The residence is in Snehitha Hills, near Narsingi TGPA (Telangana Police Academy). This four floor building comprises a 5,400 sq. ft. duplex on the third and fourth floors, designed as the primary living space for Mr. Raveen Reddy, who was serving as the General Manager of Railways, India at the time. While the duplex has two entrances, the main entry is from the third floor.
Shape Haven Architecture
The design intent was to maximize natural light and ventilation. The home opens into a compact drawing space that acts as a foyer, extending into a large east-facing verandah. Windows are taken up to beam bottom, with a sill height of approximately 2’-3”, ensuring generous daylight and airflow throughout.
The drawing room is subtly separated from the living space by a partition crafted from solid wood sections, cut and arranged symmetrically, paired with muted wallpaper. This creates a refined transition into the more private living and dining areas.
A key feature of the home is the introduction of two double-height volumes. The first, above the dining area, establishes a sense of grandeur and spatial continuity. It incorporates a folded plate staircase finished with custom sandstone cladding.
The cladding was CNC-carved to achieve a fluid composition—densely patterned on one end and gradually dispersing across the wall—and later treated with an earthy-toned paint to enhance and complement the natural sandstone texture.
This transitions into wooden paneling that conceals the distribution box, achieving a balanced contrast of materials and craftsmanship. The common spaces are unified using cherry red sapele veneer, lending warmth within a traditionally minimalist framework.
Adjacent to the dining area is a pooja room, detailed with traditional elements that act as a cultural and visual anchor, subtly influencing the language of the surrounding spaces.
The second volume is a semi-open sit-out that separates the common areas from the office. This space is defined by a double-height wall finished in textured paint, adding depth and character. A thoughtful detail within the sit-out is the placement of potted plants, introducing a softer, lived-in quality to the semi-exterior environment. The sit-out receives consistent north light, which gently permeates into the living and dining areas. It is further enhanced by a balcony attached to the son’s bedroom above, visually connecting the upper and lower levels and reinforcing a sense of spatial continuity across the home.
The architects designed the office with wenge veneer storage units and a contrasting PU-finished central panel, creating a focused and sophisticated workspace. They executed the custom-designed table in solid wood and veneer, with legs crafted from 4” sections shaped using a lathe turning machine, highlighting the attention to detail in fabrication. The room reflects a modern neoclass
The third floor also houses the master bedroom, designed in a restrained neoclassical style. A custom poster bed in solid wood forms the centerpiece, with its profiles shaped using a lathe turning machine, adding a layer of crafted elegance.
With limited window openings, the architects finished the room in light tones, complemented by subtle classical elements such as fluted details and framed paneling, creating a refined yet minimal expression.
The internal staircase leads to the fourth floor, which comprises three bedrooms and a family lounge opening into a spacious verandah.
The son’s bedroom is intentionally minimal, allowing the teak veneer to define the space. Clean forms, along with rounded edges in solid wood for the bed and study unit, create a cohesive and calming environment.
The family lounge, accessed past the guest bedroom, is separated by a double-glazed acoustic aluminum door. It features an informal seating area with a bar unit crafted in wenge veneer and plywood, designed with integrated storage for drinks and cutlery.
This space opens into a verandah through bifold doors made in solid wood with sapele veneer. This allows the indoors and outdoors to seamlessly merge when required.
Connected to the lounge is the daughter’s bedroom, designed for occasional use. The room features PU-painted paneling with subtle asymmetrical grooves, balanced with teak veneer elements. The architects detailed the wardrobe with diagonally aligned grain patterns, creating a seamless visual continuity.
Fact File
Designed by: Shape Haven Architecture
Project Type: Residential Architecture & Interior Design.
Project Name: Om Karani Residence
Location: Snehitha Hills, Hyderabad
Year Built: October 2025
Duration of the project: 8 Months
Plot Area: 5000 Sq.ft
Built-up Area: 13224 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Thakur Ashwin Singh
Team Design Credits: Associate Architect: Sanjana Thakur
Photograph Courtesy: Ruuhchitra
Firm’s Instagram Link: Shape Haven Architecture
For Similar Projects >> Naturally minimal: A tropical villa rooted in earthy essence
Editor’s Note: Some places feel rooted because they belong to their surroundings rather than trying to stand apart from them. Coffee Sangam in Andhra Pradesh takes this approach through a raw, tactile palette of brick, stone, teak, and mild steel. The random rubble compound wall extends the landscape into the architecture, while the Corten steel […]
Envisioned as a contemporary home rooted in Indian sensibilities, this residence sits on a south-facing urban plot. The design accommodates the evolving lifestyle of a multi-generational family. The project integrates architecture and interiors to create functional, climate-responsive, and emotionally connected spaces. Each level balances privacy with interaction. The design also allows flexibility for changing family […]
Editorial Note: Some homes are shaped by the memories, objects, and stories their residents carry with them. Ungana in Chennai, meaning “merge” in Swahili, brings together a well-travelled family’s collection of antiques and everyday rituals within a narrow urban plot. A double-height living space becomes the heart of the home, connecting the kitchen and dining […]
House of the Framed Atrium explores how a contemporary home can revolve around light, connection, and shared experiences. The design follows the ideas of a Living Atrium, Living with Nature, Framed Volumes, Vertical Living, and Timeless Materiality. The residence connects a sequence of interconnected spaces around a dramatic triple-height atrium. The atrium forms the heart […]
A Mock-up That Became a Home – For an architecture practice, a mock-up often helps test an idea before the team translates it into a larger project. It allows architects to work at full scale, examine materials and construction techniques, and understand their limitations. The process also gives them room to test different brick bonds and […]
The house began not with a formal brief, but with a conversation about the kind of life the clients hoped to build within it. Set between the denser urban fabric of Kannur and the quieter residential landscapes of North Kerala, the project responds to a desire for openness and connection. At the same time, the […]
“Pravah” — A House That Breathes is envisioned as the main concept of this home revolves around a fluid, light-filled home where architecture becomes a continuous experience of movement, air, and connection. Located in Pal Gamtal, Surat, the project is a residential redevelopment on a 1,850 sq.ft. plot within a dense urban fabric. The site, […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]