Houzz Tours
Surat Houzz: Greys & Browns Come Together in a Home Like Never Before
Cement oxide ceilings, native materials and natural wood grains make this bungalow by Studio Course a force of nature
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their 10-year-old daughter
Location: Surat, Gujarat
Year built: 2020
Size: 500 square metres (5382 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
Architectural designer: Kalpak Shah of Studio Course
Photos by Fabien Charuau
From the outside, there’s nothing idiosyncratic about this bungalow; nothing that really sets it apart from the fourteen identical edifices that compose the surrounding township. What does distinguish it is the inside story.
“We had to abide by the builder’s guideline of standardised facade planning and exterior treatment. Thus, the internal spaces became our canvas for design experimentation,” says Kalpak Shah, founder and principal architect of Studio Course. By the same token, sustainable materials, local craftsmanship, precise detailing and minimalist design became the hallmarks of Shah’s architectural paradigm. “The client was keen on a mid-century modern aesthetic; something that would endure over time rather than merely pander to passing trends.”
Who lives here: A couple and their 10-year-old daughter
Location: Surat, Gujarat
Year built: 2020
Size: 500 square metres (5382 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
Architectural designer: Kalpak Shah of Studio Course
Photos by Fabien Charuau
From the outside, there’s nothing idiosyncratic about this bungalow; nothing that really sets it apart from the fourteen identical edifices that compose the surrounding township. What does distinguish it is the inside story.
“We had to abide by the builder’s guideline of standardised facade planning and exterior treatment. Thus, the internal spaces became our canvas for design experimentation,” says Kalpak Shah, founder and principal architect of Studio Course. By the same token, sustainable materials, local craftsmanship, precise detailing and minimalist design became the hallmarks of Shah’s architectural paradigm. “The client was keen on a mid-century modern aesthetic; something that would endure over time rather than merely pander to passing trends.”
A petite rectangular foyer welcomes visitors, providing a deliberate spatial pause before unveiling the interior.
Looking for entryway inspiration? Here are 12 inviting foyers from Indian homes
Looking for entryway inspiration? Here are 12 inviting foyers from Indian homes
The foyer opens into an earth-inspired living room to the right. Organic mud hues, expansive windows, wood panelling and a wood-bowl coffee table tip their hat to the hues of the surrounding landscape. The cement oxide ceiling offsets the richness of the wood, while the high skirting around the floor injects a dose of ruggedness.
“The materials and colours are inspired by nature. I wanted to honour forms and materials in their native state, including such elements as the teak furniture, brass accents, black granite floor and hand-painted cement walls. It’s no secret that natural materials age well and are timeless,” says Shah.
Beyond, a crabwise passageway skirts the breadth of the living room, with a partition of wood-framed translucent glass. A pocket door opens to reveal a staircase (more on that later).
Paint: Asian Paints; tiles throughout the house: Indian Granite; furniture, partitions and hardware are custom-made; chairs: Pierre Jeanneret and Hans Wegner
Paint: Asian Paints; tiles throughout the house: Indian Granite; furniture, partitions and hardware are custom-made; chairs: Pierre Jeanneret and Hans Wegner
An ash-grey cement oxide palette rules the dining room (situated to the left of the foyer), providing a fitting backdrop for the melange of wood and copper hues. A sweeping solid-wood dining table and Windsor chairs straddle rusticity and style, while being highlighted by a pair of burnished pendants. Shuttered French windows open the room to a lush outdoor deck that furthers the woodland vibe.
Dining chairs: George Nakashima; accent armchair: Hans Wegner
Dining chairs: George Nakashima; accent armchair: Hans Wegner
The open kitchen abuts the dining room to the right, echoing its palette and acting as a seamless extension. A medley of buffed granite surfaces, sleek timber facades and cement oxide finishes dominates the decor scheme, each holding its own in the monochrome setting.
Explore the strengths and shortcomings of an open kitchen design and find out whether it makes sense in your home
Explore the strengths and shortcomings of an open kitchen design and find out whether it makes sense in your home
The guest bedroom is situated at the far end of the passageway. Inside, brooding moods of grey preside, finding form in hard and soft surfaces alike. A voluminous window frames the wall behind the bed, welcoming sunlight and oxygen into the room.
“We situated the living and bedroom spaces around the central passage in a bid to maximise sunlight and natural ventilation in each room. The living room, kitchen and guest bedroom are positioned like the three sides of a ‘T’,” notes Shah.
“We situated the living and bedroom spaces around the central passage in a bid to maximise sunlight and natural ventilation in each room. The living room, kitchen and guest bedroom are positioned like the three sides of a ‘T’,” notes Shah.
Opposite the living room, separated by a glass pocket door, lies a staircase rising to the upper storey.
The staircase leads visitors to a broad horizontal passageway on the first floor. Here, a wood-and-glass sliding door indicates a family den beyond, where stepped Indian-style seating and swish chairs paint a convivial picture.
“It’s the perfect hideaway for movie and game nights, or intimate conversations,” says Shah.
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
“It’s the perfect hideaway for movie and game nights, or intimate conversations,” says Shah.
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
To the left of the staircase, along the passageway, lies the master bedroom, dominated by a grey cement oxide shell. A wooden bed, surrounded by diaphanous curtains, takes centre stage. The ribbed wooden headboard combines with complementary nightstands flanking either side of the bed.
Complete the fairy-tale look or go as modern as you like, with canopies, swags and drapes
Complete the fairy-tale look or go as modern as you like, with canopies, swags and drapes
A pair of bay windows — one to the left of the bed, and one opposite it – act as spiffy knock-back nooks, providing a welcome view of the outdoors. Tucked between the windows sits a lounge, composed of ribbed wooden armchairs, while a sleek workstation occupies a wall to the side.
The master bedroom connects to a walk-in closet cloaked entirely in wood-toned facades.
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
Plentiful natural light and ample ventilation define the daughter’s bedroom, which mirrors the guest bedroom downstairs. A vast window enriches the wall behind the bed, offering a generous vista of the green outdoors. The grey walls and ceiling inspire an unfussy air, an effective foil to the tapestry of wooden elements.
To the right of the doorway, mounted between two walls, is a private workstation that serves as a breakaway from the rest of the bedroom.
A walk-in closet lies to the left of the bedroom door, clad in wood panelling.
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
These fabulous walk-in wardrobes feature a variety of different options in design and placement
Accent armchair: Hans Wegner
These fabulous walk-in wardrobes feature a variety of different options in design and placement
White stone walls cocoon the daughter’s bathroom, dramatically counterbalanced by an expanse of light-grey Kota stone flooring. An elongated basin counter rests between two walls, sheltering a cabinetry scheme projecting a natural wood grain. A glass-sheathed shower enclosure stands opposite the basin, its frame echoing the organic wood scheme.
“We kept the palette light to respect the space’s limited volume. The idea was to maintain cohesion between the room’s colours and scale,” says Shah.
“We kept the palette light to respect the space’s limited volume. The idea was to maintain cohesion between the room’s colours and scale,” says Shah.
Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: This Penthouse is a White and Wood Wonderland
Mumbai Houzz: Grey Ceilings & White Walls Expand a 66-Sq-M Flat
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Bangalore Houzz: This Penthouse is a White and Wood Wonderland
Mumbai Houzz: Grey Ceilings & White Walls Expand a 66-Sq-M Flat
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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