A traditional Indian home with a colourful twist

Lindsay Whitney Lindsay Whitney
Weekend Home, Ashleys Ashleys Country style house
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The Ashley Architects of Mumbai specialise in constructing houses that take full advantage of the balmy sweet Indian climate by attending to the outdoor areas of their houses as much as they do the inside. 

The Weekend Home project highlighted in today's article exemplifies the Ashley Architects' desire to create an opulent home, away from the hustle of Mumbai, outfitted for relaxation inside and out. The first photo is of an original garden swing, showing perfectly how this house is committed to palatial leisure. Let's step inside…

The handcrafted garden swing

This stand-alone swing is set just off one of the living areas, tucked away from the larger outdoor seating areas, making a romantic little hideaway nook. 

The swing itself has been built using top-notch hard woods sourced from local forests around the state of Maharashta; the swing's design is quintessentially Indian, finding its inspiration from traditionally Hindi wood carving patterns.

A cool living room and courtyard

The courtyard at the centre of this house is positively lush--bright purple stucco walls bounce off of flourishing green grass and planted palms, all visible from the comfort of the large and open living room, which has been decked out with deck-style sofas, armchairs and chaise lounges.

The water well-sink

In the downstairs guest bathroom the bathroom has been kept simple: white stucco walls adorned with a simple mirror in a rectangular rosewood frame, a small corner shelf and an enormous, hollow stone barrel for a sink, mimicking a water well found in the gardens of old. 

Outdoor leisure

Any house in a place with a warm climate most of the year should have outdoor chill areas. So here we see two of the four outdoor leisure spaces that the Ashley architects have organised. 

Further afield is a gazebo on its own, complete with thatched roof, littered with bright green, stylish recreation cushions. At the forefront, just off the house, the cosy patio has a giant, circular day bed beset by cheerful pillows, two stumps and a cosy throw rug. 

Sunny staircase

This staircase has been deftly executed for several reasons: firstly, it hugs a wall of windows, making it full of sunlight. 

Secondly, it has been constructed of smooth stone with a rosewood bannister, so it is sophisticated in an organic way. Thirdly, since it has been tucked at the back wall of the house, space has been saved.

Master suite

This house has four bedrooms in total but this master suite is the one to showcase because of its gorgeous mahogany, four poster columns that have been hand carved into spiral tips—allied with the high, well-lit, A-frame ceiling, this room is absolutely oozes cool grandeur. This house is quite the watering hole for relaxation!

Which outdoor furniture item is your favourite? Tell us in the comment section!

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