New Message Center (can be closed off) and bar area. General Contractor - Baumhofer Estes, Inc. Photography - Bob Gothard

Asviya

HIs home office

This compact four-bedroom villament spread across three floors has been designed for a family of five in the heart of Bengaluru to pair visual symmetry with easy-to-use functionality. The design concept focuses on creating a spacious and open environment, with an overarching palette of shades of white complemented with pops of colour and natural textures, paired with wood and brass accents as focal points. A customised verdant-print wallpaper creates a warm welcome on the top half of the entrance wall, with the bottom paneling painted white. Paired with white accessories—such as the lights on the wall and the floating console table—this makes what would have otherwise been a tiny vestibule feel clutter-free with an element of freshness. The entrance opens into the living room, which is swathed in shades of white, with hints of brass and wood for a touch of warmth and visual intrigue. A wooden swing, which faces the rest of the space, has been placed for the grandparents but can be removed to make the room feel more open when required. The furniture selection and seating options aim to provide a balance between contemporary and traditional aesthetics with a focus on creating a comfortable and inviting space for family gatherings and entertaining guests. Since this area has a double-height ceiling, a geometric-lined moulding running along the length of the entire wall, with hanging rattan lights in front of it, breaks any visual monotony here. A similar linear pattern continues across the TV console, which also allows natural light to stream between the staircase behind it. The otherwise monochrome kitchen, which opens into the living room, displays similar pops of yellow that form a harmoniously warm contrast against the black patterned backsplash tiles. The breakfast counter creates a visual barrier between the two rooms, allowing space for a quick or casual meal when needed. The flooring from the living room continues into this area, and the shared design elements between the two rooms quietly build a striking balance and connection between modern and traditional styles. While the clients wanted French windows running across one side of the dining room, we couldn’t make any changes to the building façade. As a nifty solution, we covered the original windows with wooden blinds (to conceal them while still allowing sunlight to stream in) and built French doors along a thin corridor in front of it. Similar to the rest of the house, a console cabinet in a niche beside the dining table provides maximization of storage here for crockery and cutlery. The staircase along the corridor between the living and dining room leads the way up to the first floor which houses the home office, master bedroom and the daughter’s room. A niche has been carved out below the stairs to hold utilities, and odds and ends around the house. For the couple that loves to read, the home office doubles as a library with ample storage space for their collection of books above, as well as files and work belongings below the desk. A cosy reading bay has also been built along the window. The colour palette here remains neutral, allowing a peaceful and productive work environment. Built as a simple and tranquil space, the master bedroom has predominantly been painted in white with a hint of royal blue to create subtle focal points on the bed’s headboard, the art, and the upholstery in the seating area across the bed. Originally a space for the balcony, this cosy seating space was enclosed to open up the bedroom. Textured wallpaper panels with geometric patterns interspersed between the adjacent wall add depth to the room. The walk-in closet—fitted in an area that was previously a passage—provides ample storage while maintaining a cohesive design aesthetic with the rest of the room. Next to it, the daughter’s room has been designed to hold multiple storage points—a necessity for any growing child who will need a slew of belongings, toys and school material over time. The furniture pieces and placement have been carefully chosen to allow her movement and play across the room through the day, On the second floor, which opens into the terrace, the guest bedroom has been designed to echo the luxury and comfort of a hotel room, without feeling too loud or overwhelming. A burnt orange headboard lends a cosy warm charm to the space, while the parallel-line wallpaper behind it elongates the height of the wall in an otherwise low-ceilinged room.

In the master bedroom, this minimal palette emerges as anything but monotonous, owing to accents of a toasty wooden console unit and a wardrobe.

Prepare to be mesmerized by the atmospheric grandeur of this 3D rendering. The dark and dramatic interior design sets the stage for a truly immersive experience, blending modern aesthetics with alluring shadows.

Much needed space during the pandemic is a home office and a well stocked library. PC: Shamanth Patil Photography

A young couple, George and Sujatha, approached us to do the interiors of their new apartment in Bengaluru with a simple design brief — they wanted a soothing and elegant decor in subtle hues. A two-and-a-half bedroom home, we converted one room into a guest room and the smaller one into a home office. We also separated the kitchen from the living room with an arched doorway. The arches make an appearance in other parts of the home as well, making it a recurring theme throughout the home. This, coupled with a pastel colour scheme define the home’s minimalistic and modern style. Several storage spaces are concealed to prevent the home from looking too cluttered. For instance, the bar station is a pull-out tray next to the TV, and has drawers under it, visible only on a closer look. Similarly, the crockery is stored next to the dining table in a hidden cabinet in a similar fashion. We’ve kept the teakwood furniture lightweight with raised legs to avoid the room from looking boxy and less spacious. The kitchen mimics the living and dining room’s colour scheme of white and green, and has ample of storage as per the client’s need. As you move into the home office, an explosion of wooden furniture takes over, paying an ode to the couple’s Kerala roots. Made of rubber wood, the book shelf and console make for a lovely backdrop as well as a functional accessory. The pull-out couch and the desk next to it is perfect for work as well as movie sessions. The couple’s master bedroom is a study in seating spaces. We extended the bed’s wooden headboard to the entire breadth of the wall and created more seating including a nook next to the window. Being a small space, the wardrobe features a hidden pull-out dresser on the side and the white veneer prevents it from looking too jarring to the eyes. Overall, we’ve tried to make this home a symphony of subtle hues that speak a minimalist design language.

Study Table, Guest Bedroom