Casa Tao – A Residential Apartment Creating Harmonious Convergence | Alkove Design

Tapping into Taoism, this Design explores the possibility of harmony between numerous design styles. There is visual seamlessness between all the spaces even if each space in the house is an outcome of a varied design approach. Emerging from a strong Design Principle, this Residence Interior has been executed substantially by the designer duo. This project creates an example of how thoughtful synthesis of Modern, Minimal, and Vernacular Design Style could create a pleasing visual harmony as well as an eclectic atmosphere. ~ Radha Hirpara (Editor)

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In The Encyclopaedia of Trouble and Spaciousness, Rebecca Solnit explores the concept of space as “the intersection of many changing forces passing through, whirling around, mixing and dissolving and exploding in a fixed location.” Our interior architecture is often a metonym for our interior life. Since we are all many things at once, color in our own individuality, it is only natural that our homes as natural extensions of ourselves are as varied and as unique as we are.

‘Casa Tao’, one of Alkove’s recent projects, is a reflection of the fact that a single home can be a harmonious convergence of polarities, a space where two distinct styles come together through a flow of color and texture that enables them to blend effortlessly. The name ‘Casa Tao’ came about because the central idea that we took away from the client brief was of a principle of Taoism- the cosmic balance between opposites as the foundation of all life.

Casa Tao has been designed to embody this balance; two sides of the apartment, both completely distinct from each other, converge harmoniously into the common space.

You enter the space through a deep blue door. Immediately on the left, there is a stained-glass panel, blue and yellow vines etched onto Tiffany glass. This panel rests against the wall as an aesthetic touch to the entrance space but moves forward to make a partition that provides privacy to the interior of the apartment even if the front door is open.

As you turn towards the main living space, your eye lights onto the large swing in blue and brass, a highlight of the common living space. This swing has a backrest arrangement that pivots in a 180-degree movement- enabling the sitter to face either side of the space while still having a backrest. This swing was designed to meet the vision of our client, who had specifically requested a swing that could face both directions.

You then turn to the rest of the common living space, which consists of the living and dining area. This whole space is arranged in a flow of navy blue, yellow, and brick. The four arches on the wall, highlighted in yellow against a background of herringbone-patterned brick, flow right down to the French doors that open into the terrace. The doors themselves are designed to be continuations of the arches. They fold back completely to open the entire living space out to the terrace, making it one big space that elegantly negotiates with the inside and the outside, the sumptuous blue, and yellow within blending into the bright sunny bohemian terrace.

You walk into the terrace, taking in the fresh air with the faint fragrance of wet earth coming from the just-watered pots of plants, looking up at the blue sky dotted with a few gently moving clouds. You feel free to do so without the fear of anyone observing your intimate moment with yourself- the awning above the terrace has been designed to be open to the sky while blocking any peeking glance from the upper floors.

After taking in the sun on the terrace, you turn back into the house and now directly face the kitchen. The first thing you notice is the curved breakfast counter, with a fluted white ply for its base. It makes a pleasing contrast with the Duco-painted blue cabinet shutters, which add character to the marble countertops. And then, your eye naturally travels to the right, where the floating dining area presents an invitation to have cozy dinners on its raised wooden platform, distinguishing it from the rest of the space while maintaining the expanse of the common space.

You now enter the set of rooms beside the dining area. Turning to the left, you walk into a passionflower-colored plant-filled bedroom, with a big four-poster bed set in the middle of pastel-yellow mosaic-inlaid tiles. The bed was designed to be an island in the middle of an effusion of plants, made especially for a client with a green thumb. In one corner of the room is a cozy reading corner, with a reading chair in a delicious plum color set in pleasing contrast to the light-filled green and yellow feel. The room is adorned with eclectic Indian textiles and patterns, the colorful block-printed weaves adding to the atmosphere of cozy bohemian charm. The window seat is a temptingly comfortable spot that opens out into the shady green arms of a big mango tree, dotted here and there with parrots and bulbuls. You immediately feel like settling down in the window with a nice book and a cup of tea, but instead, pop over to take a look at the second bedroom.

In this bedroom, you see two single beds on both sides, both inlaid with cane detailing. They have been designed in such a way that when pushed together, they will look like a complete double bed with a c-shaped cane headboard. This functional split bed was also designed by Alkovespecially to suit all kinds of guests.

You now walk over to the other side of the apartment and enter the big room on the left. As soon as you enter, you are taken by surprise. this bedroom is in sharp contrast to the rooms you just came from. This space is all gleaming marble, clean lines, and minimalist furniture. This is the largest room in the house, designed to be an all-in-one space for sleeping, exercising, praying, and working.

The piece of furniture that attracts your eye immediately is the desk. It is designed to look as if it is carried on clean white waves, which then blend into the deck and flow on towards the bed, as if on a long and meandering walk. This was made in accordance with the specifications of the client, who wanted minimalist lines softened by a creatively designed ‘flow’.

As it is meant to be a place that accommodates colleagues, the waves below the desk have various power points built into them, hidden from view but ready to charge any errant laptop that comes their way. The subtle brass inlays on the floor and the bird’s-eye view veneer wink generously at you, giving the room a minimalist yet friendly vibe.

The last room is a large, completely soundproof recording studio and home theatre space, a sumptuous yet inviting space that finishes off this eclectic and convention-breaking home.

Designed and executed by Alkove-Design, Casa Tao is simultaneously an intimate fortress and bright open space, a blue and yellow convergence of minimalism and bohemian charm, space that takes the yin and the yang and effortlessly holds it in balance.

FACT FILE:

Designed by: Alkove Design

Project Type: Residential (Apartment Interiors)

Project Name: Casa Tao

Location: Pune, Modal Colony

Year built: 2021

Size: 2475 sq. ft.

Project Cost approx: 70 lakhs

Principal Architect: Ar. Komal Mittal, Ar. Ninada Kashyap

Interior Styling: Surbhi Dhuper

Photography: Yamini Krishna Photography

Website: https://www.alkove-design.com/

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