The Grand Tour: Inside Ratan Kant and Jui Sharma’s Design-Forward Home Inspired by Fairmont Jaipur

It is the personal space of two visionaries who brought world-class luxury brands like Fairmont and Raffles to Rajasthan, so naturally, every corner in this house leaves you pausing to admire the walls, the curated decor, the lighting, and the ambience. Ratan Kant Sharma and Jui Sharma, the driving forces behind some of India's best luxury hotels, walk us through their home, revealing how its design draws inspiration from their illustrious properties. As we go for a grand tour of their home at Civil Lines in Jaipur, they open up about their favourite corners, the soul of their home, and more.

“Luxury is all about personalisation and space. What luxury means to you might not be the same for me. Every room [in the house] is designed based on the desire and requirement of the occupant. I have a terrace attached, whereas my father has a living room attached to his bedroom. That’s what luxury is today—a place where everyone gets to enjoy what they want,” says Ratan. “Luxury, I feel, has to be comfortable and easy, not a burden, and easily customisable,” Jui adds.

A Home Inspired by a Hotel

Speaking of the story behind their home, Ratan Kant Sharma observes, “Our primary business is hotels, and we wanted our home to reflect our business in some way as well. Therefore, the off-take of the whole house has come from Fairmont Jaipur, which was the first Fairmont of India that we built in Rajasthan. All the arches [in the house] reflect the same architecture as our hotels. At the same time, we didn’t want it to feel very opulent; it had to feel like a home.”

Jui continues, “The house is inspired by Fairmont Jaipur, and we wanted it to be practical and contemporary, so we blended it with modern architecture. We believe in Vastu, and we have used that in our house. We have a lot of sunlight and air coming in. We have used hand-knotted carpets everywhere, and a lot of local artisans came together while making our home and hotels as well. We have always believed in being ‘vocal for local’.”

There are parts of the house that are also inspired by Jaipur’s local hoods. Like the central courtyard. Jui reminisces, “The central courtyard concept of a home was kept intact, inspired by the homes in Johri Bazaar. We wanted it to reflect warmth, connection, and individuality—a space where everyone feels comfortable, included, and free to be themselves. Each floor has its own kitchen, and the top floor is where we usually throw parties. It was during the pandemic when we all got together and had the privilege of spending time together as a family.”

A Home with a Soul

Ratan and Jui are tireless workaholics, but when it is their day off, they like spending it at their home. “Since I am always travelling, a day off for us is about unwinding—being with friends, watching a movie, and having popcorn,” says Ratan. 

“For me, it is usually getting up late and doing yoga, because on other days I get up early. Then a nice lunch with the kids, followed by a good movie—either a horror movie or a Bollywood movie,” Jui reveals.

Ratan and Jui call their family and closest friends the soul of their home. “A house becomes a home once you put a soul into it. The soul is made up of family, close friends, and beautiful memories. A home is not made of walls and bricks; it is the meaningful memories, warmth, and love in every corner. It gives us space and time,” opens up Jui.

“Every house becomes a home with the people in it. My parents and kids live here, and some of my closest friends are always invited. We keep everyone happy, and this house makes us happy at the end of the day. A happy house is one which has beautiful memories in it, and] we are a very closely knit family,” Ratan signs off.

Watch the grand tour here: