When the busyness of life gets to Priya Selvam Ramachandra, a veterinary practice manager, she seeks respite in the harmonious blend of nature and architecture at home.
“I enjoy having this view that’s dominated by blue and green, because to me, it’s representative of vibrant nature,” she says.
“I’ve always liked bringing the essence of nature into the built-in space. My interest in architecture reflects how I’m drawn to trees — the detail in their structure and how that supports growth. In fact, every room in my home is designed to offer views of the garden, so everyone can experience that feeling of expanse and the sense of the outdoors.”
“From inside my room, which has large corner glass panels overlooking the pool on one side and into the canopy of mature trees on the other, you feel like you’re in a treehouse.”
“I manage my three children’s timetables while pursuing a naturopathy course, so time is tight. I try to make it easier by colour coding all our schedules! Nature offers me a quiet space to restore balance and recharge, and it is vital in my environment.”
“During the circuit breaker, I wanted to make natural wildlife part of my daily focus so I started photographing birds. Now, my daughter and I are very involved (and she’s great at spotting them). When I started to notice the birds that visit our garden, their variety surprised me. We’ve had hornbills, blue-crowned hanging parrots, sunbirds, parakeets and woodpeckers come by, typically in the morning and late afternoon. I also started swimming — something I previously never had time for — as often as twice a week.”
“After I drop my daughter off at school in the morning, I come home to this spot, to have my coffee, read the newspaper and admire the foliage. I breathe in the day’s ‘new’ oxygen and savour the calmness it brings. My home is my sanctuary because it grounds me and keeps me centred.”
This story first appeared in the November 2020 issue of A Magazine.