Rachana Chandwani Rakshe and Sagher Tiwari, founders of Oll Korrect Design Studio, breathe new life into a once-dim home in Panchgani to design a vibrant and inviting colonial-style holiday retreat.
“I first saw this (home in Panchgani) through pictures, and it was dimly lit! But, in each photograph, I could also feel the warmth between the family, as they gathered around the dining table or cooked together in the kitchen,” recalls Rachana Chandwani Rakshe, co-founder of Oll Korrect Design Studio, when describing a bungalow in Panchgani, Maharashtra, once dingy and dated, which she’s transformed into a bright and welcoming retreat with her partner, Sagher Tiwari.
Purchased in the early ’70s from a Parsi owner for its gorgeous views of a lake and valley, the 3,850-square-foot bungalow has been the large family’s monsoon getaway over the years. Desperately requiring a spruce up, the project began with “fixing the roof and leakages across the home, and bringing in more natural light,” explains Rakshe. On her first visit to the site, she noticed several oddly designed corners in the home that screamed for attention.
“The kitchen was separated from the dining room by a brown laminate-clad wall with service windows, making the space look small,” she recalls. However, the maroon-red terrazzo flooring, a striking feature of the home, was something she was determined to retain. “I loved the flooring, and after a lot of convincing, we managed to retain and restore it.”
Opening Up Spaces
“The main focus in this renovation was to reclaim as much of the original details of the house, as every nook and corner had memories and emotions attached to it,” Rakshe points out. An enormous arch opens into the home and its spellbinding view into the lush valley below. “The closer you get to the verandah, the view gets even better, but previously, there was a wall with small windows and a glass door with grills blocking the outdoors. I think this is the first thing we thought we should change at once!” the duo exclaim. “And the living room, which is this tall space you’re seeing now—it had a flat plywood ceiling which didn’t do justice to the high roof of the house. We were itching to open it up.”
The starting point for the restoration for this holiday home in Panchgani was removing all the additional plywood and laminate furniture and focusing on preserving its antique pieces. “We opened up all the arches, which were packed with plywood, to make the windows arch-shaped,” Rakshe recalls, adding, “The false ceilings were removed to give each room a sloped roof, and we used wood from old beds and wardrobes to cover the trusses in the living room.” One of the major challenges was the thick walls, almost a foot-and-a-half in depth, which needed openings in between to bring in more natural light. “We aligned them with the existing windows so we wouldn’t need structural reinforcement.”
Taken in by the home’s bold red terrazzo-tiled floor, the team used its colours as a guiding palette for each room, where its red, white and black chips complemented both heritage colonial styles as well as any modern creature comforts that needed to be brought in. And, it lent a charming cottage-style warmth to the place.
Pride In Restoration
“We were referred to the family by another client, for whom I’d designed a vacation rental in Goa,” the duo fondly remember their first meeting as we walk out towards the valley. “Initially, when we met and discussed renovating this home, we didn’t realise the gems we’d uncover within its bones.”
Today, the designers are most proud of the living room arches and the exposed trusses. “These elements truly capture the essence of the home and its history,” Rakshe reflects. “This project has been an homage to preserving heritage while integrating modern comforts. If you’re thinking of restoring a heritage home, start with a minimal approach and retain its natural charm—you’ll thank yourself later.”