The Varadarajan House by Saka Studio

The Varadarajan house is conceptualised as a hill home retreat in the Coorg rainforest. A focus on local colours, textures and details root the home to the land. The initial brief from the homeowner was to create a home where the focus was the garden and the valley view beyond and a sense of belonging to the culture of Coorg. The design evolved as a series of interconnected spaces that open freely towards the wrap-around deck. The spatial organisation creates unexpected volumes, cosy nooks and niches, places to dwell in. A key feature is the outdoor room, a vantage point to soak in the valley below.

The deep terracotta laterite, grey Sadarhalli and black granite have been used in conjunction with yellow Kota stone and terracotta floor tiles to create a quiet setting within which an earthy palette of green, gold, brown and beige adds to a mood of repose and reflection. A key feature is the double height dining room with a Gond Art Mural that animates the upper floor balcony wall. The lights were custom-made and a local carpentry team implemented door designs derived from historic sources. 

The furniture was sourced from local antique stores and the art and accessories were sourced from the homeowner’s private collection. The unique quality of this home that preserves the essence of place and culture while responding to the spatial flow of contemporary homes gives it a special sense of connectedness between past, present and future. Importantly it has a refined aesthetic sensibility that matches the home owner’s eye for detail. In conclusion, this home is a gentle presence in a sensitive ecological context that defers to the beauty of the surrounding landscape.