Brief:
The client approached us after briefly working with another design team. He was unhappy with the initial outcome and gutted the apartment to start again from scratch. Being a thirty-something sworn bachelor for life, he wanted a home that was luxurious, hip and had a very masculine feel. At the same time, he mentioned that his mother would visit often so the apartment couldn’t be too over the top.
FACT FILE:
Project name: Apartment in The Villas
Design firm: SPDA (Shalini Pereira Design Associates)
Principal Designer: Shalini Pereira
Photography: Rohan Dayal
Area: 2200 sqft
The Concept
The idea was to bring in the ‘luxe’ factor by using luxurious materials like brass and Italian marble but in a restrained and understated manner. This was a thought echoed by the client since he has a great love for marble and wanted to use it as much as possible but didn’t want the outcome to be gaudy or too bling.
The way the apartment was layout meant that there was a long passage that bisected the entire apartment. Since there was nothing we could do about this, we decided to make this a major design element. We used backlit onyx to define a small lobby area and then ran the same Italian marble used in the floor, through much of the ceiling as well. At the end of the passage was a niche that housed a colorful sculptural horse that the client had picked up during his travels. We also created a metal jali that acted as a screen between the drawing room and the passage. The screen had elements of brass that added to the luxe factor.
The passage opens out into a drawing room on one side and the dining on the other. We created distinctive marble architraves to define these two areas and add a sense of scale and luxury. Most of the Colors we used throughout out the apartment were dark muted tones that were inspired from the marble itself, with varying shades of taupe running through most of the house and master bedroom. The dining room is spectacular with its grooved wall that acts as a backdrop to some artwork, and the black marble table top with peach coloured chairs makes quite a bold statement.
The two guest rooms were treated slightly differently to the rest of the house. We played with a black and white concept where one of the rooms was light and bright while the other was dark and brooding and minimal. This was deliberately done to add a sense of playfulness and drama and lend a break from the Colors theme of brown that was running through the entire apartment.
One of the bedrooms of this four bedroom apartment was converted to a home theatre space and we did go over the top here with dark walls and ceilings and a wall there we had two giant portraits of Rafael Nadal and Usain Bolt commissioned especially for this space. What’s special about these portraits, aside from them being incredibly colourful, is that they are made from buttons!
The master bathroom is a very masculine space with a huge bed and a replica Eames lounge chair in faux cowhide that takes pride of place. The huge attached master bathroom is again done in light Italian marble and a lot of detailing was done to create a herringbone pattern above the vanity to make use of some marble that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Shalini Pereira
From the very first glimpse, this home makes a quiet yet assertive statement — a story of considered elegance woven through the interplay of textures, geometry, and an emotive material palette. It isn’t just a residence, but a journey of values, and a deliberate pause from the chaos of urbanity. A poetic 4 bedroom design […]
Referred by his cousin, who initially approached us for a large residential bungalow, Dilip Jain sought our expertise for his newly purchased 4 BHK luxury apartment in Akota. While the builder had completed the civil work for the kitchen and bathrooms, the client was unsatisfied with the final results. We took the initiative to transform […]
The Wabi Sabi Interior design of this residence was done in 71 days, including designing & execution. Contrary to our standard practice of a step-by-step design process, the process here was pretty fluid & more based on intuitions, visualizations, sketches & discussions. Only sketches were made, which proceeded to working drawings; no 3D visualization was […]
AMOGH 18 reflects AURA DESIGN HAUS’s core design ethos: to create spaces that are as timeless as they are contemporary. The project is a testament to the belief that minimal interiors, when thoughtfully executed, can be both warm and expressive. It’s a residence where sophistication meets simplicity, and where every detail is an invitation to […]
In the heart of a lush Ahmedabad neighborhood, a bare-shell duplex flat is transformed into a soulful sanctuary by Aura Design Atelier. Titled The Layered Narrative, this 2500 sq ft Indian apartment balances warmth, restraint, and personality, interweaving the lives of its residents through materials, light, and spatial flow. From the onset, the home reflects […]
This modern and classy 2BHK flat showcases the perfect blend of elegance and functionality. Step into a home where modern flat design meets sophistication — a beautifully designed 2BHK flat that offers the perfect fusion of luxury and comfort. The interiors exude an effortless style with meticulous attention to detail, creating an inviting atmosphere throughout. […]
Imagine this for a design brief: Design an apartment for 3 generations. The family’s young kids have an endless love for the sea and the sky, grandparents’ sensibilities are deeply rooted in traditional Indian styles, and the young parents are all about modern minimalism. The home has to integrate these diverse styles through eclectic interior […]
The Juhu Beach Apartment revamp project, executed by Ikshana Design Studio, was an ambitious transformation aimed at redefining a small yet cozy residence into a contemporary, light-filled home. The objective was to create a space that felt expansive and seamlessly connected to its coastal surroundings, all while maintaining the existing property. Given a reasonable budget, […]
Indian homes place equal importance on pooja room door designs as they do on main door designs. With diverse and unique ethnic backgrounds, every family strives to reflect their personalities and identities in their designs. These identities can encompass religious or spiritual interests, local contexts, or other personal elements. This series of blogs, featuring 50 […]
We have listed the 20 Best Architects and Designers in and around Ahmedabad, Gujarat who has shaped some of the best architectural residences and commercial spaces. Of the many architects in Ahmedabad, these shortlisted few are the ones with an array of award-winning projects done by them that puts them over the edge which will […]