Of the Wonders and Wanders
Sustainable Living at Igreha Villa - D
Luxury enveloped in green environs, architecture that boasts of eco-friendly principles and thoughtfully designed interiors that marry function and aesthetics to promise you the finest home away from home experience there is—welcome to Igreha, Villa D.
Isprava is known to abide by the highest standards of sustainability without compromising on luxury, and Igreha Villa D is a fine example. After all, we believe that design can be both beautiful and green. The home was created in a way that there would be no boundaries between the inside and outside, which is also why nearly every part of the home has over-sized windows that overlook the beautiful greenery that sits outside.
Villa D features warm natural materials, some even locally sourced for its architecture as well as its luxe interiors. You will appreciate the large bamboo plants in the yard that serve as visual barriers between the homes of the villa, the cute green balcony and carefully curated pieces of furniture. The antique wooden dressing table which has been converted into a bathroom counter-top where the washbasin sits, is a great example of something old made into something new. The recycled doors, diverse handcrafted floors and sloping roofs used to collect water, to further meet its sustainability ambitions, Villa D has been designed with inputs like load-bearing walls, locally sourced laterite stone, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation. Villa D truly celebrates sustainable living in all its glory. To live in luxury and experience high design that meets smart planning, visit Igreha Villa D this season!
Travel-inspired Home Decor
Whether you are a seasoned traveller or a dreamer with a bucket list of destinations yet to be explored, what better way to express your love for travel and adventure than through your own home? Here we give you the cues to turn your home into a perfect reflection of your most treasured experiences.
If you are someone with a feeling of wanderlust, bring the world home the next time you jet set to new and exciting destinations. Why? Because your home should reflect the life of the person living there. And travel-inspired design often promises timeless, classic and comfortable spaces.
How about a shelf filled with books and magazines collected on your travels around the world? It can easily create a cozy nook in a corner of a room, one that you can lose yourself in for hours. Or you could collect textiles that celebrate regions, like Ikat which is said to have originated in Indonesia or Suzani, a decorative textile from Central Asia.
Vintage is another big theme that can be celebrated. We love bringing home vintage trunks. Not only do they add immense charm to a room, but they are also a perfect solution to your storage problem. Use them to hide away those extra blankets and bulky winter sweaters and let them double up as a quirky coffee table. Another great way of putting your travels in the spotlight is by framing your memories through an accent wall of photography. Or use your photography in inventive ways with throw pillows, curtains or duvet covers featuring the beaches, mountains or desert landscapes you once explored. Finally, do not throw away the map used to navigate the beaten path. Keep that memento that someone handed you in a local village. Do not let the coins and bills you collected at your last international jaunt catch dust in the drawer. And treasure that odd flea market souvenir you picked up. Why? Because all of these seemingly ordinary things can easily be turned into object d’art. Remember, it is your experiences and your story. You can tell it any way you want to!
A Nostalgic Food Trail in The Nilgiris
For the culinary experience found in the hills that stood the test of time and taste as good as it did way back then, here is to rejoicing the true deliciousness of The Nilgiris.
Take a walk down the gastronomic memory lane through The Nilgiris to remind you of what amazing flavours exist way up in the hills. And if it is your first time here, visit Isprava at one of its beautiful colonial-style homes, to make sure not to miss a single delicacy. After all, the clean, eucalyptus-scented air, and walking around the long winding roads will definitely build up an appetite. Here is our pick of old favourites:
Visit Ramchandra’s and ask for the Wellington Special. What you will discover is the largest, most scrumptious parotta ever, served piping hot, stuffed with mutton mince and a coating of egg. It pairs perfectly with a bowl of mutton gravy. Large enough for at least two people to devour, this is a textural flavour bomb that once had you will never forget. Then go bakery hopping. Many of the bakeries have been around for a long time, located in the heart of the town, often surrounded by beautiful aromas of freshly baked bread, puffs and biscuits. Try Crown Bakery in Coonoor, known since 1880 for its honey cakes, hot cross buns and the special Ooty Varkey biscuit. The biscuit is storied to have come into existence thanks to a baker misfiring on the consistency of a puff pastry and rolling it up into balls and baking them instead. The result was a light, flaky, crisp, sweet and salty biscuit, named after the baker, himself. It goes best with a steaming hot Nilgiri chai. Visit in the evening to enjoy the fresh bakes! Finally, satiate your sweet tooth by indulging in chocolate fudge from King Star, or a thick slice of wood-oven baked bread from National Bakery lathered with plum jam or peach reserve, or as for the best: pink coconut barfi! This is no ordinary coconut mithai. They are small pink squares of sweet, juicy coconut with minute crystallized sugar peaks that will melt in your mouth! What are you waiting for? Book an Isprava home and visit The Nilgiris for food memories that will last forever.
Design State of Mind
From being a top model and actress in South Africa to starting a fashion label called Deme by Gabriella that offers something for every woman, she is all about going places and getting inspired every step of the way. In conversation with Gabriella Demetriades.
1) You have been a part of many worlds, but the one thing they all have in common is great fashion. Tell us more…
I mean without it being a very materialistic superficial world, it is close to my heart because I truly love to express myself through my clothing and accessories. I like to tell a story with how I put something together and I like to watch other people’s stories.
2) What stirs your passion to design? Is it a destination? A memory? A home? Or something else?
A lot of it is very visceral, I kind of live and breathe design. I’m always thinking about it and executing my ideas, I get moved by many things, music, art, travel. But mainly by real people and their stories.
3) What does luxury mean to you? Tell us about the most luxurious experience you have been a part of?
I think luxury is in the details and subtlety of a place, I mean I’ve experienced incredible homes and hotels and places but for me it’s being in nature, that is the most luxurious experience.
4) When you travel, what are the few things that come back with you—the memories and inspirations if you may?
Mostly food, I love to cook and I love to eat and my holiday travels are largely based around what I’m eating next.
5) Isprava is all about design - whether it’s in the curating of antiques, or promising the finest luxuries. What do you appreciate about the Isprava state of mind in design?
The luxury in the aesthetic is timeless and I think that’s what makes it so special.