A private family residence in Vadodara’s affluent gated community that straddles the past and present to create an elevated design narrative adept with an elegant demeanour.

Residence That Is Laced with Cohesive Spatial Planning | Design Studio Associates

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The Vaikunth Residence is a 5,620 square foot family bungalow located in a plush gated community in Sevasi, Vadodara. Designed and executed for the Shah family, this brick-clad neo-rustic abode has been conjured to life with the intention of providing the resident family with their quintessential ‘dream home’. The client brief was woven around creating a residence that Is laced with exemplary amenities, a strong design ethos, cohesive spatial planning, security services, home automation, and in utmost harmony with nature. “The home we designed needed to be rooted in its demeanour, yet modern in its DNA. This is a core impetus while creating multi-generational homes in a culture like ours where elders and younger members of a family call one residence their home,” quotes Ar. Sheth.

Pieced into being over two years spanning July 2018-August 2020, The Vaikunth Residence is trademarked by a palette of wooden tones, metallic nuances, faux leather, Italian stones, artisanal pieces, and statement luminaires interspersed with welcome doses of greenery. The reigning design thought was spearheaded by the notion of creating functional spaces that remain truly tethered to the palpable design palette. A harmonious blend of living spaces that echoed the needs and preferences of the large occupant family; a series of indoor-outdoor areas to dwell and rejuvenate. The resultant had to be a home that poses as an oasis that is traditional and contemporary in equal fractions.

The two-storeyed home is approached via a porch area bathed in beige-tone cladding with wooden plank-pattern ceilings. A minimalist brass inlay Ganesha mural graces the space, earmarking the entrance into the abode. The double-height foyer area introduces one to the play of light and shifting volumes in the interior space at once. The slatted wooden screening system and the deity’s bespoke painting ground the foyer wherein the red upholstered bench and graceful light fixture dot the nook. The main staircase veiled behind the partition system is a focal element in its own right. With bottom-lit treads, a whole brown stone body, and seamless glass balustrades, the stairwell seems to weightlessly connect the levels of the home. The ensemble of cascading cluster glass globes and a duo of swans sculpture add a sense of stark grace to the space. A patterned inlay of geometric forms and hexagonal mirrors on the stairwell walls lend the space an elevated persona.

“The family lounge, formal living area, pooja chamber, deck, dining space, and kitchen occupy the heart of the layout, where the Shah family convene, dine and revel in each other’s company. We witness a playful disposition of volumes with multi-height spaces inhabiting the layout bringing in vignettes of green, beckoning the outdoors inside,” adds the Principal architect.

Warm tones of tan, wooden elements, and warm shades of browns set the thematic backdrop in the family lounge area; embossed patterned paneling, brass wall installations create the highlights in this zone. The voided geometric partition wall and faux plants screen the spaces from the circulatory passage leading up to the formal living room. The family lounge looks into views of green as it is flanked by an open-to-sky triple-height courtyard that is dressed with a scaling faux foliage vertical garden and a traditional swing on the ground level, reminiscent of heritage Gujarati residences.

The formal living area on the far end of the floorplan is surrounded by all encompassing verdant views and lends itself as a larger area to host guests. Chesterfield sofas in taupe and scarlet are paired immaculately with marble-bodied centre tables to create a rich palette. Opening into the external deck, this area is washed in umpteen natural light and lush external views.

The pooja chamber is a serene spot in the nucleus of the floorplan and is approached via a custom geometric partition system bejeweled with brass bells in selected niches. A tessellated latticework backdrop frames the deity idols and reaches into the double-height volume. Pristine white marble and a central inlay floral motif flooring are crowned by a spiraling collection of lighting fixtures, emulating a sense of calm and expanse. The backlit Shloka panels and the overall aura of the chamber build on the Zen of the sanctum.

Connected to the living spaces, the deck acts as a circumferential area for the indoor spaces to extend out into. A peripheral spot along the curvilinear perimeter, the deck hugs the edges of the home. Blurring the threshold amidst the indoors and outdoors, it is a shared yet private space for the family to wind down and host while the space unfurls into the manicured lawns.

Back in the interior communal spaces, the kitchen has an expansive spread that capitalises upon the large footprint and pairs functionality with state-of-the-art services. White and umber tones are punctuated with natural light galore across the span of the day. The island counter introduces additional storage and a secondary spot to dine within the kitchen and is dotted with wooden pendant lights true to the palette. A gallery wall of signages and paraphernalia peppers the focal wall, creating a playful montage. Inviting in its semblance, the family dining area is anchored by an earthy marble eight-seater table with tufted complementary chairs. A statement glass and brass chandelier casts a diaphanous light over the dining nook; in the background, a fluted wall meets a mirrored wall laden with rhombus engravings and a low storage console. A minimalistic wooden ledge and bric-a-brac add character to the dining area.

