Placed away in a silent neighbourhood, Shizen House by P&S Associates is not just a residence. It’s rooted in the Japanese style interiors & philosophy, giving an experience of soulful design, mindfulness, and calmness. Every element of Shizen House has been chosen for how it feels and not just how it looks. It evokes groundedness, presence, and stillness. Raw beauty, imperfection, and the soft poetry of natural materials are celebrated in this project. 

Editor’s Note: “Rooted in Japanese philosophy, Shizen House is designed as an experience rather than just an aesthetic pursuit. True to its name, which means ‘nature,’ the home embraces organic materials and textures, bringing the outdoors into every corner. A thoughtful play of colours and artworks infuses vibrancy while maintaining a serene balance, creating a space where calm and energy coexist.” ~Rajvi Dedakiya

Shizen House is Rooted in Japanese Style Interiors | P&S Associates

The Philosophy of Wabi-Sabi

Wabi-Sabi is the core design narrative which champions brevity and imperfection. In Japanese ‘Shizen’ translates to ‘nature.’ In the world surrounded with sleek finishes and flawless symmetry, Shizen house is welcomed as a refreshing departure. It is textured, handmade, organic, and weathered.

From the outset, P&S Associates envisioned a sanctuary where beauty lies in the understated. The architecture doesn’t shout, it whispers. Volumes flow seamlessly into one another, with raw yet intentional surfaces that encourage reflection and invite moments of pause in every space. The deliberate restraint in form allows for a heightened sensory experience of touch, texture, shadow, and silence.

A Material Symphony of Earth and Emotion

The material palette is what anchors the soul of Shizen House. Natural wood, lime-washed walls, and raw stone come together to bring a sense of harmony, depth, and honesty to the space. To create a muted dialogue between surfaces, the designers strategically applied painted veneers, allowing subtle contrasts and textures to quietly interact. It also softens the transitions from one door to another.

The space has textured finishes, which are sometimes rough and sometimes smooth. It brings in a tactile play, attracting residents to interact with the space. Handmade ceramic accents and woven fabric details pepper the house. It provides warmth and a handcrafted quality that industrial materials often lack.

Light as a Layer of Texture

The lighting at Shizen House goes beyond mere functionality; it enhances mood, highlights materials, and contributes to the home’s overall sensory experience. The design evokes emotion by intention. Soft, diffused lighting gently casts shadows and enhances the organic texture of materials as it shifts throughout the day. Also, it is a mix of pendant, wall-mounted floor lights in earthy finishes and muted metallics that light up the space with an ethereal glow. The statement fixtures, inspired by paper and nature, bring sculptural drama without overpowering the space’s calm.  

The Flow of Space and Stillness

The spatial planning of Shizen House is where architecture and emotion truly converge. It is a thoughtfully curated open layout that ensures seamless transitions between spaces, without being jarring. The designer intentionally leaves negative spaces untouched. It allows key elements to glow and leaves spaces for the architecture to breathe. Its breathing space becomes a metaphor for the life that the house wants to nourish. It is slower, intentional, and quieter.

None of the corners of the house feels forced since it is a vignette in itself. From the way one room opens into the next, to how the textures speak across spaces, there’s an unspoken rhythm. Furniture choices follow this rhythm too, low, sculptural, and elegant in their restraint.

Entrance as an Invitation

The entrance sets the tone. A beautifully detailed bookshelf installation greets you, doing double duty as a storage space and an artistic feature. The designer expresses the philosophical idea of storytelling through a thoughtful curation of natural elements, ceramic curios, and books. It is more than a display but an invitation to explore. 

The entrance grounds you with its warmth and reflection; it doesn’t seek traditional grandeur. The home draws visitors in by expressing its central idea: beauty lives in the intimate, the slow, and the everyday.

The Living Room: Art Meets Silence

In the living room, the narrative deepens. A feature wall with a textured finish acts as a tactile backdrop. The seating includes abstract, sculpture-like sofas that don’t just offer comfort, they shape the space. A commanding large-scale art piece anchors the room, drawing attention to the raw, expressive nature of Wabi-Sabi.

There is no overcrowded living room. It conveys intention and careful editing. It reflects the thoughtful curation of each item, chosen with both emotional resonance and aesthetic intent.

Crafting Stillness Through Texture

Texture becomes the language of the house. From lime-washed walls that subtly absorb light to natural stone surfaces that ground the space, everything leans into touchability. Soft furnishings in slubby fabrics, handwoven details, and the occasional pop of muted ceramic add layers to this language.

There’s an inherent duality here, refined yet raw, minimal yet warm, calm yet layered. The house doesn’t rely on ornamentation. Instead, it finds poetry in the interplay of materials, light, and shadow.

A Home That Heals

More than a residence, Shizen House is a reminder of how spaces affect our well-being. In an overstimulated world, it offers calm. In a trend-driven market, it offers timelessness. This isn’t a home that ages, it evolves. The space becomes more lived-in, more beautiful, and more honest with every dent, scratch, or patina.

The design doesn’t strive for perfection. Instead, it welcomes the stories of time, whether that’s in the creak of wooden flooring, the gentle erosion of lime paint, or the shift in shadows through the day.

About the Studio

Led by Palna Shah and Sachi Shah, P&S Associates’ projects are renowned for their contextual sensitivity, refined use of materials and timeless elegance. They have delivered work consistently, bridging emotion and function. With the Shizen House, they have gone a step ahead. They crafted a living space which feels both modern yet ancient, expansive but rooted too. The studio philosophy is reflected through each line and surface of Shizen House. It resonates with the idea of architecture, which can be felt and not just built.

Fact File

Designed by: P&S Associates

Project Type: Luxury apartment interiors

Project Name: SHIZEN HOUSE

Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Year Built: 2025

Duration of project: 6 Months

Project Size: 4000 Sq.ft

Principal Architect: Palna Shah & Sachi Shah

Photograph Courtesy: prachikhasgiwala

Consultants for the Project :

MEP & HVAC Consultants – futuresoluindia.com

Acoustics Consultants – futuriztic.com

Firm’s Website Link: P&S.Associates

Firm’s Instagram Link:  P&S.Associates

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