A Verdant Sanctuary in Valevda: Where Tradition Meets sheer serenity and soulful luxury spread across 1,60,400 sq. ft and a built-up area of 6100 sq. ft. Amidst the sanctity of seclusion and serenity, this culturally rooted farmhouse in Valevda, Gujarat designed emerges as a soulful interplay of tradition, nature, and thoughtful design. Deeply grounded in climate responsiveness, cultural identity, and material honesty, the soulful home is a slow-crafted narrative that unfolds over three to four years, where architecture and nature grow hand in hand.
Editor’s Note: This culturally rooted farmhouse designed by 9 Degree Design Studio is designed with materials steeped in character. Deeply grounded in climate responsiveness, cultural identity, and material honesty, the soulful home is a slow-crafted narrative that unfolds over three to four years, where architecture and nature grow hand in hand.
This Soulful Sanctuary Is Where Tradition Meets Serenity And Luxury | 9 Degree Design Studio
As the evening sun dips behind the tree line, the terracotta-tiled sloping roofs glow with a warm, earthen radiance. Crafted in traditional pitched forms with deep overhangs, the roof not only shelters but breathes with the landscape. From the rooftop, the view is serene—lush foliage unfurls in every direction, the sky turns to amber, and the forest hums a quiet lullaby. Subtle lighting beneath the eaves casts golden halos across the stone, while the scent of wood smoke drifts through the air. It’s a place where architecture rises gently into the sky, and the soul slows to meet the dusk.
Crafted with timeless elegance, the soulful farmhouse reveals its soul through materials steeped in character. Jaisalmer stone graces the floors with golden warmth, while bold black Kadappa anchors the spaces with quiet strength. Architectural roofs rise with sculptural grace, framing light and shadow. At the entrance, towering stone walls stand like sentinels, where hand-carved statement pieces whisper stories of the earth.
A fountain of black stone murmurs gently, a meditative centrepiece. Curated furniture from Bali weaves global charm into the space. The designers complemented the space with exquisite artefacts that echo craftsmanship and culture. They chose each element with intention, forming a soulful sanctuary of grounded luxury and natural beauty.
Amidst an expansive stretch of serene earth, the farmhouse rests like a quiet hymn to nature. Its soul is nourished by hand-grown plantations that breathe life into the land. These thoughtfully nurtured greens, sprawled generously across the terrain, temper the climate with a gentle coolness. They cast a balm over summer’s edge.
The air stirs softly with the rustle of leaves and the melodic cadence of birdsong, as rabbits dart through the underbrush and ducks glide languidly across the still waterbodies that punctuate the soulful landscape like mirrors of the sky.
In this haven, sustainability is not a choice but a way of life. Every stone that frames a pond, every element that shapes the architecture, has been sourced from nearby earth. It is locally hewn, respectfully crafted by the skilled hands of regional artisans. Their wisdom flows through the textures of their work. The materials, humble yet enduring, carry the quiet dignity of their origin.
Unlike manicured gardens that demand relentless tending, this landscape bows to balance. It favours native flora over ornament, and grounds itself in the rhythm of seasonal self-sufficiency. A robust irrigation system, discreet yet powerful, flows beneath the surface. It echoes the natural order, ensuring that every root is met with water’s grace.
Here, nature is neither tamed nor merely observed—it is embraced. The soulful farmhouse stands not as an intrusion, but as an extension of the earth itself. It is a gentle sanctuary where humans live in harmony with the wild. Where life in all its forms is free to flourish.
The journey begins at a grand Valsadi wood gate. It leads to a circular stone court centred around a gently gurgling water body fountain. The smoky aroma of wood fire lingers in the air, setting a tone of earthy stillness. Woven into a lush green landscape, the C-shaped soulful farmhouse wraps around tranquil courtyards, pavilions, and lily-dotted water bodies. Here, ducks and rabbits move freely, animating the natural setting.
An open-plan configuration defines the living, dining, and lounging spaces, blurring thresholds between indoor comfort and outdoor calm. The layout is meticulously planned to guide visitors through layered experiences—each space revealing itself gradually, evoking a sense of discovery and mindfulness. The material palette reflects the spirit of the land, featuring rustic Kota and golden Jaisalmer stone underfoot, alongside reclaimed wood and hand-finished brass details that celebrate craft and tactility.
With sustainability at its core, the architecture emphasizes natural ventilation of soft scaping, hardscaping, and timeless design gestures. Every element—crafted, curated, or grown—works in quiet harmony, creating a sanctuary where tradition meets modern restraint, and where nature is not a backdrop, but an immersive, ever-present soul.
Richly textured yet inherently simple, the interiors offer a harmonious balance between private retreats and communal gathering zones. A spa, cocooned within a dense Miyawaki forest, and a meditative Zen garden just opposite to the swimming pool further anchor the home’s ethos of serenity and restoration .A hymn to slowness and regeneration, this forest spa transcends structure, becoming a living, breathing experience where architecture kneels humbly before nature and finds its truest expression in stillness.
