A STYLISH INTERLUDE

A sumptuous Italian-inspired villa in Sweden exudes an Indianness without sacrificing its contemporary side

- FAREEDA KANGA

In a corner of Southern Sweden, close to the heart of IKEA lies the 100 year old home of Ankush Sharma, a native of Chandigarh.

“Sweden’s progressive attitude and its emphasis on sustainability and the environment was what enticed me to live here,” says Sharma, whose background in corporate finance and stints with American Express and IKEA have taken him across the globe on work assignments.

When the house hunt began it was love at first sight —on a sprawling 44,000 sq ft estate, Sharma was shown a historic home, built by the son of the famous handmade ‘Brio’ toys empire which was up for sale. “I didn’t blink or hesitate even for a minute as the quest for my dream home replete with orchards, rolling front and back gardens was complete,” he avers.

The excellent condition of the home obliterated need for structural repairs and Sharma moved in and within a record seven to eight days the house was ready and was inaugurated with a resplendent and lavish housewarming party for 70 guests from across the world.

Commenting on the exterior, Sharma points out that the home is designed to resemble an Italian villa as the owner lived in Italy whilst convalescing from a severe lung ailment and was inspired by the local architecture. The orangery made it possible to enjoy the long Swedish summer days, a perfect spot to connect with nature and experience the 100 tones of green in the lush back garden.