A Bangalore Farmhouse Gets a Lift With Traditional Touches

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two sons
Location: Bangalore
Size: 195 square metres living space (2100 square feet)
Interior designer and decorator: Vinithra Amarnathan, founder and principal designer, Weespaces

Photos by Matrioshka Media

The biggest challenge Amarnathan faced was to create separate nooks within the spacious room, which could seamlessly flow into each other without the space losing its feeling of expansiveness.

“The large space needed definition of areas, light and a modern aesthetic while still retaining that old world traditional charm. I had to make sure that while we bring in a contemporary vibe, we don’t lose the character that the overall build and the environment offers,” she says.

The first area Amarnathan tackled was the entrance that opened directly into the dining and living room. The clients wanted a defined zone and some privacy. To achieve this, Amarnathan created the sense of an entryway by erecting a lattice screen that partially partitions this area from the rest of the room. “The screen is made in a beautiful Moroccan-inspired tile pattern in a light ash-wood finish, with a teak-finish frame to give it some weight, and plain glass on top to allow light. It’s a great way to define an entryway, get privacy but at the same time retain that open flow. We also completely remodelled the staircase to tie the space together,” she explains.

The next phase of the remodel focused on the living room. The large space needed defined areas with pockets of seating. She kept the central pillars, because they were structural, using them to visually build two separate areas – a formal living room and a casual conversation area. “Most of the furniture echoes a modern farmhouse feel with a few traditional elements brought in. At one end we have a leather couch paired with two armchairs and a bench. At the other, we have two large wing chairs creating a cosy conversation area. We used backless ottomans to unify the spaces and create unrestricted flow,” Amarnathan continues.

The formal area features a muted colour palette of tan, burnt orange, beige and ivory. The inset wall was redone with a textured grasscloth-finish wallpaper in a crisp silver. Using the client’s tan leather sofa, the designer brought in more versatile pieces, such as the ottomans, bench and custom mid-century-inspired chairs upholstered in a dotted ivory and grey fabric. “One of my favourite pieces is the gorgeous rug in an earthy terracotta with a subtle tone-on-tone Moroccan grid pattern. It envelops the whole room in its warmth. The striking kilim bench at the far end helps tie in all the colours,” she says.

Complementing the colour scheme are the warm tones of the wooden coffee table and the side tables flanking the sofa. To tie in the colours from the opposite end, the designer added deep-blue table lamps with a floral pattern and rustic jute shades. “The watercolour painting of Florence above the couch brings in some beautiful blues and pastels. Near the window, we used an ethnic Indian art form called Ganjifa art, displayed in a vertical format to amp up the high ceilings,” she explains.

On the opposite side is a casual area that is brought to life by deep-blue wingback armchairs set against a cool grey wall. The columns set it apart as a sort of cosy nook. A sleek round mirror in a brass frame, a tall floor lamp and a small round table complete the vignette. The entire space has large windows framed with simple off-white linen curtains to let natural light flood the space.

“The rug choices here were crucial in pulling the look together. The client loved the idea of a layered rug look, so we choose an inexpensive jute rug for the bottom and a smaller vibrant rug in blue and white on top of it,” says Amarnathan.

To dress up the corner near the window, the designer brought in a wood bench with a carved back that adds an element of visual interest to the room. The vibrant painting uplifts this nook with bursts of colour.

The open-plan living room flows seamlessly into the dining area which is anchored by a large farmhouse-style dining table paired with a bench and chairs upholstered in a textured jute fabric. “To tie in the decor we added beautiful modern farmhouse glass jar pendant lights attached to a rustic wood panel,” she says.

Completing the look are the client’s side cabinet and console. A collection of family photos framed in black adorns the wall above the console.

Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: Kitchen Renovation Ends in a Full Home Makeover

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