Dusky Rose & Modern Prose: How One Residence Wrote a New Chapter on Heritage

In the lush landscape of Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, stands The Pink Opal, a residence where memory is woven into modernity. Marrying the fleeting memory of an ancestral haveli with the vision of a modernist city abode, this 3,600-square-foot, private home is a profound hymn to the poetic possibilities that arise when tradition meets innovation. Conceptualised by Sona Reddy Studio, the four-bedroom home is a deeply personal narrative for its owners. The design ethos is the metaphor of weaving threads: nostalgia forms the warp, while experimentation forms the weft. The home’s interiors feature personal touches like salvaged furniture, custom carvings of the haveli’s façade, and earthy materials.

Also Read: Meet The People Shaping A Sustainable Future For Havelis In India

“Tanushree and Parth, a doctor couple, wanted a home that blended the nostalgia of their ancestral haveli with modern minimalism,” mentions interior designer Sona Reddy of Sona Reddy Studio. “Their brief called for a soulful design rooted in tradition yet reimagined for today. The result is a modern home that preserves their memories while embracing new beginnings.”

A Grounded, Layered Entrance

The experience of The Pink Opal begins with a statement of scale and craftsmanship. The nearly five-foot-wide teak main door, painted in a dusky rose tint derived from madder pigment (dye derived from the root of the madder plant), sourced from Uttarakhand, features intricate woodwork inspired by weaving patterns. This handcrafted element, a unique cultural touch, immediately draws the visitor in with its warmth and sets the tone for the entire home.

Just beyond the entryway, the eye is caught by a striking, rust and ivory-hued travertine wall, which becomes a focal point of layered texture. This architectural statement is anchored by a bespoke console crafted from the same material. Underfoot, grey terrazzo floors streaked with pink inserts create a subtle yet dynamic visual dialogue, reinforcing the studio’s focus on material honesty and texture. 

Also Read: Art Confidential: Abhinit Khanna On Playing The Long Game When Collecting

Soulful Minimalism and Homage

The most enjoyable part of the design for Sona Reddy was the entrance, which “set the tone for the whole house,” bringing the warm, personal feeling to life with the handcrafted teak door and travertine wall. The primary challenge was balancing the old-world charm of the clients’ previous haveli with a simpler, more modern look while working around existing structural elements like plumbing.

Moving on, the living and dining areas embrace soulful minimalism, enjoying a close relationship with the expansive garden outside through large, wood-framed glass doors and windows. The design here is intentional and restrained. However, it’s rich in detail. A poignant tribute to the traditional jaali walls of grand havelis appears as a series of circular punctures in the wall. Framed by terracotta rings, these are a modernist interpretation of screens, keeping the space airy while adding a touch of cultural nostalgia.

Also Read: Live Like a Star: 5 Of Bollywood’s Most Iconic Palace Stays

Furthermore, the bar unit holds a special, custom-carved detail that replicates the façade of the couple’s old haveli, a direct and cherished nod to the past. The mood then shifts into a cosier television lounge, a relaxed environment framed by floor-to-ceiling glass. Here, a vibrant kilim-style rug injects colour and warmth into the otherwise muted palette. A large, double-sided bookshelf acts as both a divider and subtly conceals a quiet prayer nook.

A Palette of Memory and Modernity

While each room of this Hyderabad home has a distinctive personality, it looks and feels cohesive. A careful balance of colour and texture defines the resting spaces at The Pink Opal. The primary bedroom is a minimalist retreat with a tactile feature wall and teak furnishings. In contrast, the guest bedroom is more nostalgic, with salmon-toned walls and an heirloom bed repurposed from the former haveli, making it a warm, inviting space that celebrates memory and history. The colour scheme, featuring hues like salmon, slate blue, mint, and lemon, was intentionally chosen to guide movement and evoke mood, and create an unhurried flow across spaces.

Also Read: #DP Trends: Colour Drenching Marks The Bold Departure Of Neutrals

The material palette, simple, natural, and grounded, plays a crucial role in telling this story of remembrance and reinvention. Lime plaster, natural stones, terracotta, seasoned wood, and pigments sourced traditionally embody the marriage of past and present. The focus was on using authentic, durable materials that age well and feel honest, rather than relying on superficial finishes. The design also incorporates green features through this material selection, such as the use of locally sourced, low-impact lime plaster and natural light maximisation to reduce energy consumption.

A Personal and Timeless Luxury

The Pink Opal breaks away from the conventional idea of luxury defined by grandeur or excess. Instead, it embraces a softer, more grounded kind of design where true luxury lies in quiet craftsmanship, the honesty of materials, and the comfort of familiarity. Moreover, this bungalow successfully shows that modern homes can be warm and welcoming while being highly functional and paying homage to the clients’ tastes and preferences at the same time.

Also Read: 5 Incredible Homes That Blur The Lines Between Nature And Design

The home is not built around one strict theme, but is an exploration, a space about connection: to where you come from, to the crafts that shaped your memories, and to a quieter, more soulful way of living. Sona Reddy Studio has masterfully woven together the threads of past and present, creating a home that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, a living, breathing canvas where every detail tells a beautiful tale.