Designed by Rutam Intarch, Meghavan in Lonavala is shaped by a clear brief for liveliness yet simplicity, warmth, and everyday functionality.
Set against the lush backdrop of Lonavala, Meghavan is a twin-villa retreat envisioned as a haven for gatherings, celebrations, and effortless living. The design intent was clear from the outset: to create a home that could host lively parties yet remain pristine, functional, and free from the challenges of the region’s heavy monsoons. Maintenance-free living, a palette of natural materials, and a sense of openness guided every design decision, resulting in a space that feels both understated and celebratory.
Designed by Sheffalie Jhaveri, designer at Rutam Intarch, the project which spreads across an approximate 1,766 sq. m, comprised two villas: one a five-bedroom residence, the other a twobedroom with an expansive gaming room, both linked by a landscaped garden and pool zone. Rather than imposing stylistic rigidity, the design evolved organically, with furniture and material choices responding to proportion, practicality, and the spirit of the setting. Walls were left bare, with furnishings deliberately pulled away from surfaces to avoid moisture damage. Every piece of furniture was made in-house, designed to balance the high ceilings and varying volumes without overwhelming them.
The material palette is tactile yet sensible: Burma teak for durability, cotton and handloom fabrics for lightness, and Nexion tiles alongside natural limestone for seamless surfaces that age gracefully. The approach to cost-efficiency was never about compromise but about discernment, choosing materials that weather well, blending quality with restraint. Landscape design, too, followed this ethos; trees were favoured over delicate flowering plants, ensuring longevity against the rains while retaining a natural, unmanicured charm.
One of the most striking spatial gestures is the integration of the two villas through a central garden. Theatre-style steps create a tiered seating arrangement that transforms the outdoors into a social amphitheatre. From the first villa, residents enjoy uninterrupted views across to the second one, the garden acting as both separator and connector, alive with the energy of gatherings. Equally memorable is the pool ensemble, comprising a lap pool and a smaller jacuzzi-style pool with a cascading waterfall, set against the backdrop of monsoon clouds that descend dramatically into the valley.
Inside, design ingenuity reveals itself in details such as a transformable U-shaped sofa in the den that doubles as beds for children, the main living room sofas designed as a modular seating system that can be adapted to move around and fit into different configurations, and a monumental handcrafted light installation suspended within the double-height living space. Minimal yet impactful, these interventions anchor the soaring volumes without cluttering them, celebrating proportion and craftsmanship over ornamentation.
The resulting retreat is not defined by a singular style but by an intuitive, natural design language, one that balances celebration with serenity, practicality with beauty. It is a home where lightness, proportion, and the spirit of the landscape converge to create an enduring stage for both parties and pause.
Photography: Pulkit Sehgal
Styling: Rutam Team & Spaces and Stories
