How a 4,000 sq. ft. family home became a celebration of love, rescue, heritage, and the worlds its owners call home.
Type: The Soul Affair (Full Home Design) | Location: Pune | Size: 4,000 sq. ft.
Scope of the Project
A full-home design for Shruti and Ian, founders of An Ancient Game. Designed for a family of two humans and eighteen rescued dogs, the home blends Indian and English influences through custom details, layered storytelling, pet-friendly planning, and deeply personal design choices.
The Client Brief
When Shruti and Ian decided to make Pune their forever home, they envisioned a space that could hold everything they loved—India and England, history and creativity, family and rescue. More than anything, they wanted a home that reflected the life they had built together and the eighteen indie dogs who form such an important part of it. The challenge was creating a home that felt deeply personal while remaining practical for everyday life with a large furry family.
Description Notes
The design began with the people and stories that would inhabit the space. Throughout the home, custom portraits of the dogs painted by Kohhrra's Himanshi in a classic English portrait style celebrate each member of the family with humour, dignity, and affection. Inspired by Shruti's belief that indie dogs deserve to be celebrated, these portraits became one of the defining elements of the home, transforming it into a love letter to the animals that shaped their lives.
The interiors bring together influences from Yorkshire, Kolkata, and Rajasthan in a way that feels natural rather than thematic. Vintage furniture sits comfortably alongside handcrafted Indian details, while rich colours, layered prints, and collected objects create spaces full of warmth and character. Every room was designed to feel lived-in and personal, allowing different aspects of the couple's journey, interests, and heritage to quietly reveal themselves throughout the home.
Designing for eighteen dogs required the home to be as functional as it was beautiful. Durable anti-skid flooring, custom dog nooks, integrated storage solutions, and even a dedicated dog room with its own bath were carefully woven into the design. The result is a home that balances practicality with personality, creating a space where every family member—human and canine alike—belongs. More than anything, it is a home shaped by love, memory, and the life they have built together.
