Isprava gives back this festive season


Festive Nights at Igreha Vaddo 

This festive season come celebrate in all of luxury’s glory at Isprava Igreha Vaddo–where every moment will be made one to remember. 

Leave behind the city chaos, noise and pollution, and arrive at a destination that exudes serenity, style and inimitable charm to celebrate the festive days. Igreha Vaddo, inspired by Portuguese villages, is made up of six beautiful villas, each designed to reflect the style of the iconic St.Anthony’s Church. What makes spending quality time at this place even better is that it sits on a higher land, away from the main road, in a quaint and romantic setting surrounded by greenery on all four sides. While designing Igreha Vaddo, Isprava kept the culture of interaction in mind and accordingly added a common public parking lot as well as a central street, upon which the home entrances are found. Each home’s backyard opens into a more private surrounding, shielded by visual barriers like tall bamboos and plants between the homes. The villas feature around 3 to 4 bedrooms each and are spread across two floors with multiple wings and beautifully decorated passageways leading you in. You will enjoy the huge proportions and spaces, as well as the lovely double heighted spaces and stunning glass roofs. Some of the villas highlight unique architectural structures like the elegant balconies and terrace gardens, and some of the most amazing vintage furniture pieces. All the homes have gorgeous lawns, a bar, sit outs and a swimming pool, perfect for get-togethers and celebrations. Found around the rare green fields of Siolim in Bardez, North Goa, it is at Igreha Vaddo, where you can enjoy watching the world pass you by while you celebrate in true luxury. 

 

Magic Carpet

A simple rug can do wonders to a single space, transforming it from an ordinary floor to an extraordinary art spectacle. We let you in on the biggest carpet trends on the radar.

Enter the world of carpets and floor coverings, and you will discover there are infinite possibilities. From handwoven silk varieties to flat weave dhurries, from vibrant hues to lovely textures, bold designs to sustainable materials–there is always plenty to choose from. Every space will celebrate a carpet’s design in its own unique way.  Like for instance, an entryway is a popular space to feature a carpet, as it sets the tone for a home. We suggest, go for lighter colours like greys, beiges and whites for a luxurious entrance. Another thing people are paying more attention to is the size of the rug; the larger sizes are definitely trending big. Since standard sizes don’t always fit specific spaces, we believe going custom is a better option. In terms of material, while wool and silk may be popular options, jute is getting a lot of mileage too. The colours that are flooring us in the world of carpets are blue, green, taupe and burgundy and the carpet whisperer says more and more people will be leaning towards multicoloured styles featuring almost 14 to 15 different shades. So whether you are going vintage or contemporary, custom or off the rack, for the floors or to adorn your walls; every carpet has its own unique story. And every carpet will infuse your space with a unique personality. It is an investment that will lift your space from the ground up.  

 

Nilgiris, we love you!

Isprava is a huge advocate of social responsibility, and in that stride, it held an amazing charitable event in Ooty, designed to benefit undernourished children of the Nilgiris district.

Isprava’s love for the Nilgiris has always been evident–for its tea plantations, lush greenery and beautiful locations for its homes. But there is one more thing that draws us to these lands. And it is its people. For Isprava, building homes is just the tip of the iceberg. The intention is also to grow the communities around its homes, and the people within those communities. So, just ahead of the festive season, Isprava’s entourage invited approximately 100 children and parents from the tribal communities of Ooty and Coonoor to Ooty’s Anganwadi centre and donated high-protein foods like ghee, chikki and dates, to see these families through Diwali and Christmas. The event was designed to spread awareness about malnourishment in the Nilgiris, given that a significantly large percentage of the tribal population suffers from malnourishment, with limited access to clean drinking water, good health facilities and daily meals. Speaking on the occasion, Isprava’s Chairman, Mr Darshan Shah quips, “ At Isprava, we abide by a very strong set of principles, of which a core value is that of giving back. We are acutely aware of the communities in which we develop our homes, and are always striving to give as much as we take. We develop homes keeping sustainable practices in mind, grow trees and look after our neighbours, labourers and the less fortunate. With the launch of our first of many homes earlier this year in Coonoor, we look forward to being able to engage with the local community in many on-ground activities.” 

 

Making her mark

All the way from Sweden, Hanna Stromgren has spent the last five years in India running a next-gen brand strategy agency, a woman welfare organisation called WAC and recently joined the Isprava family as a brand partner for The Isprava club. In conversation with the woman on the march herself.

