Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: This Rajkot Penthouse Exudes Opulence
Beige marble and wooden accents dominate the design language and flow of this penthouse
The owner of this Rajkot penthouse specifically sought out the design expertise of architect Dipen Gada to transform his home into a residence that is the ultimate in elegant living. “The client knew our style and thus gave us an open-ended brief,” says Dipen Gada of Dipen Gada and Associates. “The only direction we got was that the finished product had to look chic, clean-lined and polished.” To achieve this, the house has been realised as a clutter-free space in beige Italian marble, awash with sunlight, the rooms fresh and airy with natural ventilation.
The home sprawls across the ninth and tenth floors of a building and offers unobstructed views of Rajkot city from its north and south sides. Taking advantage of this, Gada creates a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces to maximise on the views, yet shield its residents from the city’s extreme heat and bustle. “Large windows overlooking the roof terrace and garden not only flood the house with ample light and ventilation, they also allow one to enjoy stunning views of the city,” says Gada. “The Italian marble flooring seamlessly connects the expansive house throughout, as well as adding texture and a touch of opulence to each area.”
A spacious double-height foyer overlooking the roof terrace marks the entry into the penthouse. The marble floor, coupled with the travertine-finished backdrop wall here, adds to the understated richness of the space.
Bring Home the Beauty of Marble
A spacious double-height foyer overlooking the roof terrace marks the entry into the penthouse. The marble floor, coupled with the travertine-finished backdrop wall here, adds to the understated richness of the space.
Bring Home the Beauty of Marble
On one side, the foyer leads off into two dining areas and the kitchen with its support service spaces. This is a minimalist space with just an eight-seater dining table at the centre. “A pendant light with multiple circular glass shades is the only sculptural element here,” says Gada. Sliding glass doors further extend the space into a second dining area out on the roof terrace.
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Discover Your Dining Table Style
In keeping with the clean-lined theme, the fully-equipped modular kitchen is an open and airy zone, designed to handle all the Indian-style cooking. The almost all-white palette further adds to the volume of the room.
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7 Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen
The living room and two guest bedrooms with their own private bathrooms and balconies lie on the other side of the foyer.
Red and grey furnishings and accessories bring a splash of colour into the living room. The private balcony along this space allows cool breezes to pass through, flushing away the trapped heat caused by the torrid climate of this region.
Red and grey furnishings and accessories bring a splash of colour into the living room. The private balcony along this space allows cool breezes to pass through, flushing away the trapped heat caused by the torrid climate of this region.
As one moves further into the house, a passage from the dining leads into the puja room and the parents’ bedroom.
“We made an effort to create a comfortable setting for the owner’s elderly parents,” explains Gada. “Apart from a calm beige-walnut colour scheme, we also provided multiple lighting sources here.” This bedroom has an attached bathroom with a large separate dressing area and a balcony.
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“We made an effort to create a comfortable setting for the owner’s elderly parents,” explains Gada. “Apart from a calm beige-walnut colour scheme, we also provided multiple lighting sources here.” This bedroom has an attached bathroom with a large separate dressing area and a balcony.
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The walnut wood tones, the marble and the use of yellow backlights continue into the parents’ bathroom, creating a continuous flow between the spaces.
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Unlike the rest of the house, the guest bedrooms take on a more contemporary feel in a cooler colour scheme. For instance, a rough-finished cement wall forms the backdrop to the bed in this guest room, while the hardwood floor and textured green accent wall add an earthy look.
Gada opts for light-blue painted walls in the guest bathroom to complement the grey-hued Italian marble and metallic fixtures here.
Bring in Cool, Calm Concrete Into the Bathroom
Gada opts for light-blue painted walls in the guest bathroom to complement the grey-hued Italian marble and metallic fixtures here.
Bring in Cool, Calm Concrete Into the Bathroom
The entrance foyer also houses the staircase that leads to the upper floor. Forming a gallery exhibit along the passageway, a collection of family photographs leads into a separate sitting area for the master bedroom on one side of the house.
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How to Design a Family Photo Wall
“The separate lounge brings in that luxurious hotel-like feel, where we have created a study and sitting area,” says Gada. “Walnut brown and shades of pink pop up here to stand out in the beige environment.” This space and the master suite overlook a private outdoor entertainment area.
Apart from the bed, the only other seating in the master bedroom is an ottoman. “This room has access to two outdoor areas, one on each side. We wanted the focus to be on the views and have, thus, not cluttered the space with too many accessories or furniture,” explains the architect. However, colour accents of green and red break the uniformity of beige here.
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The master ensuite bathroom consists of a built-in bathtub, a separate shower area, dresser, toilet and his and her washbasins. To add a subtle touch of grandeur to the room, a dull gold border with an Indian motif runs in a frieze all round the bathroom at the top of the walls.
“In the bathroom, beige Italian marble floors and walls blend with walnut-finished furniture to complete the picture of unrestrained luxury,” says Gada.
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“In the bathroom, beige Italian marble floors and walls blend with walnut-finished furniture to complete the picture of unrestrained luxury,” says Gada.
Discover: What is an Ensuite Bathroom?
A splash of colour on the other side of the upper floor emphasises the more youthful element of the house. The home theatre, study and children’s bedroom are located here and and look out into a Zen garden.
The children’s study is predominantly white, with the only colour coming in from the sheer rainbow-coloured curtains.
The children’s study is predominantly white, with the only colour coming in from the sheer rainbow-coloured curtains.
The private balcony creates a warm ambience with its stone floor of mixed browns, green planters, and a traditional gazebo. Incorporating a love seat in warm tints of orange, the gazebo adds a personal touch to the landscape, creating a comfortable place to enjoy the outdoors.
To filter the harshness of the direct sunlight, Gada covers the entire sit-out area here with a pergola.
To filter the harshness of the direct sunlight, Gada covers the entire sit-out area here with a pergola.
The architect plays with natural light in the Zen garden (in image) with a wooden slatted roof, while the blue and white mosaic floor add to the drama.
Gada sums up the design of the house saying, “The marble flooring, customised furniture and tailored upholstery celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of the house. Due to ample natural light coming in, the experience of the entire elegant space gets refined.”
Read more:
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Tell us:
How would you design a home to accommodate multiple generations? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Gada sums up the design of the house saying, “The marble flooring, customised furniture and tailored upholstery celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of the house. Due to ample natural light coming in, the experience of the entire elegant space gets refined.”
Read more:
Houzz Tour: The Villa Life in a Mumbai Apartment
Houzz Tour: A Delhi Home Dials Up on Luxury
Tell us:
How would you design a home to accommodate multiple generations? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Who lives here: Nikhil Patel, his wife, parents and two children
Location: Rajkot, Gujarat
Size: 1100 square metres built-up area; five bedrooms
Design team: Dipen Gada, Dolly Pari, Kruti Raj and Arpit Jain from Dipen Gada and Associates
Photos by Tejas Shah
Layout across levels:
Lower level Entrance foyer, living, dining, kitchen, powder room, roof terrace, home office, two ensuite guest bedrooms and parents’ bedroom, puja room.
Upper level Home theatre, children’s study and bedroom, Zen garden, private balcony with a gazebo, master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.