The ground level hosts the timeless bedroom for the eldest most matriarch member of the family. Wooden surfaces seem to assume a certain omnipresence in the bedroom in the form of the false ceiling, headboard paneling, and furniture. A marsala hue adorns the velvet headboard and frames the resting space. The seating nook exudes a Mid-Century Modern undertone with its spindled armchairs and brass accent table. Simplicity is celebrated in this room with views of the outdoors to invigorate the space.

The first level of the residence holds the private suites of the rest of the family members and auxiliary spaces such as the study area and the home theatre. The bedrooms of each member are a reflection of their desires, harnessing the ability to morph with their transforming needs.

A vision in neutral hues of taupe, beige and wooden accents, the master bedroom is a
sanctuary of comfort for the end-users. The resting space is accented by a massive ivory buttoned headboard with mirrored floral inlay work and wire pendants in brass. A sleek television console and a neoteric recliner create a seating nook within the bedroom. The private suite further leads into a capacious walk-in closet and a private terrace connected to the master bedroom.

Prologued by a lounge space, the son’s bedroom is a crossover amidst opulence and modern ease. A deep blue velvet sectional couch is the focal piece of furniture in the compact lounge which is inconspicuously tucked away from the main bedroom via a slatted screening that acts as the backdrop for television viewing. Warmed up by a ubiquitous usage of wood across the flooring, ceiling, and furniture, the room adopts a pared-down sensibility. The accent wall is embellished with a half-tufted wall and a metal Banyan tree sculptural installation; textured grey plastered wall sections on either side collaged with pendant lights create an alluring ambience.

A trio of pink, soft grey, and white concoct elegant playfulness in the daughter’s bedroom. The high-back tufted bed in a candy hue sets the tone, carrying colour into the upholstery of the room. Sleek white nightstands with sizeable brass and fabric lampshades imbue the space with feminine panache. A dedicated open-plan dressing area is composed of a sleek vanity and a wall of geometric-shuttered wardrobes in white that create a sense of vastness. Both the children’s bedrooms enjoy joint access to the balcony space that lines the edge of the home on the first level.

Occupying a quiet spot on the first floor, the home theatre is a recreational entertainment spot that immerses the family in a cinematic experience from the comfort of their home. The interior walls and ceiling are clad in rectilinear acoustic panels in a warm grey; the floor carpet echoes a similar colour tonality. Eight recliner loungers create a comfortable and luxe ambience. A retro ‘Movie Night’ signage sits opposite the paneled projector screen wall. Adjacent to the triple-height courtyard, the study area is created against a textured rust-hued wall. Compact yet impactful in its design, this zone is optimized for storage, ergonomic work from home experience, and studying for the children.

The second floor is complete with an entertainment lounge and a landscaped terrace. This colossal space is culled out to host the family and their loved ones with vantage views of the surrounding context. The terrace is complemented with an open-plan lounge and stretches of green lawns, creating an alfresco sanctuary. The lawn has turquoise and white outdoor garden furniture, warm wall lights, and a myriad of planters. The entertainment lounge is headlined by primary hues of muted red on the walls, mustard-hued seating, and a powder blue fluted wall paneling.

The residence is nestled in the embrace of abundant greenery with surrounding lawnscapes and a private gazebo in a quiet corner of the property to allow living spaces to make their way seamlessly into the outdoors. The quaint gazebo has a tiled sloping roof and bears a modernised identity kudos to its sliding glass walls that unfold and reveal the lounge space. Fuchsia seats and a collage of mason jars dotted with flowers and dreamy lights create a congenial outdoor recreational zone.

“At The Vaikunth Residence, the family’s aspirations have come together to form the cornerstone of the design scheme. The home witnesses the alchemy of classic design, traditional elements, and contemporary undertones that converge to create this holistic abode in a time and age where the importance of one’s home is more pronounced than ever before,” summarises the Architect.

Fact File:

Design By : Design Studio Associates

Project Type : Residence

Project Name : The Vaikunth Residence

Location : Vadodara, Gujarat

Year Built : 2020

Project Duration : July 2018 to August 2020

Area : 5,620 Square Feet

Principal Architect : Ar. Ruchir Sheth

Design Team : Hena Kotecha

Client Name : Mr. Snehal Shah

Text Credit : Lavanya Chopra

Photography Credit : Yogi Trivedi

Products and Material :

Italian Stone Cladding – Jain Baroda | Lighting – Lafit Lighting | Doors and Partitions : Deco Ply | Sanitaryware : Kohler | Windows : Fenesta Windows | Furniture : Urban Living | Flooring : Qutone Ceramics | Kitchen : Prato Kitchens | Paint : Asian Paints | Artefacts : At Home , Westside Home | Wallpaper : Elementto | Hardware : Enox Quadro channel

Firm’s Website Link : http://www.dsarchitect.in/

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