Built on a one-acre stud farm in Bhugaon, Pune, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, is a 1,500 square-foot home inspired by Indian heritage and equine love.
It is the second home for a family of four – a couple and their daughters – as well as their horses.
“The intention was to create something that resonates with their love for [Indian] heritage, and to fuse it with a stud farm,” says Poonam Mehta, principal designer at AMPM Designs, which lent its expertise to the interiors.
Next to the home are the stables and a covered patio, with the outdoors decorated with lush foliage. Within the vicinity, as well, is a guest house.
Though compact, the home is opulent from the outside in. Flanking the steps up a platform to the house are two white winged horse statues. Leading into the building are three large French doors, set between Roman-inspired columns. These are sandwiched between two crimson red doors to the sides, which bring interest to the façade.
Inside, on one end, is the living room, ornamented with a large mirror against an intricate wall pattern. A classic Indian handwoven rug sits on Shahabad flooring, surrounded by a thoughtfully curated, mismatched set of leather seating, vintage luggage-inspired coffee and side tables, and various objects.
“Every piece was either hand-picked from heritage furniture manufacturers or made-to-order [locally],” Mehta says.
The dining room, located at the centre, is punctuated by a grand chandelier. Although, perhaps viewed from the living room, the true focal point is the bar and wine cellar at the other end. The space features a black counter with brass inlay details, before a feature wall – or nook, rather, outfitted with fire-cut bricks and arched recesses, and in-built with wine storage. The bar’s bright orange sits in contrast to the rest of the room’s sea foam green walls and ceilings, without seeming out of place.
To the side of the bar, at the back of the house, is the kitchen – a thoughtful, yet functional low maintenance space. Next to it lies the master bedroom and the bathroom, and at the far end, behind the living area, is the children’s bedroom.
The children’s space is lighter in palette and feel. Bright beige walls surround a custom-made bed, featuring beautifully embroidered florals in the headboard and footboard. Next to it, on one wall, is a small dresser and coat stand sourced from Jaipur.
The master bedroom, equally neutral in colour – with grey and gold accents against a muted powder blue wall – is rich with mood and texture. On a wall hangs a small art piece – the room’s only pop of colour, yet one that fits right at home within the space. The en suite bathroom is a visually dramatic scene, featuring teal handmade tiles, gold fixtures and subdued lighting.
The main bathroom, meanwhile, evokes a more masculine ambience. The moody, all-black space is brought to life by plaid wallcovering, dark marble textures and gold fixtures and beetle accents.
Outside, a stone’s throw away, is an equally opulent patio. Mirroring the main house, the patio sits under a pergola, surrounded by pristine white columns, with two small cherub statues perched above.
The space lends itself to lounging, luxuriating, and family gatherings. Black and white chequered flooring ties the space together, with its curation of cane seating, consoles and various objects. Open and airy, the rest of the property – lush foliage designed by landscape architect Vikas Bhosekar – becomes its own views.
AMPM Designs has come up with a coherent motif for the main house and its outdoor and equine extensions.
Asked about the most challenging aspect of the brief, Mehta says incorporating local heritage to the design was “a tough balance”.
Her favourite parts of the home are the bar and the en suite bathroom. The family, meanwhile, loves the patio.
“They spend a lot of time in the open. They enjoy their little girls running around the open landscapes,” she says.
