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Houzz Tour: Red & Grey Dominate the Theme of This Mumbai Bachelor Pad
Strategic use of colour and texture transforms this second home into the ultimate entertainment zone
It’s not often that a homeowner asks the architect to make his/her apartment feel less like a home, even if it is a second one. And herein lay the challenge for Mumbai-based architects Kanhai Gandhi, Neemesh Shah and Shresht Kashyap of KNS Architects. In this project’s case, the brief specifically asked for a home that was primarily designed for the purpose of entertaining guests.
In the conventional sense, most second homes are designed to be tranquil havens, where one goes to put their feet up and escape the stresses of city life. However, this abode went in a different direction to serve as a singular residence to host parties. “The human mind, in a city like Mumbai, is highly stressed; people are constantly living on the edge but within strict boundaries,” says architect Kanhai Gandhi. “An attempt to thus open the mind and create a unique experience formed the basis of our design concept.”
In the conventional sense, most second homes are designed to be tranquil havens, where one goes to put their feet up and escape the stresses of city life. However, this abode went in a different direction to serve as a singular residence to host parties. “The human mind, in a city like Mumbai, is highly stressed; people are constantly living on the edge but within strict boundaries,” says architect Kanhai Gandhi. “An attempt to thus open the mind and create a unique experience formed the basis of our design concept.”
As the apartment serves both as an entertainment space and a refuge to help the resident disconnect from his daily routine, Gandhi opted for a minimalist decor dominated only by the juxtaposition of tones in grey and red.
As one enters, one immediately notices an uninterrupted view across to the other end of the house. The space is designed such that it allows one to take in extended views of the house regardless of where one is standing in the house. A faintly inclined red wall illuminated with track lights in the passageway leads towards the main areas.
As one enters, one immediately notices an uninterrupted view across to the other end of the house. The space is designed such that it allows one to take in extended views of the house regardless of where one is standing in the house. A faintly inclined red wall illuminated with track lights in the passageway leads towards the main areas.
A key sculpture set atop a black console has been placed in the passageway (gesturing towards the inside spaces). “It’s been used to try and balance restraint and drama,” says Gandhi. The line work, the angular planes along with the ceiling and the floor were intentionally designed in a fashion to lead one to the main zones of the house, he adds. The passage then opens up to the large living room on one side and the dining room on the other.
The high ceilings in the living room (at 11 feet) allowed Gandhi to experiment with a layered design. The beams were covered to prevent any sharp edges, as well as keep a continuous line of vision. “Simple planes were folded and unfolded in different angles to create a free flow in this space,” says Gandhi.
“The space was also bound together through the use of different shades of grey in a variety of materials, thus creating a space that is connected easily,” Gandhi informs. Starting with a neutral palette, Gandhi played with different textures in grey from the floor to the walls and ceiling. To give them depth and create a textured look, the grey walls were plastered with chicken mesh, while the ceiling and flooring were adorned in a grey finished wood.
“The space was also bound together through the use of different shades of grey in a variety of materials, thus creating a space that is connected easily,” Gandhi informs. Starting with a neutral palette, Gandhi played with different textures in grey from the floor to the walls and ceiling. To give them depth and create a textured look, the grey walls were plastered with chicken mesh, while the ceiling and flooring were adorned in a grey finished wood.
Minimal amount of furniture was used so that the key pieces could make a statement while not distracting from the overall cohesiveness of the concept. Gandhi says, “We thought of every little detail and piece before bringing it into the apartment. Our biggest hurdle was thus to source the perfect artefacts.” Though the main challenge, the architect says, was to achieve the desired textures and angles without disrupting the relaxed and intimate ambience.
To give the neutral scheme warmth and liven up the area, Gandhi added accents of bold red throughout the home. In this space, two separate areas were created with clustered seating.
Sofas, poufs, centre table: KNS, crafted by Loco Design
To give the neutral scheme warmth and liven up the area, Gandhi added accents of bold red throughout the home. In this space, two separate areas were created with clustered seating.
Sofas, poufs, centre table: KNS, crafted by Loco Design
Where the living area is flamboyant, the dining is sparse with a wine rack and a built-in table at the centre with seating on the floor. Lack of furniture in the space coupled with a floor-to-ceiling window provide a sweeping and an uninterrupted view of the outside.
“We wanted this area to feel like an unconventional space, hence the colour and the arrangement of the furniture,” says Gandhi. In this area, Gandhi has also lifted the floor and lowered the ceiling 18-inches each way to create a more cocooned space.
“We wanted this area to feel like an unconventional space, hence the colour and the arrangement of the furniture,” says Gandhi. In this area, Gandhi has also lifted the floor and lowered the ceiling 18-inches each way to create a more cocooned space.
All four bedrooms follow a similar minimalist layout and colour scheme with same textures. The master bedroom, however, has a floating island bed fitted with an uplift of LED lamps. “To make the room seem even larger, it is positioned in a way so that it opens up to the private outdoor deck,” says Gandhi.
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Tell us: Like what you see in this home? Tell us how you would design your ultimate entertainment pad in Comments below.
See more Mumbai homes
Read more:
Houzz Tour: An Expansive Vertical Home for Three Generations
Houzz Tour: This Actor’s Getaway is Anything But Conventional
Tell us: Like what you see in this home? Tell us how you would design your ultimate entertainment pad in Comments below.
Who lives here: A single resident
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Year built: 2014
Size: 4500 square feet (418 square metres); four bedrooms; outdoor deck; terrace
Architectural designers: Kanhai Gandhi, Neemesh Shah and Shresht Kashyap of KNS Architects
Design team: Kanhai Gandhi and Brinda Palan
That’s interesting: This project has been the winner of the Artists in Concrete Awards (AICA) 2015 for interior design in small residential spaces.
Photos by Sebastian Zachariah
The brief to Gandhi was for an apartment that visually articulated the mindset of its owner – to have a space free from the constraints of city life. The original boxed structure was thus opened up to create large free flowing spaces without any obstructions. Starting with the bare shell, the architects then experimented with an oblique grid to create angles and movement within the plan, in a way that brought in a sense of continuity and expanse. “As a firm we design spaces that are an extension of our client’s personality, rather than being an imprint of the firm,” says Gandhi.