9 Indian Homes That Celebrate Vernacular Architecture & Design
See how traditional home decor and architectural elements help create charismatic, personality-filled interiors
Are you charmed by traditional Indian aesthetics and vernacular design? Then this compilation of homes is just for you. See how these home interiors are lush with intricate screen design, paintings made by local artists, arch designs, wooden pillars, courtyards, pitched roofs … all showcase a strong regional touch. Browse through the selection and let us know which home tugs at your heartstrings.
2. Firm: Shantanu Garg Design
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
There’s much to admire in this traditional Indian home that embraces Rajasthani design. The interiors are furnished with vintage-style seating, hand-painted wall art in gold foil, feature wall panels bordered with thikri (glass inlay) work and swing doors in high-gloss lacquer finish, inspired by Mughal arches.
Tip: The ogee arch (pictured here) is characterised by its sinuous curving shape and is composed of two symmetrical S-shaped curves meeting at a central point.
See more of this Jaipur home
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
There’s much to admire in this traditional Indian home that embraces Rajasthani design. The interiors are furnished with vintage-style seating, hand-painted wall art in gold foil, feature wall panels bordered with thikri (glass inlay) work and swing doors in high-gloss lacquer finish, inspired by Mughal arches.
Tip: The ogee arch (pictured here) is characterised by its sinuous curving shape and is composed of two symmetrical S-shaped curves meeting at a central point.
See more of this Jaipur home
3. Firm: Shan Bhatnagar Design
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
The designer conceptualised his own Jaipur home as a space that pays homage to the Nathdwara temple in Rajasthan. Right from the entrance that has a black-painted tent-like structure on the ceiling, which mimics the chandova (ceiling) of the temple, to the blue ceiling in the passageway that is enhanced with Topkapi motifs (from the Topkapi palace in Istanbul), to walls dotted with small and large paintings of Shrinathji and pichwais … everything points towards traditional Indian design.
Explore Shan Bhatnagar’s ancestral Jaipur home
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
The designer conceptualised his own Jaipur home as a space that pays homage to the Nathdwara temple in Rajasthan. Right from the entrance that has a black-painted tent-like structure on the ceiling, which mimics the chandova (ceiling) of the temple, to the blue ceiling in the passageway that is enhanced with Topkapi motifs (from the Topkapi palace in Istanbul), to walls dotted with small and large paintings of Shrinathji and pichwais … everything points towards traditional Indian design.
Explore Shan Bhatnagar’s ancestral Jaipur home
4. Firm: studio TAB
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
For this home, the designers wanted to have an aesthetic that was the perfect backdrop for the client’s carefully preserved handcrafted heirlooms. They used lattice screens, Athangudi tiles (specific to the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu) and vintage elements such as a gramophone and brass Buddha-head statuettes, and introduced exposed brick walls to round up the overall look of the home.
Note: Since they are handmade, slight variations are a part of the charm of Athangudi tiles. Experienced artisans know the exact proportion for mixing the different components (sand, cement, water and so on) together to create these tiles that do not crack or break post curing.
Take a tour of this Bangalore home
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
For this home, the designers wanted to have an aesthetic that was the perfect backdrop for the client’s carefully preserved handcrafted heirlooms. They used lattice screens, Athangudi tiles (specific to the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu) and vintage elements such as a gramophone and brass Buddha-head statuettes, and introduced exposed brick walls to round up the overall look of the home.
Note: Since they are handmade, slight variations are a part of the charm of Athangudi tiles. Experienced artisans know the exact proportion for mixing the different components (sand, cement, water and so on) together to create these tiles that do not crack or break post curing.
Take a tour of this Bangalore home
5. Firm: Aangan Architects
Location: Surat, Gujarat
This Surat home shows a smattering of traditional home decor elements. Tumbled Kota flooring in the living room, red Agra sandstone work on the wall, a metal jali partition, an exposed brick wall in the balcony and tiny arches carved inside wooden doors, all make their home here.
Read more about this Surat home
Location: Surat, Gujarat
This Surat home shows a smattering of traditional home decor elements. Tumbled Kota flooring in the living room, red Agra sandstone work on the wall, a metal jali partition, an exposed brick wall in the balcony and tiny arches carved inside wooden doors, all make their home here.
Read more about this Surat home
6. Firm: Design Office
Location: Kamshet, Maharashtra
A sense of grandeur reverberates through this farmhouse, laden with brass accessories, polished Kota flooring and Indian-style furniture (such as diwans); the most intriguing element is the mural hand-painted by local artists in the passageway.
Explore this home
Location: Kamshet, Maharashtra
A sense of grandeur reverberates through this farmhouse, laden with brass accessories, polished Kota flooring and Indian-style furniture (such as diwans); the most intriguing element is the mural hand-painted by local artists in the passageway.
Explore this home
7. Firm: Kumar Moorthy & Associates
Location: New Delhi
The design of this home highlights elements that have been translated from the warm coastal region of Kerala to the hot climate of Delhi. Therefore, pitched tiled roofs, courtyards and deep verandahs around the house, among other traditional design interventions, can be seen here.
Look inside this expansive property in New Delhi
Location: New Delhi
The design of this home highlights elements that have been translated from the warm coastal region of Kerala to the hot climate of Delhi. Therefore, pitched tiled roofs, courtyards and deep verandahs around the house, among other traditional design interventions, can be seen here.
Look inside this expansive property in New Delhi
8. Firm: Architecture + Design Ankit Prabhudessai
Location: Goa
This home is interlaid with elements from Goan-Portuguese history. A traditional aangan with a frangipani tree set in bush-hammered granite sits in the centre of the home. Brightly patterned heritage tiles, a skylight, custom teakwood furniture and IPS-finished walls are all a part of this home’s aesthetics.
See more images of this Goa home
Location: Goa
This home is interlaid with elements from Goan-Portuguese history. A traditional aangan with a frangipani tree set in bush-hammered granite sits in the centre of the home. Brightly patterned heritage tiles, a skylight, custom teakwood furniture and IPS-finished walls are all a part of this home’s aesthetics.
See more images of this Goa home
9. Firm: BCA Architecture
Location: Kannur, Kerala
To bring old-world charm to the house, the architect used traditional architectural elements seen in Kerala homes. So, the interiors are flanked by several courtyards, traditional paintings, local materials, brass lamps and a large mural drawn by local artists on a double-height wall.
Take a tour of this home
Read more:
Houzz Forum: Is Vernacular Architecture Still Relevant?
Tell us:
Does your home too reflect traditional Indian elements? Tell us in Comments below.
Location: Kannur, Kerala
To bring old-world charm to the house, the architect used traditional architectural elements seen in Kerala homes. So, the interiors are flanked by several courtyards, traditional paintings, local materials, brass lamps and a large mural drawn by local artists on a double-height wall.
Take a tour of this home
Read more:
Houzz Forum: Is Vernacular Architecture Still Relevant?
Tell us:
Does your home too reflect traditional Indian elements? Tell us in Comments below.
Location: Pune, Maharashtra
This Pune home shows an amalgamation of traditional and modern design. The open spaces, patterned flooring, traditional arches, rustic textures and ornate chandeliers are complemented with contemporary seating and furnishings. All these elements put together make this home look like a palace yet feel like a homely, warm space. Take a tour of this home.
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