Every room is defined by something old and something new; the passage is defined by a vintage Turkish runner and a teakwood study desk, with a wooden Garuda sculpture sourced from Karnataka. A Burmese lacquer box, cast brass butter lamp from Nilaya Anthology and vintage Japanese woodblock prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi reveal the home’s appetite for objects with a past. The TV room takes a more enveloping approach, with custom Coonoor Club wallpaper by PRD set against Sabyasachi velvet upholstery for Nilaya Collection. A vintage handknotted carpet, cast-brass cocktail table by Ravi Vazirani and art deco brass-and-glass floor lamp from Taherallys sit within the mix. Custom Sanganer Butti wallpaper by PRD sets the backdrop for a handwoven Bhujodi throw by Shamji Vankar and Cottons & Satins fabrics. A vintage red lacquered chinoiserie bird lamp and an embroidered Crane cushion from Pottery Barn sit beside the bed.
Original text by Mrinalini Ghadiok, edited for context.
Supermodel Avanti Nagrath’s Lutyens Home
Harshita Nayyar
The black wrought-iron gate opens onto a driveway, with a flourishing garden to the right. The driveway wraps around the house like a ribbon—a feature common to residences in Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone (LBZ), the capital’s most exclusive enclave, often referred to as Billionaires’ Row. Set on an 11,000-square-foot plot, the bungalow blends neoclassical principles with Indian design interventions—symmetrical massing, classical proportions, thick masonry, grand arches, and jalis for ventilation. There is a restrained, almost imperial austerity to it. Avanti greets me at the spacious verandah and escorts me inside with an easy, poised warmth. She mentions that she has long wanted to do a home tour with AD, inspired by one of her favourite models, Kendall Jenner. Inside, a few details immediately evoke nostalgia: a brass tower bolt (chitkani), double-panelled hardwood doors, and a transom ventilator—elements that have stood the test of time. She recalls that it was her great-grandfather, Ralya Ram, who constructed the property in 1932—a true contemporary of Connaught Place. It has remained in the family for five generations, witnessing not only weddings, birthdays, festivities, and the changing of seasons, but also cycles of decay and repair, peeling paint, and the gradual weathering of wood.
