Rajkot Houzz: This Home Comes Alive With Wood, Colours & Textures

Intrinsic Designs crafts a 2-BHK that is minimal yet vibrant, with a touch of rawness

Nadezna Siganporia24 November 2019

Houzz India Contributor. Nine years ago, I jumped into the world of freelance writing. It combines my love for this art form and the ability to carve my own path. I have extensive experience in content development and creative writing predominantly in the fields of design, décor, interiors, architecture, travel, food, lifestyle, art and culture. My work has been published in Lifestyle Asia India, Houzz India, Elle India, Elle Decor India, India Design ID, Lonely Planet Magazine India, Conde Nast Traveller India, Square Inch by Ogaan Media and Beautiful Homes, among others. Follow me on @nadezna_s (Instagram/Twitter).

“When they open the door to their home, they want to practically hear it say, ‘Welcome back! Relax!’” says Shruti Malani, co-founder and principal architect, Intrinsic Designs. The clients, a young family of three, wanted a home that was minimal and cosy with a warm and vibrant appeal. “A major design prompt was to adapt to the contemporary living needs of owners as well as set up an exciting new place for them. In order to bring in that dynamic, we added a lustrous rawness and sleekness to design.”

When it comes to small spaces, the norm is to go in for a completely neutral or muted colour and material palette. Yet the architects chose to contradict and challenge this conventional thought process. Says co-founder Shivraj Patel, “We think that’s what stands out most for this house. For us, playing with colours in this space formulates and drives the overall design.”

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple and their son
Location: Rajkot, Gujarat
Year/decade built: 2019
Size: 80 square metres (861 square feet); 2 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms
Architectural and interior designers: Shruti Malani and Shivraj Patel, founders and principal architects, Intrinsic Designs

Photos by Ishita Sitwala

Intrinsic Designs

The front door opens directly into the living room, which seamlessly extends to a dining area and kitchen. “The three zones share a common floor plate without any partitions, making the area seem visually larger than it is,” explains Malani.

Creamy white walls and striped wooden panelling cover one wall and on the entertainment unit, forming a neutral canvas upon which the architects have layered interesting elements such as vibrant colours and gritty textures.

Elevating the decor is the wood grain on each vertical wood slat. Black metal detailing on the door handle, the sofa and side table legs, and the dining chair frame brings about a cohesive look.

Intrinsic Designs

“The living room comprises two different treatments for visual pleasure,” she continues. “On the main wall is an arrangement of framed watercolour paintings of landscapes by Winslow Homer.” This gallery wall forms the focal point of the room. “On the left, however, is the wooden panelling.”

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Intrinsic Designs

The sofas feature clean, straight lines which gives the room a sleek look. However, the architects chose deep red upholstery to achieve a stark highlighting effect. In a delicate contrast to the streamlined aesthetic, the natural-finish wood centre table and roughly textured rug add a level of rawness.

The architects have placed a few curios and accessories around the room for just a hint of metallic highlights. The flooring is a custom-made vitrified tile that replicates the subtle look of terrazzo.

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Intrinsic Designs

At the far end of the room, the architects sculpted a small dining nook, brought alive by the deep blue and olive-green upholstery, along with a custom-made exposed concrete dining table with an etched leaf pattern.

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Intrinsic Designs

“The highlight of this space is the blue-panelled diner-style bench, which complements the colours of the sofas in the living room. We designed a micro-topped stucco wall behind it. The idea is to connect different colours that make the entire room look rich and bold within its whites,” says Patel.

Intrinsic Designs

“We decided on three major specifications while drafting the design for kitchen,” he continues. Firstly, the architects decided on a minimal, open-concept space which incorporates an integrated shelving solution.

They also choose to use a neutral palette with shutters up to the ceiling. The white counter tops and wood cabinetry tie into the look of the living and dining areas, while the while the terrazzo-style backsplash matches the flooring.

Intrinsic Designs

Finally, they visually connected the kitchen and dining nook by extending the micro-topped stucco wall to the kitchen. “This was done for the sole purpose of singularity between those spaces,” he explains.

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Intrinsic Designs

The apartment has two bedrooms and bathrooms. The doors of the bedrooms are camouflaged within the wood panelled wall, adding to the streamlined aesthetic of this space. On the right is the master bedroom, while the son’s bedroom is on the left. “We did not focus on the bathrooms, as the clients choose to stick with the original design provided by the developer,” Malani says.

Dining chairs: Gulmohar Lane

Intrinsic Designs

“The master bedroom has a simple look and feel; we wanted it to be as cosy as possible,” she continues. A great space-saving technique in small bedrooms is to use sliding door wardrobes. The compact pastel-green wardrobe provides enough storage space without overcrowding. A full-length mirror adds depth, making the room appear larger.

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Intrinsic Designs

The architects used the same combination of warm wood, creamy white and pastel green in this room as well, with the terrazzo-style flooring adding subtle visual interest.

The bed frame, headboard and side tables feature simple lines and a minimal look, which again works to open up the space, while the beauty of the wood adds warmth and cosiness. Recessed lights concealed within the curtain pelmets Illuminate the room, supplemented by a sleek light fixture set flush against the ceiling.

Intrinsic Designs

The son’s bedroom mirrors the minimal yet cosy aesthetic of the master bedroom. A palette of warm wood and creamy white finds its perfect complement in the stark modern light fixtures and track spotlights.

A simple study table fits snugly into the nook beside the bed, without being obtrusive. At the same time, the lighter finish of the wood makes the table stand out.

Intrinsic Designs

“We designed a signature closet for this room, specially customised to adjust within the space, providing enough storage without looking crammed,” says Patel. The wardrobe utilises the entire height of the wall, drawing the eye upward; another trick used to make a small space appear larger, along with the full-length mirror.

Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: A Palette of White & Wood Works Wonders in This Flat
Mumbai Houzz: This Architect’s Home Has a Different Take on Minimalism

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