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    Cradled up in the hills—This holiday home in Mussoorie by Aditi Sharma offers design lessons in modern-minimalism

    JUN 27, 2022 | By Pratishtha Rana
    A quiet reading space in the primary bedroom designed to relish solitude amidst nature; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Tall picture windows appreciating the lush greenery outside bedeck the secondary bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    The backyard is built from local mountain stone with custom-made furniture by Kwality Construction Company; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Cradled quietly but with a resounding appeal is this home high up in the mountains that makes a strong case for living in proximity to the nature. Composed by Aditi Sharma of her eponymous firm Aditi Sharma Design Studio, the home engulfs a 1,200 sq ft area in the lush mountainous scape of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

    As she informs, the home was in a dilapidated state and overturning it into a frame-worthy canvas is the story of the hour we’re engrossed in!

    You may also like: A whiff of slow living waltzes through this high-rise Mumbai home crafted by Studio NM

    mussoorie home by Aditi sharma
    The living room is dressed in soft neutrals and warm colours. The sofa throw is from OMA Living; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The curious brief 

    Getting a slice of leisure away from the city’s clamour was the most crucial ask for the homeowners—a space that could collectively embrace equal parts living and work from home.

    Aditi elaborates on how she finally pinned down on maximising the space, “By breaking away from the design of a stereotypical hill cottage and making this small space seem bigger and equipped with modern, minimal and functional design.”

    Cushions from Ikea india and decorative accessories from Rajee Sood Home adorn the living room; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Tour every turn of the home

    Exemplary of an ideally idyllic holiday home, the overall demeanour of this house echoes a minimalistic style, allowing the dweller to connect with the outside splendour of the hills instead of being overpowered by the interiors.

    Sauntering indoors, a soft gush of sunrays streams through the windows, welcoming to the room that hosts a sitting area, dining zone along with a bar. A door next to the kitchen also opens up to the backyard accessed via the living area.

    The dining area accommodates a custom-made table with chairs from Josmo Studio and decorative clay plates from Kara Sabi; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Stunning bar from SPIN placed adjacent to the dining area; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Uncluttered wooden storage cabinets against a patterned olive green backsplash decorate the kitchen; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The same ground level encompasses the parent’s bedroom that revels in one of the best views of the outdoors. Ascending to the first floor, a balcony on the right sits poised with loungers adoring the routine arrivals of sunrise and sunsets.

    Turn left, and a corridor guides one to the second bedroom, augmented with pop colours and a stone wall, while the primary bedroom draws in the energy of the perfect boudoir with a work zone arranged in one corner.

    Earthy hues create a cocoon effect in the secondary bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The warm and natural textures of the primary bedroom resonate with their surroundings creating a unified visual experience; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The study area with a custom-made wooden table, PortsideCafé leather chair and lamp from Ikea India faces the lush foliage of Mussoorie; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    Ideas to bookmark – colours and materials

    Aditi muses on the conspicuous splashes of minimalism coalesced with the glory of nature seen in this Mussoorie home. “Japandi theme has been incorporated to accent the simplicity here.” Bringing out a muted but modern palette, materials such as wood, stone and soft textural fabrics took the centre stage. 

    She reveals, “Rooms being small, a light colour palette makes the space visually lighter. This helped to achieve clean lines, decluttered and a low maintenance holiday home to be experienced often.”

    Locally sourced natural wood cabinet doubles up as quick storage for essentials; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Wood finish tiles from FCML india complement the material palette of the home; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The bathrooms house sanitary fittings by Kohler and tiles by BathLine India; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    What the designer Aditi Sharma fell in love with…

    Where there is nature, one doesn’t need to do much. This is precisely what underscores the precis of this home by Aditi Sharma. 

    The space she personally had a delight working on was the living room and of course, the scenic study. While the panoramic views comfort you from within, the interiors and design story inside fulfil the functionality of daily living–and that’s the modern, hillside story the dweller of today is probably on the hunt for!