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11. This standalone wardrobe is nothing less than an artwork and is the star attraction of this monochrome bedroom. A black-and-white portrait of Jimi Hendrix that spreads over the three sliders is a striking choice.Discover a variety of options to store your clothes if you don’t have a built-in wardrobe
Pro Tip: Buy only BIS-certified glass for utmost quality-assurance. One can refer to the BIS’s code of practice for using glass in buildings and make sure the installed glass complies with the standards.Read more:Do You Know About the Different Types of Glass?9 Cladding and Design Ideas for FacadesTell us: Does your house already have a glazed exterior? Share your experiences and thoughts in Comments below.
Best practicesIf you still want glass facades, there are ways to make it more compatible with our climate. The bulletin on High Performance Glass by IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) includes the factors that need to be considered while choosing glass as a facade material. High Performing Glass reduces the ingress of heat, while ensuring maximum daylight is captured through the glazed surface. High Performance Glazing has a lower U-value (rate of heat flow due to conduction), lower SC (Shading Coefficient – the extent of solar heat gain compared to conventional glass) and high VLT (Visible Light Transmission), while blocking ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (heat) rays. Such glass can result in energy savings of up to 35-40 per cent.
ProsArchitectural glass, when used as a transparent facade material, is capable of putting life into any boxed building. By life, I mean to open up to the environment by enabling an indoor-outdoor visual connection. Glazing helps in bringing daylight into the home throughout the day. This directly lets you cut down on artificial lighting to a considerable extent. Good-quality architectural glass, when installed correctly, is strong enough to keep the indoors safe from bad weather, including heavy rain and wind. Although glass surfaces show even small amounts of dust and dirt, they do not wither, rust or warp over time. Any architectural glass surface can be treated with laminated films to induce colour or pattern to an otherwise plain front.A glass facade installation is quicker than building a masonry wall.
The tranquil terrace is embellished with tropical plants like plumeria and bamboo, a walk-on skylight and a glass balustrade – a luxurious space for long soirees or pensive evenings. “John’s and my shared vision is seen in the minimal layout integrated with landscape, lighting, refreshing earthy colours and natural textures, all exuding a sense of intimacy and relaxation,” Abraham says. Read more:Houzz Tour: Actor Irrfan Khan’s Mumbai Home Has an Eclectic SizzleTell us:What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
“We did customised fabrication work for the shower panel, as well as for the mirror supports to ensure transparency and natural light coming through the windows. The shower trays were made to match the finish of the wooden flooring in the bathroom. Proficient storage space was created, while maintaining the open feel,” Abraham says.
The spacious master bathroom is complete with amenities and fixtures like a jacuzzi, automated shower and mood lighting. The sea and TV are visible from the bathtub. Soft lighting and the landscape design for this space was done to lend a relaxed, laid-back feel. Lights, venetian blinds, AC and music are all remote-controlled.
On the terrace, Abraham has added a private media room. “It houses a large projector screen, concealed AC and an audio-visual system. It also overlooks the sea, as well as the spacious wooden deck,” Abraham says. The room has ceiling-installed blinds that can be pulled down to convert this room into a cosy cave for movie, football or F1 screenings.
An open-floor plan, outward-looking spaces, floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and a voluminous view of the world give the penthouse a resplendent, meditative quality. “The main design principles followed were of orientation to the natural elements (sun, wind, and water), employing energy-efficient, low-consumption technologies and using recycled materials like reclaimed wood for garden screens and pergolas, steel countertops, recycled tiles and organic fabrics,” Abraham says.The seventh (and lower) floor has an open plan, with a living room, kitchen and dining room, combined into one seamless space. This is essentially a floor designed for entertaining – the interconnected areas within a white shell feature dark wooden flooring, comfortable seating and large glass windows that look out to the serene outdoors.In the living area, creating a contrast with the dominant brown, are the greenish-grey custom-made sofas. “The living area faces the sea that allows for evenings spent watching the sunset,” Abraham says. The kitchen features an island drenched in grey and a glass-enclosed cooking area. “This space, in the south-east (in keeping with Vastu), is flooded with morning light from the M...
The kitchen is divided into dry and wet areas. The dry kitchen outside features a brushed stainless-steel island and dark-toned storage shelves; the wet kitchen, where all the cooking takes place, is enclosed by glass. The idea behind the dual kitchens is that the platform outside can be used for serving while the closed section cordons off fumes typical to Indian cooking, away from the main entertaining areas. “The existing pipelines were rerouted for easy access between the two kitchen areas. For the custom dining table, we used an old teak tree and reconstructed it to make the table and stools,” Abraham says.Check out these 6 ways to make your kitchen sizzle with steel
The seventh and eighth floors were originally separate apartments, later connected internally via a cantilevered wood and steel staircase, set against tall, double height windows. The area is peppered with plants to keep the ambience light and relaxed. “The stairs visually and physically connect the upper and lower volumes that were previously different apartments. Automated blinds span the double-height volume,” Abraham says.
The dark-toned master-bedroom suite on the eighth floor forges an intimate connection with nature. “It has a lavish walk-in wardrobe, a spa bathroom and a private sea-facing balcony, separated by a double-glazed sliding door that allows for natural light and ventilation, while cutting down on solar radiation and air-conditioning load,” Abraham says . The connectivity of all areas within the bedroom is ensured with the uniform dark-stained wooden flooring everywhere. This space, too, is decorated with minimum elements – just a television and a wide, open view of the sea.
The continuation of the dark wooden flooring makes the bedroom and the balcony seem like one large inclusive unit. A half-height glass boundary wall, relaxing seaters and large plants illuminated from below enhance the outdoor vibe of the place, allowing John to spend quality time in the lap of nature. “The skylight and pergola protect the terrace from the tropical sun and the seasonal monsoon rains,” says Abraham.Take a look at these 15 balconies that will instantly relax you
8. Weather-coat external paintThere are so many options to choose from when it comes to paints for facades. Contemporary paints come with silicone additives which impart good water resistance and external protection. To maintain a paint’s longevity, look for products like SmartCare Crack Seal with a crack-bridging technology where the paint has the ability to stretch and protect the surface from cracks. An important technological breakthrough in the paint industry is the introduction of nanomaterials as an ingredient in conventional paints. Each coat of paint is composed of densely packed molecules, among which are added nanoparticles of materials that resist the ravages of many aspects of external weather conditions. Nanotechnology is also also used to create thermal insulating paints which reduce the amount of external heat penetrating into the building. Another innovation is dust-guard technology (offered by brands such as by Berger Paint). The surface does not allow dust to settle on the walls and gives the building a fresh look for a longer period of time.Some paints have a high carbonation resistance that provide excellent structural protection from corrosion to the structura...
16. The elegant lines of the lacquered doors bring in an art deco look. The rest of the doors’ surface is kept plain and shiny to prevent the room from looking too busy.
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