Houzz Tours
A Prince Gives a Tour of His 100-Year-Old Palace in UP
This home in Moradabad is dipped in royalty, enhanced with heritage furniture & surrounded by lush greenery
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Chandra Vijay Singh, his wife, and son Yuvraj Surya Vijay Singh
Location: Moradabad, UP (Uttar Pradesh)
Year built: 1913
Size: 7 guest rooms; 5 private suites
Photos by: Deepak Aggarwal
There’s something so charming about heritage properties – they have a distinctive look and every aspect of their architecture and interiors is a telling account of the design trends and the lifestyles of the distant past. One such property, Nivah, is nestled in the busy industrial city of Moradabad and is the residence of the current Raja of Sahaspur Bilari, Chandra Vijay Singh. “The house was built in 1913 by the then Raja of Sahaspur Bilari as a lodging for his personal guests whenever they visited. The architecture of the house is colonial in style, typical to the time it was built in,” says Surya Vijay Singh, Chandra Vijay Singh’s son.
Who lives here: Chandra Vijay Singh, his wife, and son Yuvraj Surya Vijay Singh
Location: Moradabad, UP (Uttar Pradesh)
Year built: 1913
Size: 7 guest rooms; 5 private suites
Photos by: Deepak Aggarwal
There’s something so charming about heritage properties – they have a distinctive look and every aspect of their architecture and interiors is a telling account of the design trends and the lifestyles of the distant past. One such property, Nivah, is nestled in the busy industrial city of Moradabad and is the residence of the current Raja of Sahaspur Bilari, Chandra Vijay Singh. “The house was built in 1913 by the then Raja of Sahaspur Bilari as a lodging for his personal guests whenever they visited. The architecture of the house is colonial in style, typical to the time it was built in,” says Surya Vijay Singh, Chandra Vijay Singh’s son.
The grand exteriors of the home set the tone for the interiors. The beautiful water feature, expansive gardens and the imposing white facade look nothing short of palatial. “When we took over the property, typical to most heritage homes, some challenges were faced while redoing it. We wanted to restore it in a manner that it stayed true to its original state. All damages were rectified appropriately by experts who deal with restoration of heritage buildings. For redoing the interiors, we sought the help of designer Adil Ahmad,” Singh says.
The grand arched entrance has intricate grille designs and stained glass work. “The interiors are enhanced with custom floor-to-ceiling wallpaper, accompanied by restored cascading chandeliers and original flooring. Our family’s private rooms are located on the first floor and the ground floor houses all public (guest) areas (dining room, living room, library, executive rooms and suites),” Singh says.
These 9 door designs give a traditional welcome
These 9 door designs give a traditional welcome
On the left of the entrance is a small lounge area with a custom wallpaper in yellow and an heirloom chandelier. “All the wallpapers around the home were especially designed for each space. They’re not off the rack or from catalogue books. Most chandeliers, on the other hand, are original, restored pieces,” Singh says.
The large living room is replete with ample seating. The white-painted wooden gallery above, which runs along three walls, opens to the private chambers of the owners. “My favourite room in the house is the drawing room. It’s large and airy with plenty of natural light pouring in. The blue of the room, with the white woodwork, lends a soothing effect to the space,” Singh says.
Check out 15 beautiful living rooms on Houzz
Check out 15 beautiful living rooms on Houzz
This corner space with sink-in style armchairs is an extension of the living room, overlooking the back garden. “The large windows allow sunshine in and help create a lively aura here,” Singh says.
The small marble water fountain, complete with low marble balustrades, serves to separate this area and is reminiscent of the water features in Mughal palaces. The rose petals bring a nice touch of complementary colour to the blue room.
The small marble water fountain, complete with low marble balustrades, serves to separate this area and is reminiscent of the water features in Mughal palaces. The rose petals bring a nice touch of complementary colour to the blue room.
This area is also an extension of the drawing room, built as a cosy, separate space. “The blue walls are adorned with our family pictures, and the space is lit up with the original, but restored, chandelier,” Singh says.
The double-height dining room is augmented with pattern-heavy walls and shimmering accessories. An old-style fan drops down from the ceiling, adding to the vintage look of the room, as do the mirror and centre table detailing, reminiscent of the early 1900s era. The area is divided into two dining spaces in an open-plan layout. “Original black-and-white checkered Italian marble flooring, along with custom wallpaper and a restored chandelier, make up the central features of this room,” Singh says.
Take a look at top 10 trending photos of dining rooms
Take a look at top 10 trending photos of dining rooms
A stark maroon ceiling further adds to the vibrance of the setting. Different corners of this room make for intriguing vignettes: this fireplace shows gold detailing and a vintage chandelier.
“For the dining room, we sourced all the furniture from Ahmad (the designer) and retained the vintage look and feel of the space,” Singh says.
The library houses floor-to-ceiling bookshelves; the space also has its old, original furniture, lamps and parquet flooring, all repolished. “The books kept here are a part of our personal collection. Friends and guests visiting can spend hours in the company of good literature,” Singh says.
Feast your eyes on these ingenious bookshelf designs
Feast your eyes on these ingenious bookshelf designs
The ground floor is lined with private rooms, each showing a different colour scheme and sleeping arrangement. “In this suite, the yellow custom wallpaper is accompanied with a handpicked chandelier by Ahmad; the carpet here belongs to our family,” says Singh. This room, furnished with a double bed, is ideal for a guest couple. A small lounge-cum-study area is a part of this space. Each room has its own ensuite bathroom.
“The second suite, with a double bed, has a custom wallpaper showing three different shades of green and a touch of navy blue,” Singh says. Just like all the other rooms, this space also has an extended study-cum-lounge area.
Yellow printed wallpaper accentuates the twin beds and the chandelier in this room. “This room is furnished with terrazzo flooring, and a large Pichhwai from our own art collection is placed on the wall behind the beds,” Singh says.
“This bedroom, too, is accessorised with our old family paintings and photographs and a royal wooden bed,” Singh says. Light-blue wall paint helps conjure up a relaxed setting.
This is why you should embrace blue in your bedroom
This is why you should embrace blue in your bedroom
In contrast to the bedrooms and public spaces, the bathrooms are anything but traditional. These are furnished with modern shower cubicles and the latest custom fittings.
“The exteriors of the home take you back in time, and remind you of the old-style mahals, with the stone flooring, arches, plenty of greenery and decorative jali doors,” Singh says.
Different areas of the home are connected with the outdoors, allowing plenty of light to flood in during the day. Just beyond this space are a water-lily pond and intimate little sitting spots and pergolas.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: 350-Year-Old Home Gets a New Lease of Life
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: 350-Year-Old Home Gets a New Lease of Life
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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