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This Is Epic

A curation of our design ideas and inspirations for houses in Goa, contemporary art and architecture.

 

 

 

 

Posts tagged interior design
In the Spotlight ~ Rio Lamp by Harshita Jhamtani

We love designs that at once marry form and function and do so with panache. As we design our houses in Goa, we are constantly on the lookout for products that elevate a spatial experience through colour, texture, and shape - all without compromising on functional capabilities. The Rio lamp by designer Harshita Jhamtani delivers all this and more.

The Rio shines in different natural stone finishes ranging from White Travertine, Bheslana stone, Green Forest Marble, and Sandstone, among others. In each case, the designer says, “All the lamps are carved out of a single block and have a fluting detail complimenting the properties of each stone.” The diverse options available ensure that there’s a Rio that works for every design style and every kind of space.

Furthermore, the Rio is built to last. In interpreting sustainability, Harshita Jhamtani qualifies, “As a studio, we believe that the most sustainable practice for a designer to adapt, is to create products that their patrons can buy once and cherish for a longtime. We bring this very dream to life by creating long-lasting unique pieces that shall take a small step towards accelerating the low carbon economy.

Images courtesy Harshita Jhamtani designs


The Rio lamp is minimal, yet artful and robust with its material sensibilities. It is a beautiful way of bringing the elements of the outdoors, indoors. It is timeless in its rustic simplicity.

 
 
Looking back at Navovado

Celebrating Navovado, our design-build vacation house in the Goan countryside through a gallery of photographs of the courtyard house. Earlier this year, Navovado won the prestigious Platinum Certification from the Indian Green Building Council. Navovado harvests all of its roof rainwater and recharges the water well on site. The use of low-flow water fixtures further improves water efficiency. Focus on use of insulation on the roof, double-glazed glass, low­energy use appliances, LED lighting and 100% hot water from Solar power makes this home extremely energy efficient. The structure is constructed using locally manufactured materials and materials with a high recycled content such as Laterite stone, Matti wood, Fly-ash brick and Slag cement. The garden is planted using native local species to reduce water use for ir­rigation. Finally, large openings allow for maximum daylighting and cross-ventilation, reducing the energy use for lighting and cooling.

The heart of the home lies in the large central courtyard that is an extension of the kitchen, living and dining space. The courtyard houses the swimming pool and provides a green private space to be enjoyed by all the residents of the house. The courtyard morphs in its use depending on the time of day and occasion. The guest bedrooms on the ground floor are designed as pavilions on either side of the courtyard, while the first-floor bedrooms have a large terrace overlooking the courtyard that connects the two levels.

Find Navovado featured in detail on our Instagram page here.

 
 
The Charms of South Goa - Part II
 
House in Goa

Unlike the other colonial powers in India, the Portuguese managed to leave a much more visible mark on the residential architecture of the area they ruled. The British and the French left their mark on the architecture of huge buildings such as assemblies and railway stations which have since become landmarks of the period.

The Portuguese in Goa built residential houses reflecting a style which is hardly found elsewhere on the Indian subcontinent. These magnificent palatial houses inspired by European architectural style are still found in Goa today, although they are confined to the rural areas such as Chandrapura, Chandor and Loutolim. These mansions were built in an era when the Portuguese had handsome profits from their trading colonies in Africa and South America.

This blogpost looks at some of the old heritage houses of South Goa which were inspired by European architectural styles and stand tall even today.


Braganza House

The Braganza House is 350 years old and occupies one entire side of the village square in Chandor. This elaborate mansion is spread over 10,000 sqm and is divided into two wings that are occupied by the Braganza family. The palatial house has a stunning ballroom, massive Belgian crystal chandeliers, exquisite antiques collected over centuries and the oldest private library in Goa with over 5000 books.

 

Palacio do Deao

Palacio do Deao, a 213 years old mansion, was built by a Portuguese noble man, who was the Dean of the Church, and founder of Quepem town. The house faces the Church he built and is on the banks of the wildly beautiful Kushavati River. Here’s a video about the lovely house.

 

Figueirido House

The magnificent Figueirido House in Loutolim took shape as early as 1590, at a time when the Taj Mahal was yet to be conceived. The Figueiredo family had a prominent presence in Goa as lawyers, diplomats and ambassadors. Today, the family has converted part of this palatial home into a historic museum with yet another section opened out as a breathtaking heritage homestay for visitors. Take a virtual tour through this palatial estate here.

 

Casa Araujo Alvares

This 250-year-old mansion belongs to the Alvares family and forms part of the Ancestral Goa tourist complex, set up to recreate Goan village life under Portuguese rule. The house has a spacious courtyard, a quaint chapel at its centre, old European furniture like most of its contemporaries and eclectic seashell windows that bring the beach inside.

