Heritage Home Restoration: A Lonavala Revival
We breathe new life into century-old structures, balancing colonial-era charm with the quiet needs of modern living. This Lonavala project is a study in preservation, material honesty, and the art of slowing down time.
A wide view of the main hall in our Lonavala restoration project, where we balanced the structure's colonial and Indo-Saracenic influences with restored antique furniture and contemporary lighting to create a harmonious living space.
Looking through a restored archway into the central rotunda. This architectural feature became a focal point, connecting different zones of the home and drawing natural light deep into the interior.
The sun-drenched verandah, with its restored geometric tile flooring and original columns, serves as a perfect transition between the interior and the lush surrounding landscape.
A quiet seating area where restored wooden furniture and a classic archway frame the space. We focused on creating intimate nooks within the larger, open-plan layout for personal moments.
The master bedroom, where we paired a custom-designed bed with restored antique furniture. The original arched window with its intricate grillwork was preserved, maintaining the historical character of the room.
A reading corner in one of the bedrooms, featuring restored vintage chairs set against the backdrop of the beautiful China mosaic floor and arched windows, showcasing our blend of comfort and heritage.
This bedroom view highlights the seamless integration of restored flooring, salvaged wood furniture, and newly designed doors that honor the building's original aesthetic.
About this collection
The original China mosaic floors were our most critical point of departure. Rather than replacing damaged sections, we undertook extensive documentation of the patterns, allowing our craftsmen to seamlessly integrate new inserts that mirror the historical geometry. This approach ensures that the floors remain a continuous, living narrative of the house's past rather than a patchy renovation.
When we approach a structure as venerable as this Lonavala residence, our goal is never to impose a new vision, but to uncover what the building already holds. The project required a delicate recalibration of Indo-Saracenic and colonial influences. Every room in this century-old edifice carries a weight of history that we felt compelled to honor.
We prioritized salvaging materials over procurement. The false ceiling, once stripped away, yielded solid wood that we carefully treated and resized to craft new doors and window frames. This decision kept the material footprint low and ensured the new joinery speaks the same language as the original architecture.
Modern functionality, such as discreet climate control, was woven into the layout without fracturing the aesthetic. We reconfigured spaces to invite natural light deep into the central rotunda, treating light as a primary building material. The formal dining area, anchored by the restored mosaic floor, serves as the heart of the home, proving that heritage interiors can be both grand and deeply intimate. Our work here demonstrates that preserving India's architectural heritage is not about museum-grade stasis; it is about keeping these structures breathable, functional, and responsive to the needs of the people inhabiting them today.
Sejpal and Parekh Associates
At SAPA, we view buildings as living organisms with their own histories. We do not just renovate; we listen to the soil, the salvaged wood, and the old walls to decide what they need to become next. It is about keeping the soul intact while making space for you to live.
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