Crafted by Studio Altara, this 1500 sq.ft apartment in Chennai, ‘Dwaraka’, seamlessly harmonises timeless aesthetics with its owner’s undeniable passion for life and travel. Nestled on the first floor and shaded by lush greenery, every nook grounded in comfort is elevated by art and artefacts from across the globe.
1500 Sq.ft Apartment In Chennai Has Art And Artefacts From Across the Globe | Studio Altara
To build a home is to build a sanctuary – a space to recharge, recuperate, and reinvigorate the mind, body, and soul. The beauty of this apartment in Chennai lies in the way it weaves the tapestry of the client’s life. It celebrates her lived experiences and artistic passions through carefully curated and immaculately displayed pieces of history and culture. Set against a muted colour palette, her collection of art, artefacts, and antiques deepens the home’s character. The house also elevates and reuses the client’s old furniture in imaginative ways that adapt it to her new abode. Studio Altara has designed interiors that balance vibrancy and near-maximalism.
Hanging adjacent to the main entrance, a soothing Pichwai painting welcomes visitors with the home’s distinct personality. Envisioned as an intimate yet semi-formal space, the open living and dining room one enters builds upon this first impression.
This apartment in Chennai features elegant and earth-toned furniture, including an antique rosewood table, and a selection of the client’s prized artefacts.
This open-plan space is anchored by an accent wall highlighting two Farhan Mujib paintings. The added delicate floral details on the wall and the strategically placed asymmetric Burmese brass finials further enhance this visual focus.
However, there is more to experience in this space. Burmese offering bowls, traditional glass-front cabinets housing brass artefacts collected over 25 years, and console units featuring unique antiques build a global story from the ground up.
A Ravi Verma painting, a vintage mirror, and a wall mounted golden fan from Burma project this story onto the walls, amplifying the intrigue of the room.
The kitchen, on the other hand, embraces the grey of the flooring. Sleek and dark cabinets go hand in hand with open shelves and light grey backsplashes.
Also deviating from the rest of the house are the balconies featuring rustic terracotta tiles. However, despite the difference in stylistic choices, these spaces feel like a cohesive part of the vision for the home.
Somewhere between the quietness of the bedrooms and the busyness of the living space lie the design choices made in creating the study area.
While the wooden furniture and the neutral colour palette seen across the house continue here, the Pichwai painting, the carefully selected carpet, and the diwan dressed in printed textiles add vibrancy to the room with their brighter reds, pops of orange, and contrasting deep blues.
Diagonally flanking this hub of visual and human activity, are the master and kids’ bedroom. While these spaces adopt a more minimalistic approach, art and artefacts remain the focal point of their design.
A striking painting by John Tun Sein and a distinctly patterned and newly varnished teakwood TV cabinet act as eye-grabbers in the master bedroom.
Floral printed chairs set against a tessellated screen repurposed as a backdrop also foster visual interest.
The rest of the room, including its modern details such as the bedside reading lights, complements these pieces and creates an oasis of calm.
Like the master bedroom, the guest/kids’ bedroom also predominantly features wooden tones and exudes calmness. However, bright accent pieces and interesting furniture choices create a contrast that amplifies the room’s vibe.
Studio Altara’s keen eye for detail, careful selection of colours, textures, and materials, and ability to seamlessly integrate the client’s art and furniture reflect a design approach that celebrates the client’s unique personality without compromising on elegance.
With this project, the architects seem to have truly embraced designer David Hicks’ quote: “The best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them.”
