Coastal & Natural

Colonial Planter Bungalow Interior Design Ideas

The colonial planter bungalow look comes from the tea, coffee and spice estate houses of Munnar, Coorg, Darjeeling and the Nilgiris, built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. High ceilings, whitewashed walls with dark teak wainscoting, red-oxide or wide plank floors, louvred shutters and deep verandahs were designed for the climate. Inside sit planter's chairs, campaign chests with brass corners and rattan sofas. It suits Indian homes beautifully and uses materials and craftsmen still found across the country.

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Colonial Planter Bungalow: Hill-station elegance: teak, cane, a deep verandah, brass and monsoon greens.

What defines it

Whitewashed walls with dark teak wainscoting
Red-oxide or wide-plank teak floor
Tall louvred wooden shutters
Teak-and-cane planter's chairs on the verandah
Campaign chest with brass corners

Colours

whitewash · dark teak · monsoon green · red oxide

Works best in

living room · study · bedroom · dining room

For Indian homes

Red-oxide flooring is still laid by specialist masons in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka; it stays cool underfoot but needs a skilled hand to avoid cracks and should be waxed rather than acid-washed.

How it works

1Take one photo of your room — any phone, any light.
2Pick a style, a colour or a look. Change only what you ask for.
3See the finished room in about 30 seconds, then try another.

Questions people ask

What is red-oxide flooring?

It is a traditional cement floor coloured with red iron-oxide pigment and polished by hand to a soft sheen. It is seamless, cool in summer and long-lasting, and was common in older South Indian and colonial-era homes.

How do I get a colonial bungalow feel in a flat?

Add dark-wood wainscoting or a painted dado on one wall, choose a planter's chair and a cane sofa, use brass hardware, white walls, a ceiling fan and wooden louvred shutters or blinds on the windows.