A weekend home in Bengaluru that embraces open spaces and greenery

A lavish spa, pool, and lush, landscaped gardens are just some of the highlights of this quietly luxurious villa designed by architect Shilpa Sambargi

It’s hard not to be mesmerized by the scale and the magnitude of this five-bedroom villa designed by Shilpa Sambargi, principal architect at Bangalore-based Shilpa Sambargi Architects. The stage is set at the grand entrance that's carved from cantilevered RCC slabs and teak wood. “The owners love to socialize and throw grand parties. They wanted a weekend home with luxurious spaces to host friends and family, spa, bar and a pool to chill. A seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors was one of their demands,” explains Sambargi, who executed homeowner Naveen Ramachandra’s vision by incorporating large open spaces and lush landscapes in to the design.

The Layout

The 30,000-square-foot holiday home is split in two blocks. The villa block is built as a private space and holds five bedrooms, living and dining areas and a pooja pavilion. The annex block is dedicated to socializing spaces and comprises a bar, home theatre, spa, party lounge, pool and an outdoor jacuzzi.

The living room is marked by a double-height ceiling and large windows.

The entrance of the home theatre features a mix of vintage and modern design elements.

A double heighted living room kitted out with massive glass windows and natural granite flooring sets the tone for the rest of the home. A dimpled sofa is cheered on by explosions of greenery and huge windows sheathed in soft white linen. A floating pooja room modelled on the iconic 12th-century Halebidu temple, near Chikmagalur in Karnataka, is the piece-de-resistance here. “We chose the centre of the house, which is crowned by a double-height volume, for the pooja room. The skylight above casts a beautiful canopy of natural light over the black granite temple with ornamental pillars. The brass panels on the temple door lend a wonderful contrast and a luxurious detail to the all black pavilion,” Sambargi says. A pair of elephants cut from a striking chunk of granite stand guard at the pavilion.

A floating staircase with cantilevered timber treads lead to the upper level that houses the bedrooms.

A floating staircase, held together by cantilevered treads, leads to the upper level marked for bedrooms. If the home has a muted, understated feel, it’s by design. “The Ramachandras were very keen to build a home that whispers luxury with its volume and aesthetics without making a noise. No bold statements or acute angles,” explains Sambargi who wrapped up the project in a record time of 18 months, a feat considering the scale of the house and that it was built during the Covid pandemic. Judicious placement of windows on the northern and eastern sides ensures a year-long supply of natural light while also seamlessly connecting the interiors with the lush gardens outside. This also instills a new sense of lightness to the home.

Pockets of Tranquility

Sambargi has created several convivial lounge areas in the home, starting with the semi-outdoor patio

marked with charming swings, lounge chairs and a stark black bar. A dash of playfulness comes via a wall displaying metal statues of mountaineering men. The pool barricaded by a stone

wall adds an interesting design detail while also providing ample privacy. The green that creeps its way into the home complements Sambargi’s go-to palette of greys, browns, blacks, and blues.

The spa room has a feature wall made of floral limestone patterns framed in wood.

Then there is the spa accessorized by beautiful limestone murals. A skylight above lets in pure, unobstructed light, some of which is absorbed by a luscious porcelain bathtub. When it came time to furnish the home, Sambargi chose indoor plants in mammoth pots, statement lighting, an assortment of wall art, and contemporary pieces of furniture. The visual vocabulary is intended to catch the eye without overwhelming the senses.

A Quiet Place

For the bedrooms, Sambargi wanted to try something new, but also practice restraint, as the owners didn’t want them to look overly designed. Still, she couldn’t resist making a few statements with exquisite textiles and a backdrop of textured accent headboards. A colour palette of greys, creams and blues bring in a sense of calm to these spaces. Lavish walk-in wardrobe and generous vanity spaces mark all the bedrooms.

A metal cutout of the continents adorn the home office.