Houzz Tours
Delhi Houzz: Stone, Wood & a Simple Life Shine in This Earthy Bungalow
Endless lush vistas, outward looking spaces and an earthy materiality infuse this farmhouse with comfort and endless charm
“The clients, our very old dear friends, approached us with a simple brief – they wanted a weekend retreat which could become their permanent home in later years. A home that had enough spaces for entertainment, with endless outdoor views and corners for privacy, ideal for multi-generational living,” say Mallika Kumar and Narayan Moorthy of Kumar Moorthy & Associates.
This central entrance foyer (at the intersection of two spinal corridors) overlooks the garden and also connects the living, dining and den areas. “The glazed sliding interior doors enable visual continuity between all spaces during large gatherings,” says Kumar.
Check out these inviting foyers from Indian homes
Check out these inviting foyers from Indian homes
The living room is an expansive, earthy space, enhanced with polished concrete flooring and a muted brown-and-cream palette. “This is a nearly transparent, independent pavilion-like structure with glazed windows that open up to views of the exteriors. We tried to make the space dramatic with a soaring wood ceiling that descends to meet the ground plane on the garden side,” Moorthy says. All the furniture of the home was purchased online.
Flooring: Keramos and Nitco
Flooring: Keramos and Nitco
The living room looks out to the large garden and a long corridor-style verandah. “The exteriors are in rough Delhi quartzite stone and plaster. The roofs are in Kalzip standing seam aluminium insulated roofing overlaid with stone-coated metal shingles,” says Moorthy.
The dining room is a cosy private space, where the wooden beams and furniture, and the neutral flooring, keep the vibe calm and composed. “The room has full-height solid-wood doors that slide into the sleeves for complete concealment, opening it up to the living room, foyer and gardens beyond,” Kumar says.
Take a look at these sliding door designs
Take a look at these sliding door designs
The den-cum-bar area is designed as a separate space for entertainment, enhanced with a print-shop waste tile flooring. “The sparse and relatively simple polished wood furniture was selected by the owners and the spaces are enhanced by the couple’s collection of art,” says Kumar.
The den area overlooks the south side of the garden and a large swimming pool.
Browse through these spectacular pools from around the world
Browse through these spectacular pools from around the world
“The kitchen, along with the pantry, scullery, store room, utility space, staff quarters and toilets, is located at the back of the house. These spaces open out onto an enclosed service courtyard for spillover of domestic activities,” says Moorthy.
The master bedroom looks outwards through a verandah that leads to the garden and the swimming pool, and through the bathroom to a private enclosed courtyard that offers privacy amidst greenery.
The first floor of the home carries forward the rustic charm of the home with an atrium that showcases a rough brick wall and a sandy central floor section. “The house is enlivened by the strategic placement of the client’s large collection of Indian and Southeast Asian antiques in wood, stone and metal,” says Moorthy.
See how these atriums inspire calm, breezy living
See how these atriums inspire calm, breezy living
The ground and first floors can be approached via these private entries, too, located behind the house.
“Just outside the main house and at the culmination of the longer spinal corridor to the private rooms of the house is a freestanding temple. This is the pride and joy of the lady of the house – the structure features antique wood columns and ceiling, an ornate antique stone doorway and a statue of Nandi, all creating a calm haven of repose, away from the bustle of the house,” says Kumar.
Another standalone structure within the home’s compound and off the front driveway is the client’s office pavilion. “The office, along with all the other areas in the house, has expansive views of gardens and an attached sit-out space,” says Moorthy.
Read more:
Ahmedabad Houzz: Bespoke Interiors Celebrate Contemporary Indian Design
Tell us:
What did you like most about this house? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Ahmedabad Houzz: Bespoke Interiors Celebrate Contemporary Indian Design
Tell us:
What did you like most about this house? Tell us in Comments below.
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Who lives here: A couple, two children and grandparents (the house is currently used for entertaining close friends and family over weekends and occasionally for large parties)
Location: New Delhi
Year built: 2017
Size: 1021 square metres (11,000 square feet); 7 bedrooms; 7 bathrooms
Architect: Mallika Kumar and Narayan Moorthy of Kumar Moorthy& Associates
Structural consultant: A.K.B. Consultants
Landscape architect: Nikhil Dhar of Artemesia
Photos by Gaganjit Singh
The entrance to the farmhouse is marked by a lily pond. A large pivoted single-leaf solid-wood door opens to reveal the interiors that are enhanced with long corridors, and large windows and doors that open out to the garden beyond.
“Materials like stone, wood, earthy paint hues and concrete floors, all fulfill the clients’ requirement for a simple, unassuming home. All the materials used will age naturally and require minimal upkeep. The overall architecture is simple, and it underlines the rusticity of the home’s design,” Moorthy says.