Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: This Noida Home Gives a Crash Course in Space Management
Take a leaf out of this apartment's clever design that accommodates both family and work spaces seamlessly
Designed by the architect couple Neha Bhardwaj and Gaurav Kapoor themselves, this vibrant home shows how a limited space can be used for different functions, with hidden furniture units and specially customised niches. It looks like a museum of eclectic finds, yet it has a cosy feel. “We wanted our house to reflect our ideologies and design preferences, and at the same time we wanted it to be a canvas for various pieces of art, furniture and accessories that we had custom-created over the years,” Bhardwaj says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Neha Bhardwaj and Gaurav Kapoor, their one-year-old daughter Kalki, and dog, Kalicharan
Location: Noida
Year built: 2015
Size: 150 square metres (1615 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural designers: Neha Bhardwaj and Gaurav Kapoor of Layers Studios for Design and Architecture
That’s interesting: The home makes judicious and clever use of space. The architects have custom-made retractable furniture and hidden storage, and have designed areas that offer multiple functions.
Photos courtesy Layers Studios for Design and Architecture
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Neha Bhardwaj and Gaurav Kapoor, their one-year-old daughter Kalki, and dog, Kalicharan
Location: Noida
Year built: 2015
Size: 150 square metres (1615 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms
Architectural designers: Neha Bhardwaj and Gaurav Kapoor of Layers Studios for Design and Architecture
That’s interesting: The home makes judicious and clever use of space. The architects have custom-made retractable furniture and hidden storage, and have designed areas that offer multiple functions.
Photos courtesy Layers Studios for Design and Architecture
The home, located on the 12th floor, features a bold red metal entrance door with the house number in grille-work on it. It is installed in a painted chalkboard-clad wall. “This door, designed by us, sets the quirky tone for what you will see inside – it’s also a reflection of our way of living,” Kapoor says.
The entrance corridor leads to the kitchen and a central living and dining space is abutted by two balconies. The right side of the house has all the bedrooms – the master bedroom, guest room and a small office, each with an attached bathroom.
“We have created spaces which are flexible and rooms that can serve multiple purposes. We used foldable tables, a collapsible bed and bay windows within the house, which aided multiple functions. Also, 90 per cent of the furniture in our home is designed by us. Our scope of work involved doing the interiors along with a few civil changes for better space utilisation,” says Bhardwaj.
The house, with its living area plus dining hall and three bedrooms, had to accommodate not just the family’s requirements but also their architecture studio, a client-meeting area, an entertainment area and a guest room.
“We have created spaces which are flexible and rooms that can serve multiple purposes. We used foldable tables, a collapsible bed and bay windows within the house, which aided multiple functions. Also, 90 per cent of the furniture in our home is designed by us. Our scope of work involved doing the interiors along with a few civil changes for better space utilisation,” says Bhardwaj.
The house, with its living area plus dining hall and three bedrooms, had to accommodate not just the family’s requirements but also their architecture studio, a client-meeting area, an entertainment area and a guest room.
“The kitchen is the first room on the left from the entrance. It is visually connected to the dining area by means of a foldable breakfast counter which offers itself as the ideal place for small, quick meals,” Kapoor says. A mango-yellow wall colour, artwork, tall stools and a vibrant rug find pride of place here.
“One challenge of modern-day apartments is that we have to live with measly balconies in the name of open spaces. We overcame this by transforming our 3.7-square-metre balconies into gardens with cantilevered planters, floating benches protruding from the walls and vibrant accessories to add visual delight,” Bhardwaj says.
Back inside, beyond the kitchen is the dining-cum-living room. The custom-made dining table can seat up to eight people.
The apartment reflects a riot of colours and materials that come together cohesively. “Colour is one of the most difficult things to play around with as there is always a chance that a space can start looking too kitschy and loud. Yet, we believe we were able to achieve the much-needed balance despite using bold elements and hues,” Kapoor shares.
The apartment reflects a riot of colours and materials that come together cohesively. “Colour is one of the most difficult things to play around with as there is always a chance that a space can start looking too kitschy and loud. Yet, we believe we were able to achieve the much-needed balance despite using bold elements and hues,” Kapoor shares.
Another small balcony allows more light into the room. “We wanted to make the most of the outdoors available to us, so we brought in as many natural elements as possible with plenty of sunlight and plants.”
Floor tiles: Somany Ceramics; Wall paint: Asian paints; lights from Khan Market, Delhi
Floor tiles: Somany Ceramics; Wall paint: Asian paints; lights from Khan Market, Delhi
Quirky accessories and bright upholstery fill the room. “One of the prominent features in the living room is the cycle wall sculpture designed by us that has been made with discarded spare parts from our car and Royal Enfield Thunderbird,” Kapoor says. There is also other recycled wall art and a custom coffee table on wheels, amongst other items.
Another corner of the living room has a vivid, hand-painted storage cabinet (below the TV) that stows Bhardwaj’s beloved computer-game console, Snood. “Our favourite feature, however, is the black-painted wall art that reads ‘KC Ville’. It shows a lamp post, station clock and a signpost. A feeding tray for our dog Kalicharan aka KC is installed under it,” Bhardwaj says.
A passage from the living room opens into all the bedrooms. At one end on the left is the master bedroom; the guest room-cum-meeting area is on the other end on the right and the home office is situated in the middle.
A passage from the living room opens into all the bedrooms. At one end on the left is the master bedroom; the guest room-cum-meeting area is on the other end on the right and the home office is situated in the middle.
The master bedroom is a dramatic space with its chequered black-and-white flooring, and the contrasting shades of blue on the walls and on the bathroom door.
“We were very particular about using every room, nook and corner of the house efficiently and not compromising on the aesthetics. So we created spaces which could be used flexibly. Like, at the other end of the master bedroom, we created a bay window for relaxation and a play area for our daughter next to it,” Kapoor says.
A chalkboard wall with quotes and sketches adds to the contrast and gives an endearing quality to the area.
A chalkboard wall with quotes and sketches adds to the contrast and gives an endearing quality to the area.
“The master bedroom and the bathroom seem like one space due to the seamless flooring and walls,” Bhardwaj says. A third shade of colour is brought in here with the pop of red on the vanity and the mirror frame, adding more vibrancy.
To bring more functionality to the rooms, the architect couple used many innovative systems. “This guest bedroom has been planned in such a way that it can easily be converted into a meeting room or a play area. This space can be used for recreation and work; when a guest visits, the wall unit is opened up to use the hidden bed inside it. The challenge was to achieve this using simple, manual systems without any sophisticated gadgets. We call it the ‘room of requirement’,” Kapoor says, in a reference to a room in Hogwarts, which magically transformed itself to fit the user’s requirements. This room’s design has something of that magic.
“This central bedroom, which is the smallest room of the house (just 11 x 11 feet), was converted into a studio,” Bhardwaj says. A retractable table closes an aperture between the studio and guest room. It opens out into the guest room, converting it into a meeting room (the wall bed being discreetly tucked away at the time, of course). A bookshelf straddles the said opening, backed by a charming old-fashioned window, beyond which we can glimpse the studio.
Read more:
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Tell us:
What did you like the most about this house? Tell us in the Comments section below.
Houzz Tour: Actor Irrfan Khan’s Mumbai Home Has an Eclectic Sizzle
Houzz Tour: Powder-Puff Colours Make This a Dreamlike Home
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this house? Tell us in the Comments section below.