Houzz Tours
Surajkund Houzz: Sensitive Design Brings Together a Large Joint Family
This multi-generational home is a melody of soft colours, quiet rooms, wide-open breakout spaces and earthy materials
A nest for three generations, vibrant with colours, comfort and soothing music – this is what renowned classical singer, Padma Shri Sumitra Guha imagined her home should be. Her children, especially her youngest son and his wife, and Sumitra decided to give form to her dream and therefore got in touch with Studio Wood for this Surajkund home. “It’s a full house, with kids and adults alike. The idea was to design a home full of warmth and bright colours. This was the first house the family was building as their own, and, being a joint family, they were very clear on the likes of each member,” Vrinda Mathur of Studio Wood says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sumitra Guha, her two sons, their wives and children
Location: Surajkund, Haryana
Year built: 2016-2017
Size: 1022 square metres (11,000 square feet); 6 bedrooms; 6 bathrooms; terrace; balcony
Interior designers: Vrinda Mathur, Navya Aggarwal and Sahej Bhatia, founders of Studio Wood
Photos by: Rohan Dayal
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sumitra Guha, her two sons, their wives and children
Location: Surajkund, Haryana
Year built: 2016-2017
Size: 1022 square metres (11,000 square feet); 6 bedrooms; 6 bathrooms; terrace; balcony
Interior designers: Vrinda Mathur, Navya Aggarwal and Sahej Bhatia, founders of Studio Wood
Photos by: Rohan Dayal
The ground floor accommodates the living room, a sunny courtyard, the dining room, the kitchen, the music room and a guest bedroom. The floors above have the private bedrooms, study, balconies and a terrace.
The living room, in subdued tones with splashes of bright colour, is an intimate space for family and friends. The room features a false ceiling and furniture upholstered in printed cotton fabric. The entire area is dotted with accessories in brass.
“Since we did not do the architecture of the home and came on board during the interior design phase, we had to work with a few limitations in the structure. There were beams running across different areas, which we wanted to conceal; we worked on an interesting false ceiling solution for the entire home by using cane and wood mixed with POP,” Mathur says.
Furnishings: Fabindia; paint: Asian Paints
Check out unique drawing room colour combos
The living room, in subdued tones with splashes of bright colour, is an intimate space for family and friends. The room features a false ceiling and furniture upholstered in printed cotton fabric. The entire area is dotted with accessories in brass.
“Since we did not do the architecture of the home and came on board during the interior design phase, we had to work with a few limitations in the structure. There were beams running across different areas, which we wanted to conceal; we worked on an interesting false ceiling solution for the entire home by using cane and wood mixed with POP,” Mathur says.
Furnishings: Fabindia; paint: Asian Paints
Check out unique drawing room colour combos
Next to the living room is a courtyard, which receives ample sunlight through the day and offers itself as a bright, cheerful spot. The happy mood is accentuated by the sunflower-yellow accent wall that stands over a floor border of aquamarine tiles dotted with yellow flower prints. The patterned blues of the tiles suggest the prismatic surface of rippling water. A strip of river pebbles heightens the impression of a pool. “This is a double-height ceiling courtyard with grass-patch flooring and a solid raw-wood breakfast table,” Mathur says .
The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen. The room’s wall is clad with a subtly patterned wallpaper. The blue and turquoise on the furniture continue the colour element that runs through the house like a small background tune. “The dining table, made of solid teak, is inlaid with handmade tiles, paired with Hans Wegner chair replicas in a bright blue,” Mathur says.
Check out stunning table and chair combinations
Check out stunning table and chair combinations
This is the award-winning matriarch Guha’s music or baithak room, furnished with ethnic elements and warm, calming hues. “This is the most interesting room of the home due to its size, natural light and utility. It has been designed with a beautiful backdrop in teakwood and bamboo ply, which borders a custom-made, hand-printed image of Goddess Saraswati. The floor is finished in dark wood laminate on the elevated platform,” Mathur says. The furniture is designed in baithak-style with low seating. The backrests are shaped to look like the takiyas (bolsters) that traditionally offer support for reclining at baithaks. The seating is upholstered in uplifting oranges and reds.
The first floor has some of the more private areas of the home –Guha’s room, her older son’s room, children’s bedroom, mandir and study. “Guha’s older son’s master bedroom has been designed with an edge-to-edge bed headboard in light oakwood. The flooring is in a darker shade of wood to highlight the walls and furniture,” Mathur says.
The study is a snug, relaxing haven, where the flooring has been done in blue-grey tiles. The area is dotted with a bright orange loveseat and a chair in printed fabric. “The floor-to-ceiling wall shelving has been specially designed to provide ample storage, both open and closed, for books,” Mathur says.
Sofa fabric: Fabindia
Sofa fabric: Fabindia
The second floor has the younger son’s room, another child’s bedroom, a small balcony and a terrace. The younger son’s bedroom on the second floor is a sizeable, comfortable space highlighted with a headboard in slatted wood, timber flooring and large windows.
Opposite the bed, the earthy tonality of the space gets more pronounced. “The wall opposite has been finished in a serene concrete plaster. The wall-hung cabinet and black-and-white photographs are used to accentuate the space,” Mathur says.
Furnishings: Sita Fabrics
Opposite the bed, the earthy tonality of the space gets more pronounced. “The wall opposite has been finished in a serene concrete plaster. The wall-hung cabinet and black-and-white photographs are used to accentuate the space,” Mathur says.
Furnishings: Sita Fabrics
The child’s room is given a playful quality with the wall stickers, the custom bed with built-in storage and the large windows that allow lots of sunshine in. “The bedroom was entirely conceptualised in chipboard with lots of yellow and blue accents. The flooring is in light wood,” Mathur says.
Find out which themes rank top in children’s bedrooms
Find out which themes rank top in children’s bedrooms
The balcony on this floor is a calm, relaxing space with views of the vast cityscape. The floor is a mix of vibrant blue plain and printed tiles. Brick and concrete benches offer ample seating.
These balconies will instantly relax you
These balconies will instantly relax you
On the terrace, a little social retreat has been created for entertaining. The flooring is in terracotta; a bar has been custom designed for the terrace, using a cladding of dark-blue handmade tiles. A criss-cross bamboo awning shelters the spot.
“The entire process of designing this home was a very humble one. It all came straight from the heart. There are no flashy materials or finishes, just the fact that simple, earthy materials and colours were all brought together in harmony,” Mathur says.
Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: This Architect’s Home Is a Celebration of Colour
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Share in Comments below.
“The entire process of designing this home was a very humble one. It all came straight from the heart. There are no flashy materials or finishes, just the fact that simple, earthy materials and colours were all brought together in harmony,” Mathur says.
Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: This Architect’s Home Is a Celebration of Colour
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Share in Comments below.
At the entrance of the home, a slatted wood partition and bench are positioned right across from the main door, complemented by copper-finish wall sconces and potted plants.