Mussoorie’s past, lovingly restored by Aditi Sharma Design Studio

Ensconced in the misty hills of Mussoorie along a narrow-winding road is a stately 7,000 sq ft home. Beyond its structural makeovers, the home carries the charm of an era when time moved at the pace of an afternoon novel, of languid breakfasts, of tea parties, with each space rooted in nostalgia. The double-storey space restored to its former splendour by Aditi Sharma Design Studio was built in the early 1900s.

An ode to the glorious homes that once dotted the hills, the principal designer sought to pen the den’s story in stone and wood. While its thick lime-plastered walls, timber beams speak of time-worn elegance, the home had slipped into a state of disrepair. Its elegance softened by age, the current custodians of the space, drawn to the interiors of bygone era, desired to preserve the home’s soul while infusing it with the comforts of modern living. 

Of old times and tea parties

Calling for structural changes, a newfound openness awaited the annexe, which now houses the kitchen and staff quarter, allowing the space to unfold expansively. A grand gate swings open revealing a neatly manicured garden, a stone pathway curves through which trimmed hedges frame the views that stretch into the valley below. 

Towards the side is an old-fashioned outdoor bar and barbecue station, ready for summer evenings and tea parties. For soirees on chilly valley days, a semi-circular stone sit-out gathers around a fireplace, a perfect refuge for when the mountain air turns crisp. 

Mussoorie’s details 

When the dusk settles lanterns flicker to life, casting a golden glow that dances against the stone walls. Then as you step into the home through a small passage area, you find a genteel grandeur of the yesteryears in every detail. The natural brick flooring, wooden ceiling and a vintage wrought-iron coat stand set the tone for what’s to come. 

Enter the grand living room to witness rustic stone walls framing a crackling fireplace and chequered upholstery that brings out a nostalgic English charm. And when one wants to slip away in the mist for a getaway with a vantage of the hills, all doors here open onto the garden. The ground floor also houses three bedrooms of a distinct character. The corridor connecting these private quarters is decked with vintage photographs of Mussoorie. 

Beyond the passage, a private dining room unfolds, where a long black granite table takes centre stage. This space is underscored with textural elegance, its rattan-panelled ceiling glowing under the light of chandeliers while the walls are adorned with a beautiful collection of original vintage plates one one side and draped in woolen durries on the other. 

A stairway to leisure 

On the first floor’s heart is a parlour that harks back to the golden days of leisurely card games and slow afternoons spent with a well-thumbed book. A well stocked bar, a reading nook and a card table; all whisper the floor’s purpose of repose. 

Sunlight spills through the bay window, bouncing off the polished gleam of antique wood, where the views of the Mussoorie hills roll out like a painting. Five bedrooms lie beyond, each swathed in jewel tones and open to sweeping balconies, where one can sip a morning coffee as the mist unfurls, revealing the valley below in slow, languorous waves.

Read more: Aditi Sharma Design Studio creates a brilliant juxtaposition of neutrals and bold hues in a Gurgaon home