 
 

To know more about the hidden gems of South Goa, read The Charms of South Goa - Part I



DESIGNING A HOUSE IN GOA: SERIES PART 9 : LOCAL MATERIALS & MONOCHROME INTERIOR FINISHES
 
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The earth in Goa is a distinct red color due to a higher iron content hence the laterite stone which is local to Goa has the same red hue and a beautiful porous texture. We tend to feature exposed laterite stone walls often in our buildings and landscaping. We also use red terracotta roof tiles on our building roofs. We find that this allows our buildings to merge into the landscape.

 
 
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RED TERRACOTTA ROOF TILES

In our building interiors, as a thumb-rule we tend to use a single floor finish throughout the house. Our preference has been in the use of natural stone and we tend to use locally available stones such as Kudupah, Kota, Tandoor and Jaisalmer. We often use the same stone in the interior and exterior of the rooms, sometimes varying the texture and finish of the indoor and outdoor stone for a subtle difference that can mostly only be felt under one’s bare feet.

In the building interiors, we also have a great preference for the use of cement finish or IPS. For us, this finish works very well with our desire for an earthy look and feel. An IPS finish feels smooth and cool to one’s touch and its natural weathering, slight patchiness and cracks mimics the imperfections found in nature.

(ABOVE) INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NAVOVADOWe used mirror polished Kota stone in the interior and the verandah in the central courtyard at Navovado. I really like the way the same flooring flows in and out. This accentuates the connection of the ind…

(ABOVE) INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NAVOVADO

We used mirror polished Kota stone in the interior and the verandah in the central courtyard at Navovado. I really like the way the same flooring flows in and out. This accentuates the connection of the indoor-outdoor. I also feel that the faded green color of Kota stone works very well with the green landscape outside. The flow if very pleasing to the eye and not jarring with unnecessary boundaries. We took the Kota in a rough texture on top of the swimming pool edge to once again tie all the elements together into one unified composition. This goes back to our design philosophy, where we feel that the central focus in our houses in Goa must be on the connection with the landscape.

(LEFT) IPS FINISH IN PROGRESS AT THE HOUSE WITH THREE PAVILIONS

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EXPOSED LATERITE WALLS

INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NIVIMWe used mirror polished Kudupah in the interiors and a rough Kudupah in the verandahs.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NIVIM

We used mirror polished Kudupah in the interiors and a rough Kudupah in the verandahs.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NAVOVADOWe used mirror-polished Jaisalmer stone and a similar color vitrified tile on the terrace. The connection was further highlighted by using Jaisalmer again in the exterior skirting.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOORING AT NAVOVADO

We used mirror-polished Jaisalmer stone and a similar color vitrified tile on the terrace. The connection was further highlighted by using Jaisalmer again in the exterior skirting.

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Designing a house in Goa: Series part 4 : Loo With A View
Bathroom at Neemrana Fort Palace. Photography by Anjali Mangalgiri.

Bathroom at Neemrana Fort Palace. Photography by Anjali Mangalgiri.

The first picture is of the famous ‘Loo With a view' at the Neemrana Fort Palace. Some 25 years back, I had interned with an architect on a design job at the Neemrana Fort Palace. Along with the gorgeousness of the palace hotel, the super attention to every detail in design, construction and finishes, the 'loo with the view' left a deep impression on my mind. It illustrates the fun in architecture and represents the luxury of living away from the swarming crowds and making everyday moments grander, exciting, liberating and inspiring. The second and third picture is from Navovado and the fourth is the view from the bathroom at our ongoing project House with Three Pavilions.

 
The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

 
 
A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

An ongoing project in House with Three Pavilions. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

An ongoing project in House with Three Pavilions. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

 

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Designing a House in Goa :Series Part 3: Bathrooms as Sanctuary Space
Bathroom at Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Bathroom at Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Bathrooms are such a neglected subject in the design-build process. To view this space as a sanctuary, a place to retreat to after the chaos of the workday has passed, that has been the inspiration behind designing the bathrooms in all our projects. The above image is a bathroom from Nivim with sunlight pouring in.

A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A guest bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A guest bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

 

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Design Talk Podcast with Priscille: Reconnecting Architecture with Nature

What does it mean to incorporate nature within our built-in environment? What does it mean to reconnect architecture with nature? What are the benefits and how does it impact our lives? 
Tune in today to hear Founder and Principal Architect, Anjali Mangalgiri at Grounded, an award-winning architecture and development firm based in India and Singapore talk about the power of reconnecting architecture and nature.

 

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Kelly Wearstler

Highlighting this beauty today…

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We all seem to know of Kelly Wearstler, thanks to her Interior Design Masterclass. She is a heavyweight in the interior design world. I love this particular series, it fits perfectly with my aesthetic of highlighting natural materials in interiors. Beautifully crafted, raw with the grains in wood taking center stage. This one is makes wonderful eye-candy!

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