India's visual culture is ruled by bright colours, religious decoration and the unrelenting heat of the sun, and designers have responded to this challenge in many ways over the centuries. With this book as guide, you can wander into the restored splendour of ancient Maharajas' palaces, enjoy living in houseboats on the lotus-covered lakes of Kashmir, or cool off in imposing colonial buildings built for British rulers wilting in the tropical heat. This is truly a world of contrasts, as we move from simple but beautifully hand-painted tribal huts to the L.A. influenced home of a Hollywood star, from a Buddhist house in Ladakh to the most original house designed in India by Le Corbusier. All the interiors here are lavishly photographed and documented.

Around Delhi

Lekha and Ranjan Poddar

Patwant Singh

O.P. Jain

Aman Nath and Francis Wacziarg

Kashmir, Ladakh and Punjab

River Houseboats

A Lake Houseboat

A House in Mulbekh

A Domestic Interior in Leh

Nek Chand

Rajasthan: Jaipur

Maharaja of Jaipur

Narain Niwas

Castle Mandawa

A Haveli in Churu

Kothari Haveli

Jodhpur

A Blue Haveli

Nimaj Haveli

Maharaja of Jodhpur

Narlai Fort

Jaisalmer

Mud Houses in Jaisalmer

Udaipur

Amet Haveli

Dungarpur

Udai Bilas Palace

Juna Mahal

Gujarat

Nomadic Huts in Kutch

Morvi Palace

Wankaner Palace

Jasdan Palace

Anand Sarabhai

Mahatma Gandhi

Bombay and Goa

Asha Parekh

Palacio de Pernem

Claudia Derain and Haft Ajwani

Casa de Braganza

Kerala

A Houseboat in Kerala

A Catholic Home in Kerala

Mathew Lawrence

Laurie Baker

Tamil Nadu and Orissa

Auroville

Jean-Francois Lesage

Chettinad Palace

Painted Huts in Orissa

Glossary / Glossaire / Glossar

Bibliography / Bibliographie

Acknowledgements / Remerciements / Danksagung