Vacation Villa
On a plot of land in Himmatnagar, Gujarat, is a pied-à-terre that melds into its surroundings. To the front of the house, as well as on different levels within it, lives dense vegetation that inhabits the spaces in as equal a spirit as its human counterparts—a family of four—who, not a few years ago, decided they needed a nature-cloaked hideaway that would provide reprieve from city life. Soon after, they tapped Ashish Patel, Nikhil Patel, Vasudev Sheta, and Nilesh Damania of ACE Associates, to conjure up their dream weekend villa in Gujarat.
Rooted in the Earth
With an external material palette of natural brick and exposed concrete, and minimum metal shading, the house looks like it could have grown out of the earth. "The clients wanted the house to be internally open, letting the spaces interact with nature and giving the landscape top priority," says Ashish. But with five bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a private gym, and a swimming pool, carving out an interior-exterior layout was, in itself, a bit of a paradox. The workaround(s)? Larger-than-life windows, facade-skirting gardens and forward-facing verandahs on all levels. “We chose a mellow colour palette to maintain a tranquil vibe. The vegetation on the peripheral frontage invites the user into the plot, revealing the house slowly to its fullest beauty,” shares Nikhil.
Under the Stars
The first thing you notice when you enter is a double-height volume to the right, elevated with pearl-inspired chandeliers and a carved wooden staircase. Beneath it, a gleaming statue stands sentinel to the spaces beyond, providing a deliberate pause for visitors, preparing them, almost, for the nature-facing realms inside—the living room, a case in point. With its wall-sweeping windows and pops of verdure, this villa in Gujarat pulls the garden into its very skin and shares it rather generously with the neighbouring spaces. “The arrangement between the living and dining rooms and the kitchen was critically designed to achieve an ergonomic triangle,” says Ashish. By night, the dining room, separated from the shaded patio by a glazed opening, becomes a starlit sanctuary where the attention, I’m told, seldom stays on the meal.
Summer Sanctum
The bedrooms, located on the first floor, are hushed and pared-back, channelling a palette akin to the outdoors. But there are subtle variations: the daughter's bedroom features apricot shades, triangular wall motifs, and a rattan swing that cut a breezy figure. The son’s room, meanwhile, is cloaked in a potpourri of wood finishes that spark visual interest despite the subtle scheme. And the master bedroom is characterised by bold umber accents that jump out from the ivory shell. “There’s also a summer room,” offers Nikhil. “The room is specially designed to act as a wind catcher. It has full-sized openings to the east and west and opens into a gym room and jacuzzi.”
