Bangalore Houzz: This Architect's Home Is a Celebration of Colour
Personal touches, wood finishes and cosy lighting set the mood in a home that centres around family spaces
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Architect Shefali Singh, her husband Sanjeev and their two daughters
Location: Whitefield, Bangalore
Year built: 2017
Size: 560 square metres (6000 square feet); 5 bedrooms; 6 bathrooms
Interior designer and architect: Shefali Singh
Yellow, green and red set the mood in the two-storeyed bungalow that Architect Shefali Singh and her family call home. The house is filled with comfortable, functional, well-lit airy spaces. “My family has a flair for art and creativity, loves to spend time together, and to entertain friends. We wanted a house where all the family spaces are physically separate yet visually connected,” Singh says.
Photographs courtesy Anand Jaju Photography
Who lives here: Architect Shefali Singh, her husband Sanjeev and their two daughters
Location: Whitefield, Bangalore
Year built: 2017
Size: 560 square metres (6000 square feet); 5 bedrooms; 6 bathrooms
Interior designer and architect: Shefali Singh
Yellow, green and red set the mood in the two-storeyed bungalow that Architect Shefali Singh and her family call home. The house is filled with comfortable, functional, well-lit airy spaces. “My family has a flair for art and creativity, loves to spend time together, and to entertain friends. We wanted a house where all the family spaces are physically separate yet visually connected,” Singh says.
Photographs courtesy Anand Jaju Photography
A long hallway ends in a staircase with a wood and metal railing. To the left, another hallway leads to the guest bedroom, the powder room and Singh’s office. A wood-framed opening in the wall visually connects the dining room with the entrance. “We used several materials and colours for the floors, such as beige Italian marble slabs, patterned ceramic tiles used in combination with plain tiles, red ceramic tiles with a mosaic border, wood and laminate flooring, and dark-grey stone tiles,” Singh says.
Tiles: Ceramique and Katta Ceramics
Tiles: Ceramique and Katta Ceramics
As you walk through the hallway, the dining room is situated on the left and the living room on the right. The doorway to the dining room is flanked by alcoves with artefacts and curios on natural wood finish cabinets.
Paints: Asian Paints
Paints: Asian Paints
The olive-green living room features black leather sofas placed round a wooden centre table. “We moved to Bangalore after living in California for many years and a major part of our furniture was bought there over a span of almost 20 years,” Singh says. Some of the other furniture was bought from Pepperfry; the floor and table lamps were got from Pottery Barn.
“The dining room is the most interesting room and is the soul of this house,” Singh says. “The flooring features red ceramic tiles laid diagonally with a contrasting mosaic border, defining the space for the dining set.” Centrally located, this space has openings on three sides while the fourth wall opens onto the courtyard. A wooden chest embellished with mosaic tiles and flanked by potted plants fills one corner, while a floor lamp from Pepperfry and an open shelving unit occupy another. A wooden sideboard with brass handles acts as storage and is topped by framed artwork that completes the vignette. The teakwood dining table and chairs are from Crate and Barrel.
Beyond the dining room, separated by a corridor, is the family room that also has an accent wall made from stone tile cladding. “The ceiling is partially cut open to create a visual connection with upper floor. This opening is scaled down with the use of wood beams,” Singh says.
From the family room, the hallway leads to an open, airy kitchen with a breakfast nook illuminated by black pendant lamps. White cabinets and a dark countertop stand out against the deep purple walls, and the backsplash adds an element of interest with patterned stone tiles in varying sizes. The white ceiling features dark-green beams that house recessed lights. Rustic brown tiles on the floor give the kitchen warmth and intimacy, as does the wooden breakfast counter. A dash of ochre connects the kitchen to the dining room, which shares the sunny hue. Ochre is one element of a play of colours which runs through the house, defining yet connecting the various spaces. Similarly, the dark overhead beams and grids recur in a varying motif through the house.
Bright red walls, complemented by grey tiled surfaces, lend drama to the ground floor powder room. Recessed lights in the grid false ceiling made of wooden beams illuminate and accentuate the effect. A drop-in sink, marble counters, wooden cabinets and a framed mirror complete the look.
Coming back to the central corridor, the staircase leads to the private rooms above, past a landing midway. Featuring a seating nook and a wallpapered accent wall, this double-height space is flooded with natural light from the two tall windows with Venetian blinds. Throw cushions add colour and pattern to the space.
The first floor features a central hallway that has been transformed into a home library. This space is visually defined by a grid of wooden beams below the ceiling, which feature spotlights that illuminate the bookshelf – made from the same wood – and artwork on the walls.
Check out more ingenious bookshelf designs
Check out more ingenious bookshelf designs
The family TV room on the first floor is a mix of the traditional and the contemporary. Plush sofas topped with vibrant throw cushions have been paired with an antique writing desk and a colourful traditional chest.
“We kept the master bedroom simple, with a king-size bed, dresser, and a plush recliner,” Singh says. Framed folk-art fabrics hang on the green walls, and lights from Pottery Barn brighten the space. The bedroom leads to a walk-in closet and a bathroom, as well as to a terrace.
Furnishings: Skipper furnishings
Furnishings: Skipper furnishings
In this bedroom belonging to one of the daughters, a wall has been converted into a picture gallery, with framed black-and-white photographs, paintings and artwork set off by the grey backdrop. The wood flooring and bed add warmth, while the light-hued laminated wardrobe features a mirror panel.
Read more:
Faridabad Houzz: Comfort Rules in This Opulent, Multi-Generational Home
Bangalore Houzz: A Home With a Warm, Indian Contemporary Spirit
Tell us:
What did you think of this house? Share in Comments below.
Read more:
Faridabad Houzz: Comfort Rules in This Opulent, Multi-Generational Home
Bangalore Houzz: A Home With a Warm, Indian Contemporary Spirit
Tell us:
What did you think of this house? Share in Comments below.
“I wanted our home to give a feeling of warmth and comfort, which was achieved with the extensive use of wood in built-ins and furniture, as well as with different fabrics and textures on various surfaces,” Singh says.