Project Guru Prasad began with a simple yet nuanced brief — to design a home inspired by Japanese aesthetics while maintaining a minimal and grounded sensibility. The 3BHK apartment, spread across 1350 sq. ft. of carpet area, became an exploration of form, material, and composition.

Inside the 3bhk Apartment Where Japanese Aesthetics Meet the Quiet Discipline of Material and Form | Goldie Kalda Design Studio

Since the flooring had not been executed when the design began, it became a key tool for defining the home’s spatial identity. The flooring and walls were carefully coordinated to introduce a subtle Japanese character throughout the interiors.

Flooring

In the living area, a raised deck-like platform emerges from the flooring and extends towards the mandir, creating a visual and spatial continuity. A slight level difference near the common basin continues this language, reinforcing the idea of grounded planes. Alternating 6-inch beige and grey tiles in the living space, transitioning into grey tiles across the rest of the house, further strengthens this identity.

At the heart of the home, the common basin emerges as a sculptural pause. Enveloped in brick — both underfoot and behind — it feels grounded, almost carved out of the space itself. A wooden mass punctured with square openings frames fragments of life — a planter, a shadow, a glimpse — turning everyday rituals into composed experiences.

Geometry

Laminated and veneered rectangular grids define the adjacent storage and sofa backdrop. Their arrangement introduces a rhythmic visual language. A subtle artwork placed on this wooden mass enhances its presence without overwhelming it. These elements, when viewed from different angles, form evolving geometric compositions.

Cement cladding with fine rectangular grooves defines the TV wall. A clean, monolithic unit complements the textured backdrop.

Materiality

The mandir creates an earthy and timeless transition toward the dining and kitchen. Brick cladding, a veneered ceiling, and a suspended brass bowl above the deity create a quiet, sacred atmosphere. The intention was to avoid applied decoration and instead allow materials and form to create an inherent sense of artistry.

A light partition of wood and wired frosted glass subtly separates the dining and kitchen. The kitchen continues the grid language through laminates and veneers, maintaining visual continuity with the living area.

Grids

Grids appear not as decoration, but as a language. In the living area, in storage, in the kitchen — they create rhythm, proportion, and a sense of quiet discipline. These repeated geometries shift subtly with movement, forming ever-changing compositions as one walks through the house.

The bedrooms feel softer and more intimate through warm beige tones and earthy wallpapers. Arches introduce a Japandi character, with a large arch framing the master bed and multiple cane-filled arches defining the parents’ room.

The material palette remains consistent throughout — wood-finished veneers, laminates, cane, brick, matte tiles, and warm beige tones. Cane, in particular, is used across wardrobes, mandir drawers, accent furniture, and bedside units, tying the entire home together.

In essence, the project is an attempt to create a space where walls, floors, and furniture come together as one cohesive composition — a minimal Japanese-inspired artwork in itself, rather than a backdrop for added decoration.

Fact File

Designed by: Goldie Kalda Design Studio

Project Type: Residential Interior Design

Project Name: Guru Prasad

Location: Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra

Year Built: 2026

Duration of the project: 5 Months

Project Size: 1350 Sqft

Principal Architect: Ar. Goldie Kalda

Photograph Courtesy: pranitborastudio

Firm’s Instagram Link: Goldie Kalda Design Studio

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