Fact File
Designed by: Studio Altara
Project Type: Residential Interior Design
Project Name: Dwaraka
Location: Alwarpet, Chennai
Year Built: 2023
Duration of the project: 4 Months
Project Size: 1500 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Ar. Hamsini KP
Team Design Credits: Ayilya Anand & Washim Khan
Photograph Courtesy: Pixels by Binsan
Products / Materials / Vendors: Finishes – Wall finishes – Paint and Wallpaper, Kitchen Counter Top – Steel grey granite stone, Kitchen Cabinets: 1mm laminate / Lighting –False Ceiling Lights – ACE – bought from Chandan Lites, Chennai, Pendant Lights – Fab India / Doors and Partitions – Designed by Studio Altara and executed by the carpenter team finished with 1mm laminate / Sanitaryware – Grohe / Paint – Luster Paint from Asian Paints / Flooring – Living room, Bedroom, Kitchen Flooring – Marble tiles from Cosmo Granites, Toilet Flooring tiles – Bought from Allied Ceramics, Chennai, Toilet Wall tiles – Rome Blue and Grey Subway Tiles from Bharat Floorings / Wallpaper – Wallpaper in the living room from Good Earth / Artefacts – Farhan Mujib, John Tun Sein, Burma, Pichwai Painting
Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio Altara
For Similar Project >> A House That Is Warm And Comforting, Keeping Up With The Modern Outlook
This residential project is a celebration of material purity and timeless simple design. Here, the rich, warm tone of natural walnut becomes the unifying element across the entire home. The clients, an elderly couple, envisioned a house where walnut would dominate the interiors. Here, no other colors disrupt the visual harmony. This simple yet demanding […]
In a city where homes often compete for attention through ornament and excess, The Nordic Luxe Residence takes a far more assured route. It wins you over with restraint, clarity, and a quietly elevated hand. It is designed for a family that wanted a fully move-in-ready 4BHK modern Indian home delivered within an uncompromising four-month […]
The Archive Home is not just a home—it’s a narrative of two extraordinary souls who call themselves wildlife enthusiasts. Their journeys take them deep into the wilderness every few months, capturing rare frames that have found their way into renowned magazines and the wider world of wildlife. Add to that a husband who can mesmerize […]
Spanning 2200 sq. ft., this 4BHK apartment designed by Studio Inside Out is a finely tuned symphony of rooted design, soft tones, tactile finishes, and thoughtful detailing. “Every space has been planned with a balance of aesthetics and practicality, creating a home that feels rooted, personal, and intuitively luxurious,” shares Ms. Samruddhi Kulkarni and Mr. […]
The concept was to bring the warmth of a traditional South Indian home into a modern city apartment. The goal was to blend two worlds. One of them was the nostalgia of the client’s roots and the practicality of their current urban lifestyle. It is a fusion where traditional materials meet modern shapes. It creates […]
OneDot1 Design Studio approached Neptune Residence with a clear design intent: to create interiors that feel timeless, welcoming, and emotionally grounding. The vision centered around soft tones, natural textures, and warm lighting—an environment where modern aesthetics meet the subtle richness of lived-in comfort. Avoiding unnecessary ornamentation, the design relies on material expression and spatial clarity. […]
Designing the Gupta family’s four-bedroom residence meant crafting a home that could gracefully evolve with time. The clients—a couple and their two sons—approached us with a clear brief: a home that feels modern but endures, elevated yet comforting, and above all, one that functions seamlessly for a family that values both togetherness and privacy. They […]
Designing a home is always a dialogue between functionality, aesthetics, and the people who inhabit it. The Rathi Residence, designed by interior designer Bhavana Chandak, is a thoughtful exploration of modern contemporary living. Completed in 2025 in Aurangabad, this 1800-square-foot residence with a pop of color transforms a compact footprint into a home that feels […]
“The designers envisioned Oasis Within as a contemporary 3 bhk apartment where calm, material sensitivity, and spatial clarity take precedence over overt expression.” Designed as a three-bedroom residence, the project explores a restrained palette of warm neutrals, tactile surfaces, and softly articulated forms, allowing each space to feel distinct yet deeply connected to a unified […]
High above the city, on the 54th floor, Sthira finds its grounding not in spectacle, but in a sense of steadiness that moves quietly through the inviting home. The family wanted a place that felt pure and enduring. Somewhere the pace softened, the eye rested, and every room held a quiet assurance of being lived in, not […]