towards the roof line as the most interesting part about the home’s design. “The flat roofs effortlessly merge with the sloping ones from the inside,” she explains. “To achieve this correctly, we employed extremely skilled labour, and had to specially import the inclined roofs from France.”
Khanna points towards the roof line as the most interesting part about the home’s design. “The flat roofs effortlessly merge with the sloping ones from the inside,” she explains. “To achieve this correctly, we employed extremely skilled labour, and had to specially import the inclined roofs from France.”
Apart from the design, the materials used to construct the roofs – zinc and restored wood – give the home a subtle luxe yet tropical feeling. Insulated zinc roofs are the most sustainable option in the market today, says Khanna. In addition to creating stunning vistas from the outside, she leaves them exposed or clads them in restored wood in certain spaces.
A spa-like atmosphere is created in the foyer with a large antique, round mirror and mood lighting. This space then leads to the rest of the areas – the massage room, library, meditation and the steam room.
The massage room, reading room and one of the bathrooms overlook a shared enclosed garden. “The interesting architectural detail about these spaces is that although all the rooms look out into one single enclosed garden, no person from one space can look into the other room,” says the designer. To further ensure privacy, all the windows have been installed with motorised blinds.
Connected to the steam room and the spa, the larger bathroom has an open air concept and has beautiful views of the enclosed garden.
“The powder room functions as a guest bathroom for when the owners host outdoor parties,” says the designer. To create some drama, this space is detailed with a sloping red roof and also has an enclosed private garden.
This story was first published in May 2017 on Houzz India.
See more homes:
Houzz Tour: A Piece of Heaven in Goa
Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Getaway With an Indian Twist
Tell us:
Do you have a favourite room in this outhouse? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
This story was first published in May 2017 on Houzz India.
See more homes:
Houzz Tour: A Piece of Heaven in Goa
Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Getaway With an Indian Twist
Tell us:
Do you have a favourite room in this outhouse? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Good to see the blending of indoor and outdoor spaces with a lot of attention to integrating green spaces. I am sure the residents will have many delightful evenings in this "little" outhouse!