Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Delhi Home Rises Up For Three Generations
This expansive home blends traditional and modern design elements to create a comfortable space for all its members
As an entrepreneur in the handicrafts industry, the homeowner wanted his family home to reflect his passion for Indian arts and crafts. Architects Kapil Aggarwal and Pawan Sharma of Spaces Architects@ka were brought on board to design a home that was a fusion of traditional and contemporary decor elements and one which could also comfortably accommodate three generations of a family.
“In addition, the space needed to have internal connectivity and interactive areas for the family, as well as let in the maximum amount of sunlight,” says Kapil Aggarwal. The interiors thus incorporate double-height spaces and cutouts, while the decor is eclectic, emphasising not only regional works of art but also vibrant colours.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: DK Sharma and family
Location: New Delhi
Year built: March 2016
Size: 168 square metres; 7 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms
Principal architect: Kapil Aggarwal of Spaces Architects@ka
Design team: Kapil Aggarwal, Pawan Sharma and Arvind Singh
Photos by Bharat Aggarwal
“In addition, the space needed to have internal connectivity and interactive areas for the family, as well as let in the maximum amount of sunlight,” says Kapil Aggarwal. The interiors thus incorporate double-height spaces and cutouts, while the decor is eclectic, emphasising not only regional works of art but also vibrant colours.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: DK Sharma and family
Location: New Delhi
Year built: March 2016
Size: 168 square metres; 7 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms
Principal architect: Kapil Aggarwal of Spaces Architects@ka
Design team: Kapil Aggarwal, Pawan Sharma and Arvind Singh
Photos by Bharat Aggarwal
The space planning and design has been derived from the site and the owner’s requirements. For instance, as the plot faces a green belt in the front, the architect designed the open-plan living room here with a double height (first floor) to create a visual connect with the greenery outside. “This allows one to experience the trees from indoors; it also maximises the amount of natural light entering the home,” says Aggarwal.
The ground level is a self-contained apartment with all the necessities easily accessible to the homeowner’s parents. The level consists of a living-cum-dining room, a kitchen and three bedrooms, while a triplex apartment on the floors above houses a separate home for Mr Sharma’s family, including a dedicated guest bedroom and home theatre.
On the first floor, the base tone in the double-height living space is a subtle beige. This has been done to keep the focus on the artworks, like the mural made from wooden logs or the vibrant handloom carpets used as wall art panels.
“We specifically designed wallpapers, artefacts and furniture to complement the fusion theme,” Aggarwal says. “The furniture and furnishings were carefully chosen to gel with the concept and also to reflect the owner’s fondness for handicrafts and traditional elements.”
Sofas and tables: Idus; lights: Legero Lighting; tiles: Porcelanosa
On the first floor, the base tone in the double-height living space is a subtle beige. This has been done to keep the focus on the artworks, like the mural made from wooden logs or the vibrant handloom carpets used as wall art panels.
“We specifically designed wallpapers, artefacts and furniture to complement the fusion theme,” Aggarwal says. “The furniture and furnishings were carefully chosen to gel with the concept and also to reflect the owner’s fondness for handicrafts and traditional elements.”
Sofas and tables: Idus; lights: Legero Lighting; tiles: Porcelanosa
Beyond the open living and dining area is a glass-and-wood staircase with a painted textured cement back wall. A skylight not only frames this section but naturally illuminates all the floors. To further emphasise the texture of the back wall, accent lighting has been used.
Read about railings that magically transform staircases
Read about railings that magically transform staircases
Also situated on the first floor is the modular kitchen and master bedroom. The room continues the warm colour scheme, but leans towards varying shades of yellow. A textured yellow wall frames the bed and highlights the wood-and-metal installation hung above the headboard.
The second floor houses the children’s bedrooms and a family sitting space that overlooks the double-height living room. The son’s bedroom is light-toned with a textured off-white wallpaper framing the bed. To balance the neutral interiors, colour is brought in through a wall mural.
The daughter’s bedroom has been done in lighter and brighter tones of cream and yellow. An asymmetrical wooden jaali is hung above the headboard to break the straight lines that define most of the space. Its airy shapes echo the solid pastel-hued triangles in the rug.
“The bathrooms follow a beige colour scheme and are clad in different shades of cream and brown marble that add depth to the space,” Aggarwal says. “The extensive use of glass and mirrors further increases the volume, while potted plants liven up the space.”
On the landing of the third floor, a laser-cut jaali in the skylight creates a play of light and shadow on a strategically positioned bird mural hung on the wall along the staircase. This floor and the terrace level above are dedicated solely to leisure and socialising activities.
“The guest bedroom is visually connected to a terrace garden with tensile roofing, creating a soothing open space,” the architect says.
The fourth floor is designed as an outdoor entertainment space. “As the family is fond of hosting parties, we have created different entertainment zones, such as the bar and the wooden deck area for seating, and an open garden terrace,” Aggarwal says.
Handicraft elements enliven the wall and floor here as well, accentuating the fusion theme. “A Madhubani artist was invited to paint a full-length work of art on one of the terrace walls, while a section of the floor is cast in black kadappa in a checkered pattern, with a leaf design in stone at the centre,” Aggarwal concludes.
Read more:
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Tell us:
Do you like how this house merges Indian and contemporary decor elements? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: Contemporary Meets Classical in This Hyderabad Home
Houzz Tour: This Rajkot Penthouse Exudes Opulence
Tell us:
Do you like how this house merges Indian and contemporary decor elements? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Ground floor: living-cum-dining room, 3 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, kitchen; first floor: double-height living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom with an attached bathroom, powder room, study room; second floor: lobby, children’s bedrooms with attached bathrooms; third floor: lobby, guest bedroom with an attached bathroom, terrace garden, home theatre; fourth floor (terrace): terrace garden, wooden deck and bar, powder room.
The facade of this home is anything but conventional. “The building elevation was an experiment undertaken to highlight modern building practices that incorporated traditional materials like exposed brick,” says Aggarwal. Evoking the fusion concept for the exterior, the elevation mixes exposed brick and concrete with metal louvres and a tensile roof. Adding a new dimension to the facade is a cantilevered slab made of exposed concrete perforated with triangular cutouts.