I first met Vasundhara Raje in 2010 at a publisher's dinner on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival. She was no longer chief minister of Rajasthan, but at that gathering of Pulitzer Prize winners, a Nobel Laureate, two doctors and sundry writers, she was the most powerful person. One of the most recognisable faces in Indian politics, Vasundhara contradicts the standard stereotype associated with Indian politicians. She has a fabulous sense of humour (along with the rare ability to laugh at herself), is stylish, and supremely well-read. I remembered my first impression of Vasundhara when I visited her Delhi home. The markers of her personality are woven into every aspect of this intimate space: it is vivacious, stylish, opinionated and spiritual. “Politicians are not expected to be concerned about their homes or interested in design, but when you work like a maniac, it's important to have a space to come back to that makes you feel good—and welcome,” she says. A member of the erstwhile royal house of Gwalior, Vasundhara is perhaps, by way of her cultural heritage, history and lineage, better placed to understand and appreciate aspects of art and interior design than many of her political peers.
Inside the Delhi Home of Vasundhara Raje
Of all the many kinds of contemporary interior styles that exist in India today–and there are many–Vasundhara Raje's home style is a unique indigenous creation. You could call it ‘contemporary-Indo-colonial' design (excuse the hyper hyphenation, but it is a mix of many). Essentially, this look is achieved by blending facets of traditional Indian design and British colonial styling, with contemporary colours, textures and accessories. These homes are not afraid of prints, heavy drapes, chandeliers or leather; they are old souls residing in young structures.
There aren't many good examples of these types of households in the country but Delhi, with its relatively large population of former royalty and courtiers, has some of the best. Vasundhara's three-bedroom cottage is certainly at the top of this league. It recalls the sort of scale, warmth and thoroughbred European-leaning tastes that once marked Indian palaces. Designed by a Delhi-based decorator friend of hers, this space is not the result of big expenditure; it is a consequence of partnering beautiful things that have a personal legacy, with complementary contemporary objects. And most importantly, it has a consistent point of view that holds it together from front door to pantry.
