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 done. Designed primarily for a small family of 3, there were a lot of discussions between all users about how we want to dwell in different spaces of the house, what the ideal function is, how we envision using it & how to make it comfortable & usable.
Aesthetics took a backseat for a very long time. The material palette also arose from the personal choices of the users, which then proceeded to a more refined styling language, which again developed in an organic way rather than with conscious decisions. One can compare the process to similar of an artist painting on a canvas with experience, intuitions & natural flair rather than an informed & scientific way. That was the benefit of the designers themselves being their clients!
Editor’s Note: “Designed like a memory, this home is not about perfection but about presence. Embracing the imperfect, here life unfolds gently, through silence, shadows, and simplicity. With Wabi Sabi at its warmest, ‘The designer’s Abode’ celebrates the authenticity of graceful materials, breathable spaces, and a timeless touch.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
This Home’s Way Of Living Is Inspired By Wabi Sabi Interior Design | Ego Designs
Once the decision to remove the Bedroom located near the Entrance was taken, the lobby, bedroom & living spaces would merge. We wanted to make sure that the house is not revealed at first glance. Hence, a small vestibule space was created with an Arched entrance, angular & in axis with the living space corner, adding the essence of wabi sabi interior design to the space. The front wall of the vestibule also concealed the 2 sliding panels of the TV room on the east side, making it functional. The Vestibule itself is a monolithic space with minimal lighting & a surreal feeling of entering a cave, in this case, our private den.
Once you take 2 steps into the house, the living space, dining & TV spaces are revealed with a wide perspective & depth. Here is where the true value of a color/material palette comes into the picture. This is the point where one’s eyes connect the continuity of forms, colors, textures & materials. If there is no pre-designed palette, one could make wrong decisions while in the selection stage. The rules of selection are well defined if one is clear of what one wants & what is not suitable, no matter how beautiful it is. If it doesn’t match the palette, it is not right.
The living spaces are basically divided into 3 zones. The 1st bedroom near the entrance was broken down to extend the Living space & also designated as the media space. Interest in music, movies & media in general propelled comfortable recliners & home theatre set-up. This space can also be enclosed by 5 sliding panels whenever required.
A formal living space for 6 persons makes up for the middle zone, where the highlight is the over-large Areca palm tree in the corner, where one gets a feeling of sitting under a tree with shadows of light. Also, a customized fluid-shaped carpet accentuates the space.
The cozy little balcony is a go-to place for the family in mornings & evenings. A small sit-out with a Champa tree, cove & pendant lighting makes up for a perfect mood in the evenings.
In Summary, the wabi sabi interior design spaces are designed to make optimum use of them rather than showing off good interiors but impractical use. This is very important since every square foot of space is valuable & one must make maximum use, whether physically or visually.
As they say, the Dining space is often the heart of the house. Here, we were contemplating the idea of not having a traditional Dining table & having a more functional, interactive & social element.
The Idea of a high counter used as a working counter from the Kitchen side & a breakfast counter from the other side came into play, which ultimately realized into this unique element, where it can be used a working counter from the Kitchen, a Bar/high chair Dinner table, as well a standard height dining set-up. The 3 chairs at standard height are also for seniors who would have a problem with high chairs.
The geometry, scale & workability were very important as it carried a risk of going wrong.
In order not to make it massy & bulky as it threatened to, a combination of 3 materials was used to break the planes & appear to look lighter. The under-counter light also makes it different from usual dining tables & enhances the element.
One of our favorite spaces is the centrally located Guest bedroom. In order to fully utilize it, we added the function of using it as a Study, Art-room & private solitude space. Being designers & oriented towards different Arts & Crafts, we needed a separate space. The Sofa-cum-Bed & attached toilet make it comfortable for any guests to stay.
We removed the wall towards the Dining space & installed a smooth & convenient Sliding system for privacy. The Material palette also differentiates here a little since we wanted a more natural look, hence the use of teakwood & rattan rolls in the furniture. By removing the wall & having a sliding system in place also solved 2 design issues with apartment design.
The dining space is often dark & sandwiched between the bedroom & the kitchen, so it is not welcoming & devoid of natural light & ventilation.
The circulation of spaces once the Dining table is placed is often not sufficient. By removing the wall, all these issues were solved. It gave more depth of space horizontally, gave light & ventilation to the Dining space & improved circulation in the central area.
The location of the Master Bedroom presented a peculiar problem in this particular flat. It is located in a way that one has to keep the bed head in the magnetic North direction. We were not comfortable with that. The South head had privacy issues & the East & West did not have enough width to locate a Bed & side tables.
Hence, we came up with this Layout where the room is divided into 2 zones. The first zone near the entrance becomes an open walk-in Wardrobe space. The divided low-height storage then provides the back for the headboard, where the Bed looks towards the West, providing a self-contained solution in all ways.
Yes, the conventional backdrop Wall of a Bed is missing, arguably ignoring the grandeur associated with it. But in return, this solution provides an opportunity to design differently, hence the large crescent-shaped steel & bamboo fiber sculpture which sits on the storage unit & provides a backdrop to the bed.
Fact File
Designed by: Ego Designs
Project Type: Apartment Interior Design
Project Name: The Designer’s Abode
Location: Ahmedabad
Year Built: 2024
Duration of the project: 71 Days
Project Size: 1550 Sq.ft.
Project Cost: 65 Lakhs
Principal Designers: Chirag Doshi & Sneha Doshi
Design Credits: Disha Maru
Photograph Courtesy: Inclined Studio
Products / Materials / Vendors: Finishes – Dresscircle / Wallcovering / Cladding – Texto (Limewash Texture) / Construction Materials – Greenhouse / Lighting – One Above / Doors and Partitions – Koil Aluminum Partitions / Sanitaryware – Jaquar / Furniture – Be Komfort, Reclinex / Flooring – Casa Ricca Kitchen – Bova Cucine / Paint – Asian Paints / Artefacts – 079 Stories
Firm’s Website Link: Ego Designs
Firm’s Instagram Link: Ego Designs
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