Monsoon staycation at Isprava Villa Verde

A monsoon in Goa has its own special charm. And when it’s spent at Isprava Villa Verde, we promise you will not miss the sun, sand or sea.

Immerse yourselves in Isprava’s luxury, as you plan a day or many at Villa Verde. Located in the fashionable area of Anjuna, Goa, the home sits on a beautiful plot that comes lushly to life as the rain pours down. A flower garden leads you to the entrance, as the pool quietly calls your name. Before you jump in, appreciate the pergola that is designed with hand-cut sandstone from Udaipur. A piping hot cup of coffee is what beckons next— the villa’s kitchen comes fully stocked with Isprava's Peaberry Coffee Blend to satiate your temptation. Enter the villa through one of the pastel green heritage doors, which line the courtyard, and walk into the spacious living area, which features a floor in herringbone pattern made from stunning hand cut white and yellow stone. Soak in the architecture and beauty, but do not be surprised if you feel like spending most of your time in the Juliette balcony in the master bedroom, from where you can enjoy the rain-drenched outdoors from the inside. With four bedrooms and a study, this is the perfect place to come with family or friends and indulge in the best monsoon staycation you have ever had in Goa. For when you want to step out, the nearest beach—Vagator Beach—is just a 5-minute drive away—looking pretty and tranquil in the rain.

Celebrating heritage in design

Where classic meets contemporary and heritage architecture takes the spotlight—Isprava takes vintage aesthetic to a new level with how it decks its homes.

Antique wooden panels from old doors that transform into wall art. Art decor items that find its pride in modern spaces. Handcrafted wooden furniture from a bygone era in rooms that are amped with the latest technologies. These things are what make Isprava homes, heritage masterpieces. Discerningly sourced, you will find curated artefacts, fabulous vintage lights, metal and brass pieces spread across the interiors, each with a story to tell.  The whole idea is to bring a refined sense of antiquity to new spaces and transform a house into a home. From old wooden statues to heritage doors sourced from palaces around India, antique glass bottles to kitsch items that lend a pop of colour—Isprava prides itself on its interior treasures. Every Isprava home has novelty items like vintage dressing tables, age-old lanterns, majestic wrought iron and wooden chandeliers that perfectly show off their old-world grandeur on Isprava’s double heightened ceilings. Walk in and appreciate heritage décor at its best, and immerse yourselves in rustic luxury that is hard to find anywhere else.

To read more about Isprava’s sense of aesthetic and its story, grab this month’s Elle Décor Issue – or click here to read the article online.

Wake me up when September ends!

From the grasslands to the tea fields, the Blue Mountains to the purple flowers—all beckon you, to spend a September to remember in the Nilgiris.

This September arrive in the beautiful Nilgiris and leave the world behind. Discover the nirvana of the Nilgiris. Hop onto the steam engine, ‘The Nilgiri Mountain Range Train’ that runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty and back as it stops along the beautiful hill stations of Coonoor, Wellington, Kenny, and Lovedale. Keep your cameras ready for many picture-perfect vistas, waterfalls and tea gardens. If you are a nature-loving traveller, do not miss the Tropical Gene Pool Gardens, located in the heart of the Nilgiri Mountains. Lose track of time as you take off on long treks and bicycle tours to explore the lush greenery. But do not leave without indulging in a tea tour—visit the factories, tea bungalows, interact with tea workers and pluck your own tea too. Rolling hills, stone cottages, British colonial architecture, stunning botanical gardens—there is much to love about the Nilgiris.

Spaces of style with Robin Chhabra

Where you work matters – and how its styled matters even more. In conversation with Robin Chhabra, the founder of Mumbai’s newest, coolest co-working space, Dextrus.

1. How important is it to balance style with utility, when it comes to spaces of work?
In the design of great spaces, form and function always talk to each other, inform one another of the changing parameters and finally a balance is achieved. If a space is designed to just look nice but cannot functionally serve the user, then the user will feel unsatisfied. Nowadays everyone has started to ask for good working environments and we are seeing higher attrition rates in companies that do not think about this. In fact, architecture that has been designed by having the employees as its central focus are the ones that thrive.

2. What is the concept behind Dextrus?
We wanted to create a workspace where people enjoy coming to work every day. One that people are proud to call their office. A workspace, people enjoy coming to and one that boosts effective working habits and productivity. This does not necessarily mean bean bags and foosball tables. Design has to be thought through holistically to balance collaboration with focus while keeping the target audience in mind. Our space has so far managed to attract a multitude of companies that range from online gaming to a large private bank, giving us the confidence that we are moving in the right direction.

3. Luxury in your own words…
Luxury is where you can put your feet up and get some peace and quiet. It is getting harder and harder to come by. Our city life speeds up the notion of time since it has so much packed into it. So, if you can steal some time for yourself and do the things you love then that is luxury.

4. What are the 5 most important elements of design in a workspace to inspire great minds?
1) Light – Dextrus will always work with expanding the use of natural light. Mumbai office buildings usually have deep floor plates and hence light can be a luxury that not all can afford but there are many ways design can help alleviate this. Staying connected to light uplifts the mood and keeps things positive.

2) Color & Texture – These two can create magic if used right. We have used light pink plaster ceilings to help bring colour while also texture to the space. Texture adds complexity to colour which always changes how it looks depending on the lighting and the angle you see it from.

3) Plants – Plants help layer the design and soften the edges of the space and people!

4) Function – Attention to detail here makes all the difference, details as simple as having power points in the right locations, giving storage space to clients, etc.

5) Systems – This is all the stuff you don’t see - air-conditioning, fire systems, servers, electrical design. This has to be planned hand in glove with aesthetics. If you don’t think creatively here, then designers are missing out on huge opportunities.

5. Taking a break from work can be a great formula to crack the best ideas – which Isprava villa would you pick and why?
My diplomatic side would pick all of them! I have stayed at Villa Evora and it was a great experience. Great rooms, I enjoyed the pool and the living space. The peace was invigorating. I had a chance to get a sneak peek at Villa Capela while it was under construction and the view back to the paddy fields is one that has stuck with me. I am looking forward to seeing the ones in the Nilgiris.