Straight out of a fairytale

A fairytale-themed house in Kerala, designed by Ensemblee, Bengaluru.

A children’s room with a fairytale theme, designed by Studio B Architects, Delhi.

Want to build a home that looks straight out of your favourite childhood fairytale book? Now you might be able to, as architects are exploring the concept.

These designs are charming and dreamy, thus new home buyers are keen on such an investment. Experts tell us everything one needs to know about setting up a home with such a theme.

Ideas from fiction

Bengaluru-based architect Dhiresh Kumar Pradhan designed a mesmerising hobbit house (called Montagna Hobbit House) on a mountain cliff in Kodagu, Karnataka. Hobbit homes are earth-sheltered homes inspired by fictional hobbit holes. “We wanted to follow the contours of the valley for the house, so we planned all the elements in such a way that the symmetry is intact,” he says. To dial up the theme, he positioned circular windows in such a way that they appear like two eyes, he adds.

The facade is covered with natural grass and stones to create a cave-like look. Coupled with an entrance walkway, the house presents a perfect imitation of a fictional space, he adds.

“Hobbit-style interiors can get musty during the monsoons of this region, so we opted for contemporary interiors and added enough ventilation channels,” he shares. The home sits on one of the highest peaks of Kodagu, where the wind speed and rain are severe. In such locations, hobbit homes are a clever choice structurally too, he notes.

The earth-bermed design keeps the home insulated (the space is cool when the outside temperatures are high and warm during cold seasons). Moreover, hobbit homes don’t require painting and maintenance, he adds.

Ashif Ashraf, owner and design head of Silver Oaks Nature Retreat, designed a similar hobbit home with a private pool in Munnar, Kerala. These whimsical spaces offer great privacy and are perfect to host small groups, he notes.

“We cut into the land and created a dreamy dome-shaped home made with concrete and covered with sand and grass,” he says.

The earthy look was imparted to the interior walls through reptile skin-textured cement plastering. For the flooring, Ashif picked wooden tiles that play well with the textured walls. “There was a tree in the plot and we didn’t cut it. Instead, we dramatised the zone with an encircling seating area and a skylight above. The eye-catching circular openings are key in delivering the dreamland feel,” Ashif shares details.

Experiment with classics

Bijith Bhaskar, founder and managing director of Ensemblee, Bengaluru, speaks of a riverfront English-style home he had designed in Kerala. Traditional elements like the gable roofs and long-pitched roofs gave the space a fairyland impression, he says.

For the windows, Bijith played with classic dormer windows, pivoted windows, and large arched windows. He kept the verandahs long pillared with wooden trellis above and added curved wooden stairs with a raised stair room tower. Paired with stained glass and wooden gates, the look was complete. “Since the context was Kerala, we blended in the local style as well. For example, overhangs are essential in Kerala, so we added them to protect the walls from rain and heat,” he explains.

Estonia-based architect Heldor Sepp explored a similar idea at Kutta, Karnataka, where he designed a chalet (called Turtle Pond Home Stay) inspired by old Estonian architecture; the space resembles a fairyland forest hut. In a chalet, the roof plays the role of walls too, he notes.

Sepp opted for a simple structure crafted with red cedar roofs and floors, the frames were made from jackfruit wood and teak. “The best part was setting up the balcony spaces using coffee tree wood. They are remarkably chic,” he shares.

Artistic touch

Speaking about a fairytale-themed kids’ room in one of his Delhi-based projects, Anil Badan, founder and principal architect with Studio B Architects, Delhi, says, “Since a majority of people associate European architecture with classic fairytales, we tried to align the design to those expectations.”

Features like charming wallpapers and French-style fenestrations draped in flowing fabrics in classic pastel shades are key. The palette should be subtly quaint. Classic shades like white, blue, rose, and gold, infused with accents of gold and other luminous metals on the seams are good choices, he recommends.

For a fairytale-themed space, one must let the furniture do the talking. Add quaint ornate mid-century, European-style furniture pieces like beds and depositories to make a magical fairytale utopia, he says.

“In our kids’ room design, the white pumpkin carriage bed, accentuated with golden outlines is an immediate giveaway of the fairytale theme. Additionally, details like wainscoting on the accent walls underline the grandeur of the theme with subtlety,” he adds.

Challenges

*Site conditions can be challenging in the case of hilltop hobbit homes.

*Blending modern-day requirements into the theme can be challenging.

Wallet factor

*Hobbit homes can cost you about Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per sq ft.

*Set aside Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per sq ft for European-style fairytale-themed homes.