1) From Sweden to India. From risks to achievements. Tell us about your journey so far, and what is the one thing you love about India the most? 

I was born in Sweden, spent most of my childhood in Saudi Arabia, and then moved to California after high school. When applying to college, I applied to Brown University with missing GMAT/SAT scores—basic requirements for the university admissions office to even look at your application. I used my personal network of Deans, professors and community leaders that I had met and worked closely with, and I asked them to sign my homemade petition stating that if I ever took the GMAT or SAT I would have scored high enough to get in. I submitted my petition with 36 signatures. In less than 48 hours later, I received a note from the university stating that my scores had been received. I am sharing this story because it has been an important, central point in my life – a time when I realised that honestly, anything is possible—it is more about how you deal with the cards you dealt, not the actual cards at hand. Not taking no for an answer. After graduating, I was recruited by The Mahindra Group to come and work in corporate strategy for two years – something I did, and I fell in love with the country in the process. After my corporate stint, I was hungry for a faster pace and a broader set of responsibilities. I started working in startup strategy, and worked as a consultant—mainly with startups in the tech space, building roadmaps and heading projects from ideation to execution. In April this year, I kicked off my own brand agency, where I work with a mix of Indian and foreign startups. Isprava being one of them!

India is chaotic, loud, friendly and welcoming. Life here kicks you in the butt and throws you around, but it also hugs you tight and shares a lot of love. Aside from the colourful life that India has given me, one of my favourite things about living here is all the opportunities that she brings and those who choose to embrace it. The energy and vibe, from a personal and professional standpoint, always keeps me on my toes. I love that.

2) In the world of luxury, what do you appreciate about it the most? How do you think Isprava brings a slice of luxury to holiday living?

Luxury to me means the freedom to decide what you want and when you want it. Whether that entails the freedom of taking a holiday without asking your boss, being able to afford the things you want without worrying or deciding your own schedule – basically freedom equals luxury. And I think Isprava does that exceptionally well. Stress-free, personalised holidaying, careful attention to detail and 24-hour service are all factors that play huge roles in making each stay as relaxing and enjoyable as possible—leaving you with the freedom to focus on the things that genuinely matter to you.

3) If you had to choose one destination in the world to make your second home, what would it be? 

I’m going to be boring and biased, but I dream of a second home in the countryside in Southern Sweden, where I am from. The daylit summer nights, the dark & biting-cold winter mornings, the silence, and constantly being surrounded by nature. In contrast to India, privacy is very important in Sweden, and a lot of the times your backyard is so private you could literally walk around naked. I crave that freedom – maybe not to walk around naked  – but to have space where I can be whoever and do whatever I want.

4) What is your favourite space in your home, and why? What about in an Isprava home? 

My favourite space in my home is the dining table – because of the energy that it holds. In Sweden, having meals together is a big deal. You cook together, then sit around the table to talk and enjoy the food & drinks for hours. Eating for me is as much about the vibe as it is about the food—I love that. The dining space is a place where discussions, deals and meetings take place. A place to sum up your day, with yourself or in conversation. Where I can sit with a coffee or a good glass of wine. I keep my living space dim lit and have a special thing for candles and flowers, which I usually keep around my table too.

In an Isprava home, the outdoor area is my favourite. Being from a country where we are somewhat deprived of sunlight and time outdoors, I spend all my time in the garden or by the pool whenever I am on a vacation. Isprava also does a fabulous job with the lighting of its outdoor areas. Isn’t lighting like…everything?!

5) Life as an entrepreneur can be scary, but exciting as well. What have been the key moments that have made you who you are, and about how you’re a girl boss when it comes to things that stir your passion.

I am a firm believer that hardships are important aspects of our growth and progress in life, both personally and professionally. My parents’ divorce was a lengthy process that took a huge toll on me in my mid-teens. But it also taught me about life in a way that education cannot—taking charge of my own future and my own life was a big part of that.

I have never been someone who knew what I wanted to do. I have worked as a waitress, and have also worked in sales, events, real estate, corporate strategy, travel, tech, finance, wedding planning, startups, community building and branding. Each and every experience has taught me what I liked and didn’t like about it. Rather than checking off my passions, I’ve sort of checked off experiences that all left me with learnings to take with me to the next chapter in life. Today, I am blessed to do what I love for a living—a result of many years of confusion, hard work, and lack of direction. I think we are all doing what we are meant to be doing in life – all roads take us to where we are meant to be eventually.