A celebration can be loud. Its impact doesn’t have to be. That idea shaped the very foundation of this project. For this Ahmedabad home, the terrace design has always been more than just a terrace. It is the social heartbeat of the family, where birthdays slip into late-night banter and weekends turn into impromptu gatherings. In a household that thrives on hosting and celebrating, this space has naturally become the most lived-in and memory-filled corner of the home. When the homeowners decided to reimagine this space, they rooted the brief in emotion and responsibility: to preserve what it has meant to the family and to elevate how it performs.

Guided by our belief that good design must also be gentle on the planet, we proposed a sustainability-led direction for the terrace design that would honour traditional craftsmanship and create an environment built to last rather than a trend-driven makeover. The homeowners with contrasting personalities and strong design inclinations wanted a space that reflected both their styles. One leaned towards modern and clean; the other maximalist, layered and detail-rich. Thus, our design embraces this duality.

The Terrace Design Of This Home Becomes The Most Lived-In Space | Space Karma Design Studio

Reinterpreting the Open Terrace

The terrace originally existed as one large, uninterrupted surface. Our first design gesture was to reinterpret this openness into purposeful pockets that could hold different moods and experiences without breaking its visual expanse. These pockets allowed us to create a few distinct yet interconnected zones – the terrace, the enclosed lounge room, the semi-open spill-out space and the maximalist bar along with a powder washroom and pantry, giving the family multiple backdrops for celebration without adding walls or losing the freedom of an open terrace.

Lime as a Sustainable Core Material

At the heart of the environmental performance of the terrace design lies a material that is far older and far kinder than modern construction dictates: Lime. Known locally as chuna and traditionally in Rajasthan as gutai, it is one of India’s most time-tested sustainable materials. Its preparation itself was a craft, carried out on this site by Rajasthani artisans who work with a mixture of jaggery, fenugreek, haldi and other natural binders to create a breathable mortar.

Lime Flooring as a Climate-Responsive Surface

Workers apply multiple layers by hand, with each layer strengthening, cooling, and smoothing the surface. We suggested this material early in the process because lime doesn’t merely finish a floor; it regulates a climate. During the peak heat of Ahmedabad’s summer, when black granite becomes impossible to touch, the lime surface remains comfortable enough to walk on barefoot. It breathes, self-heals, grows stronger as it ages, and its cooling property intensifies over time – subtly reducing the temperature of the entire terrace for years to come. 

Layered Steps as Functional Seating

In shaping the spatial flow, we introduced gentle levels that serve both function and experience. A person can sit comfortably on one step while using the higher one beside it to place a drink, a platter or anything they wish to keep within easy reach. It ensures that even during the liveliest gatherings, no extra tables or furniture are needed.

Reworking Landscape into Soft Biophilic Edges

Instead of stripping away existing greenery from the terrace design, we reorganised it from a rigid linear arrangement into soft curves that wrap around seating pockets. The biophilic layer strengthened this comfort! Together, the material and the landscape create a space that feels calm by day, intimate by evening and inherently responsive to the region’s extreme climate. 

The Bar as a Maximalist Social Hub

From the open, flowing terrace, the social energy naturally leads to the bar. This happening zone is maximalist, layered and rich, a lively contrast to the terrace’s breezy openness. It connects seamlessly to the other pockets, allowing the host to move with ease. The ergonomic layout keeps everything within reach so that hosts can serve drinks without breaking the conversation. The Furniture Designer & Manufacturer, Yellow Brick Route, who are also the owners of this property, crafted the bar cabinet with stained glass detailing in close collaboration with the client, bringing a touch of vintage nostalgia. The customised bar table with Egyptian-style inlays, also created through the same collaborative process, adds a luxurious richness to the space.

The Enclosed Lounge as an Intimate Layer

From lively to intimate, the enclosed lounge room steps into a deeper layer of personality. The Furniture Designer & Manufacturer, Yellow Brick Route, who are also the owner’s of this space, designed and built the furniture in the room. They closely partnered with the client, resulting in standalone pieces that feel truly bespoke to the space. Designers keep the walls in a lighter tone while the floor anchors the space with a saturated, grounding colour. This creates the perfect canvas for the rust-coloured sofa, which brings warmth without heaviness. Deeper tones were chosen intentionally to make the room feel darker, cozier, and more intimate, and elements like the Naga panels add handcrafted rawness that enriches the palette instantly. Nothing feels overly matched, yet everything sits in harmony.

Volume, Light, and Material Balance in the Enclosed Space

The sloping roof of the terrace design introduced a generous volume. It prevents the deeper colours from ever feeling dingy or heavy. The full glass facade amplifies this openness. It allows sunlight to pour in throughout the day and keeps the room visually connected to the outdoors, even though it is enclosed. The wooden ceiling adds an extra layer of warmth. Together, these elements make the room both intimate and expansive, a balance rarely achieved in cosy spaces. Even with 15 people seated inside, the height prevents any feeling of claustrophobia. The ability to open the sides ensures easy movement and airflow. 

Sustainable Craft in the Powder Washroom

Even the compact powder washroom carries the project’s sustainable intent. The entire space is finished in lime. The basin counter is built through the brick masonry method and custom-crafted from scratch instead of relying on ready units, which cuts down on wastage and supports local craftsmanship. Every functional need has been seamlessly integrated into the form: Space to hold the towel basket, the soap display, the small storage pockets etc. Soft, diffused lighting replaces unnecessary brightness and brings in a sense of quiet luxury through simplicity. 

This renovation project is a nod to the future of experiential design, one where sustainability is not an aesthetic or a trend but an ethic, a quiet layer woven into every decision. It protects the soul of what a party space should feel like: warm, immersive, unforgettable. It becomes a place that celebrates life today while leaving the planet a little better than it found it, grounding every experience in materials and choices that care for the world they belong to.

Fact File

Designed by: Space Karma Design Studio

Project Type: Residential Interior Design

Project Name: The Lime Lounge 

Location: Ahmedabad

Year Built: 2025

Project Size: 2200 Sq.ft

Principal Designer: Shweta Jain

Photograph Courtesy: Murtaza Gandhi

Videography: Akash

Interior Styling: Saniya Tadha

Furniture: Yellow Brick Route

Firm’s Website Link: Space Karma Design Studio

The Firm’s Instagram Link: Space Karma Design Studio

Firm’s Facebook Link: Space Karma Design Studio

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