Home in the hills

NACL Studio crafts a Texan-lodge-inspired escape in Maharashtra brimming with warmth

12 Mar 2025

Dolly Parton may have taught us to never underestimate a Texan cowboy’s charm, but the state’s cosy wooden lodges are the true American dream. It was on a trip to this famed countryside that a globetrotting family found the missing puzzle piece to their forever home.

As longtime collaborators, Founder and Principal Designer Natasha Aggarwal of NACL Studio was already privy to the family in question’s long-held dream of building a home in the hills. “From that moment, the design narrative took form — a cosy, inviting Texan lodge-style home that blended country warmth with personal touches,” enthuses Natasha.

Sprawling 12,000 sq ft in all its rustic glory, the resulting hillside home has been built from the ground up on the slopes surrounding Pawna Lake in Maharashtra. Constructed with imported wooden logs from Russia, it enjoys a panoramic view of the valley and the lake in equal measure.

A rustic classic

Rather than constructing the home entirely out of wood, Natasha opted to build it upwards from a 5,000 sq ft concrete base for added ease and structural stability. “This solid foundation not only supports the wooden log structure but also optimises the use of space below,” she explains, adding, “The wooden logs were then carefully imported from Russia and assembled on-site, log by log — much like building a Lego house!”

Despite the location’s challenges, it had its rewards. Multiple scenic vantage points were borne out of the home’s sloping terrain — a feat unachievable in a home built on flat land. Framed within Georgian windows, the panoramic views are accompanied by a flood of natural light illuminating the pinewood interiors during the day. A mish-mash of earthy materials and classic furniture add to the space’s fluid old-world-charm.

Home, dream home

The home’s exterior stays true to the Texan suburbia aesthetic, complete with sloping roofs, a sit-out porch and painted wood. “To contrast the warm, wooden interiors, the decision was made to paint the exterior wood”, avers Natasha. As a result, when one walks into the double-height foyer, the rich, pinewood interiors are designed to catch them off-guard in a skilful 180.

The foyer leads to the formal living area illuminated by swathes of daylight seeping through the mammoth windows. A plush L-shaped sofa sprawls across the space with complete abandon. The colour palette and choice of decor complement the wood in both hue and material, adding to the space’s blunt, contemporary Texan charm.

Exciting new forms in wood emerge within the dining, with a tree-trunk dining table and a pinewood log bar sit on opposing sides. The common areas split off their own ways to lead towards a private den, multiple bedrooms and an expansive terrace. Amidst it all, the English Classical style kitchen rebels against the browns with a defiant flash of teal green.

Within the lower level of the home, the Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structure swaps the wooden walls for a bare, beige finish. For continuity’s sake, touches of wood continue to flank the space in the form of bespoke clay and wood doors and a pinewood ceiling that skilfully conceals electrical conduits. A key feature of the home is the architectural staircase complete with Art Deco-style railings. Spanning three floors, they wrap themselves across the space’s heart in a stellar display of craftsmanship.

Wooden wonders

The star of the home’s material palette, undoubtedly, are the pinewood walls. Grey Kota stone flooring lets their warmth shine unabashedly across the space. Crafted out of wood combined with clay in jute-like finish, the doors are yet another consistent feature tying the home’s design language together. “The versatile nature of these materials allows us to introduce subtle contrasts, such as the metal staircase and copper anodized conduits, which add a modern edge without detracting from the rustic charm of the space,” affirms Natasha.

The appeal of a home in the hills transcends time and generations. Add a little Texan charm to the mix, and any design enthusiast’s bound to get a little weak in the knees. How could anyone possibly resist? More than just a home, their warmth is a soothing salve against concrete jungles — an escapist fantasy that continues to attract admirers since centuries.