Locally sourced materials, natural textures, and traditional motifs integrated through art installations and detailing celebrate cultural roots while aligning with environmentally responsive design principles. This farmhouse not only serves as a retreat but also stands as a model for climate-conscious rural luxury.
The pattern is balanced geometrically—neither too ornate nor overly minimal.
With a nod to the regions’ vernacular style through tile roofing , wooden details and stone finishes paired with Miyawaki forest. As twilight drapes the sky in shades of indigo, the pool emerges like a still mirror—serene, poetic, and meditative.
It catches the last sighs of sunlight and holds them gently on its surface, shimmering like liquid glass. Along its edges, sculptural trees glow under soft, golden light, casting delicate shadows that sway with the evening breeze. The water, calm and contemplative, becomes a silent storyteller—echoing the rhythms of nature and the stillness of the surrounding architecture.
Stone-clad steps, kissed with warm underlighting, descend toward the pool like a lyrical invitation, blurring the boundaries between built form and landscape. Frangipani trees lean over, mirrored in the pool’s tranquil surface, while the ambient hush of dusk wraps everything in a quietude that feels both sacred and eternal. This view becomes more than merely picturesque—it creates a mood, suspends a moment between light and dark, and gently reminds the soul to pause, breathe, and simply be.
Crafted with a deep sensitivity to space, texture, and tradition, the interiors of this farmhouse are a refined narrative of cultural homage and material elegance. An earthy palette envelops the living spaces, as natural black slate stone flooring anchors the rooms with a grounding calm. Its smooth matte finish contrasts beautifully with the warmth of teak-toned wood, which rises above in intricately crafted ceilings and exposed rafters.
In the living lounge, minimalist daybeds with hand-turned wooden spindles and rust-toned upholstery evoke a vernacular purity, while a sculptural driftwood coffee table with a floating glass top becomes the organic centrepiece.
The visual dialogue between polished wood and coarse jute underfoot softens the geometry of the space. Overhead, a vaulted ceiling with woven acoustical panels filters light and sound in poetic measure, offering both rhythm and repose.
In the bedrooms, the handcrafted four-poster bed in solid timber, paired with subtle block-printed linens, speaks of both restraint and intimacy.
Patterned ceramic tilework wraps the flanking niches and built-in nightstands, adding a whisper of nostalgia. Every detail, from the brass knobs to the hand-carved headboards, celebrates the slow luxury of craftsmanship.
The bar lounge becomes a joyous ode to storytelling—its bold style mural showcasing Shakuntala narrates myth and folklore across a lime-washed canvas, framed in natural cane pendant lamps that cast a golden lattice glow.
The intricately inlaid wood-panelled bar front glimmers with gilded botanical motifs, grounding the folkloric exuberance in artisanal grace.
These interiors are not merely styled—they are composed, with a tactile depth and layered materiality that honours tradition, embraces context, and elevates the experience of rural luxury into something soulful, serene, and deeply rooted.
This serene bathroom is a lyrical blend of art and nature, where hand-painted florals and birds gracefully animate the walls, evoking a delicate connection to the outdoors. The flooring in natural slate grounds the space, while the black stone basin and sleek white counter offer a refined contrast.
A freestanding tub nestled in river pebbles becomes a tranquil centerpiece, surrounded by textural stonework and warm wooden accents. Framed by a large open window, the bathing space is bathed in natural light, turning routine into ritual. Crafted with detail and soul, the space celebrates simplicity, craftsmanship, and immersive calm.
The material vocabulary—of slate, marble, soft white tiles, and raw natural finishes—echoes the spirit of the home, emphasizing sustainability and a deep-rooted connection to the landscape. Every surface, every curve, tells a story, transforming the act of daily cleansing into a multisensory escape. This bathroom is not merely a utility—it is a living canvas of nature, art, and quiet indulgence.
Fact File
Designed by: 9 Degree Design Studio
Project Type: Residential Architecture & Interior Design
Project Name: Vrukshalayam
Location: Valevda, Gujarat
Year Built: 2023
Duration of the project: 2 Years
Project Size: 1,60,400 Sq.ft
Principal Designer: Chirag Mehta
Photograph Courtesy: Murtaza Gandhi
Products/Materials/Vendors: Lighting – Customized / Doors and Partitions – Wooden Customized Sanitaryware – Jaguar / Windows – Wooden / Furniture – Solid wood customized / Flooring – Kotta stone and black kaddappa / Kitchen – Sleek Kitchen / Paint – Asian Paint and ica paint / Artefacts – Customized / Hardware – hettich and haffle
Firm’s Website Link: 9 Degree Design Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: 9 Degree Design Studio
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