Terracotta

The room curtains and bedside rugs are custom hand blockprinted locally in Bagru using vegetable colours. The bed is antique, made of hand carved wood and is an example of traditional Rajasthani furniture. The coffee table is another antique piece with a still visible handpainted image of the god Ganesha in vermillion. The handwoven rug and modern ceramic bedside lampstands in brilliant blue provide an interesting counterpoint to the deep terracotta and vermillion hues of the other furnishings.

The word Terracotta – from the Italian – means cooked (or baked) earth and refers to hard fired clay that is brownish orange in colour when unglazed, that is used for pottery, architectural ornaments and facings, bricks, material for sculpture, etc. Its equivalent in Hindi is Geru.

At Savista, the Terracotta room echoes the centrality of the brick reddish- orange colour in the external décor of the place, namely the grounds…Terracotta pots hold palms and other potted plants both within the courtyard and in the gardens. Brick paved pathways lead out from the haveli to the grounds, past a lily pool. Clay firepots line these pathways and light the way through the gardens after dark. Unplastered brick walls line the lily pools in the grounds, the pathways leading to the alfresco dining area, and make up the walls surrounding the property. Clay lampshades focus subdued light in the gazebos, indoor restaurant and bar, and the spa area. And clay oil lamp holders glowing with candles bring warmth and soft light to the alfresco and indoor dining areas. Overall, the Terracotta room celebrates Savista’s rootedness to the earth.