Sriram and Shoba Kumar rebuilt their family home in Melbourne’s west around ancient Vastu Shastra principles, blending faith, balance and modern design. Picture: Wayne Taylor
A knockdown-rebuild in Melbourne’s west has given IT professional Sriram Kumar and his family the chance to design their forever home guided by ancient principles of Vastu Shastra.
Raised in the Hindu faith, the family prioritised incorporating Vastu Shastra into their new home, a traditional Indian system of architecture that aligns a building’s layout with energy, balance and prosperity.
Mr Kumar, who lives with wife Shoba and their two children Rishi and Naira, said the family decided to rebuild after realising land prices had surged.
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“We were on a big block already, so instead of moving we thought it made sense to do a knockdown rebuild,” Mr Kumar said.
“It gave us the opportunity to design something modern, spacious and culturally meaningful.”
Raised in the Hindu faith, the family prioritised incorporating Vastu Shastra into their new home, a traditional system that aligns architecture with balance, energy and prosperity.
“It’s part of our culture,” Mr Kumar said.
“Vastu brings positivity into the house, but helps with harmony between husband and wife, and even success in work or business.
For us, it was never just about a house, it was about building a home that felt spiritually right.”
The family guided themselves through the design, combing through dozens of Metricon plans to find one that matched their needs.
“Our block faces east, which was perfect,” he said.
The Kumars’ knockdown-rebuild gave them space for family, faith and future generations, a modern home shaped by spiritual harmony. Picture: Wayne Taylor
“We wanted the dining in the west, sunlight streaming in from the north, and the laundry in the southeast, which symbolises cleansing and removing negative energy.
“Every placement was intentional.”
That attention to detail proved timely.
Mr Kumar was made redundant after 17 years at IBM during the build, but soon after secured a new role with a pay rise of 20-30 per cent.
“It was incredibly stressful at the time, juggling rent and the mortgage, but in the end everything worked out better than we expected,” he said.
The new home, now nearly 57 sq m and allows the family to host visiting relatives and create space for multi-generational living.
Every room in the new home was planned with intention, from sunlight and airflow to sacred placement and energy flow. Picture: Wayne Taylor
“In India joint families are common, but being overseas means we’re separated,” Mr Kumar said.
“Having space for parents to stay was really important to us.”
He believes builders should be more open to tailoring homes to cultural or faith-based needs, whether for Hindu, Muslim, or Jewish families.
“Even if there’s no scientific proof, it’s what we’ve been taught and what gives us peace of mind,” he said.
“If builders can accommodate that, they should.
“At the end of the day, it’s about building trust.”
Vastu-inspired details like the east-facing entry and pooja room bring daily reminders of peace, prosperity and connection to tradition. Picture: Wayne Taylor
For Mr Kumar, the journey has reinforced the value of chasing big dreams.
“When I first came to Australia, I dreamt of owning a couple of houses and building a good life,” he said.
“It all comes down to following your dreams and making smart choices to get there.”
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