Though they are thousands of miles away from their native India, Amitabh and Meenu "Mini" Sharma feel at home in Atlanta.

Kimberly Smith / AJC (ENLARGE)

Amitabh Sharma and Meenu Sharma have lived in their Stone Mountain home for 14 years.

Kimberly Smith / AJC (ENLARGE)

Tall windows on a curved wall serve as a visual anchor for the great room at the Stone Mountain home of Amitabh Sharma and his wife, Meenu 'Mini' Sharma.

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"We love the people, the foliage ... the food," Amitabh Sharma said with enthusiasm.

The Sharmas moved to Atlanta 14 years ago. Amitabh Sharma is from Agra — home of the Taj Mahal — and his wife hails from New Delhi. They own two IT consulting companies, and work from their DeKalb County home, which is near the Gwinnett County line.

Amitabh Sharma is active in Indian-American associations. He is past president of the Indian-American Cultural Association, a current director in the National Federation of Indian-American Associations, and past director of the Asian-American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta.

When they decided to build, they found the lot and the builder. Then, the Sharmas served as the architects.

The couple, who are practicing Hindus, asked the builder to create a room for a Hindu temple. The room has an east-facing window, which is important for feng shui, Amitabh Sharma said.

"It attracts a lot of energy from the sun," he said. "We pray every morning."

Within the temple room, the altar and idols are made of Jaipur marble from India. It's so heavy that "four people can barely lift it," Amitabh Sharma said.

Their favorite room

Visitors are immediately struck by the great room's curved window and a soaring 20-foot ceiling.

"My great room is my favorite room because of the height of the room," Mini Sharma said, describing the tall, colorful drapes and carved furnishings with subtle gold touches. "I get a good feeling."

The chairs with dragon heads are similar to furniture found in old Indian palaces, she said.

The home has an abundance of light. Mini Sharma fretted about hanging the great room drapes because they love the view, but the strong Georgia sun threatened to fade their furnishings, and she relented.

The Lord of the Removal of Obstacles, Ganesha, sits off to the side in a nook. The Sharmas pray to Ganesha "whenever we start any new venture or trip."

A peaceful tone

Mini Sharma is the decorator in the family. She chose soft earth tones to compliment the intricate furnishings and lend a peaceful feeling to the home.

"I'm very traditional, not contemporary," she said.

Downstairs is the spot they've nicknamed "the love room." The Sharmas imported Sankheda furniture in black and gold to create the traditional Indian room. It features a porch swing that visitors love to try out.

"It's homey, comfortable and low," Amitabh Sharma said as he urges a visitor to have a swing. The furniture style is found in rural western India, Mini Sharma said. The room includes jharokas, miniature wooden carvings of windows, that decorate the walls.

Open spaces

Unlike similar homes, the foyer does not feature a grand staircase. The Sharmas tucked their stairs off to the side.

"We wanted an open feeling in the house," Mini Sharma said.

That trend continues in the kitchen and breakfast area which includes a large center island, perfect for gathering and cooking.

"I love cooking, and he's fond of eating," she said.

The counters are made of Uba Tuba granite, complemented by a tile backsplash with touches of gold and green. Since Mini Sharma cooks with a lot of turmeric, she wanted dark colors to hide any stains.

"I cook all the time. I cook for the temple ... We're very involved."

The family room off the kitchen is comfortable, with a large leather sectional that faces the open kitchen.

"We spend a lot of time here," Mini Sharma said.

More entertaining

Downstairs, the basement is another convenient entertainment hub, with a wet bar, ping pong table and pool table.

"We socialize quite a bit,' she said. "We've had parties here for 200-300 people."

She designed the room with an open flow.

"We have arches, not doors. Symmetry is something I like — the free flow of people."

The theater room with a big screen TV and sound system is perfect for watching Bollywood, not to mention Hollywood, movies.

The basement also includes a home gym that Mini Sharma admits needs more activity.

A separate area is mirrored for their daughter, Aastha, to practice the Indian classical dance, Kathak.

Sleeping rooms

Upstairs, the bedrooms are also designed with Mini Sharma's restrained taste.

Daughter Aastha's bedroom includes a bench under the window and gold and maroon tones. The bedspread is made from saris, the traditional dress of an Indian woman.

Both their children, now Georgia Tech University graduates, were small when the family moved here.

The children now live in Minneapolis and Raleigh, N.C., but they still visit.

They recently convinced Amitabh's (very independent) mother to move here. When they built the home five years ago, they created and furnished a bedroom especially for her.

The gold-toned master bedroom with a deep tray ceiling includes a sitting area, a morning kitchen and a fireplace. They also installed a ceiling-mounted retractable movie screen so they can watch their favorite films in bed.

"We've tried to make the best use (of the space.) We've not left any place unused," she said.

HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS:

• 8,400 square feet of space with five bedrooms and a bonus room.

• Basement area for entertaining with theater room, pool table and ping pong.

• Backyard swimming pool

Do you have a tip or a nomination for Private Quarters? Email writer Chris Reinolds (creinolds@ajc.com) or call her at 770-326-8958.