Architects Bhavi Katira and Krishma Shah of The Home Studio curate a rich, vastu compliant residential haven in Bhuj that makes ancient traditions relevant to modern living. The project honours the occupant’s appreciation for the science of Vastu Shastra and their ties to the jewellery industry.
This Vastu Compliant House Makes Traditions Relevant to Modern Living | The Home Studio
The vestibule is bedecked with an enticing geometric pattern of multicolored Kota and Jaisalmer stone flooring. The classic combination of polished Kota stone flooring, white walls and warmly hued Teak wood furniture can never go wrong. The entrance features a semi-covered portico with a wooden ceiling and circular columns, setting the stage to unveil the marvels that lie ahead.
Imagine a typical neighbourhood in a congested Indian city. With buildings almost huddling cheek by jowl, you couldn’t be faulted for dreaming of a vastu compliant home ensconced within a garden. An abode that would provide a soothing green salve for city-frayed nerves. Such was the desire of a Bhuj-based business family, and they communicated it to the young and enthusiastic architects, Bhavi Katira and Krishma Shah of The Home Studio.
“Our designs are a reflection of our ideologies and ethics. Aesthetics and functionality are equally balanced to create straightforward designs radiating eternal elegance,” exclaims Krishma Shah. From college buddies to professional partners, Krishma Shah and Bhavi Katira have come a long way to establish their names as leading female architects in the industry.
Taking inspiration from traditional Indian houses, a courtyard is introduced. This in turn also justified the requirements of a Vastu Shastra compliant plan. Adhering to their fundamental philosophy of creating meaningful environments, the architect duo realises a vision for a modern-day vastu-compliant home through meticulously conceptualised spaces, selection of appropriate materials, and a clean execution of the overall design.
The central courtyard functions as the nucleus of the house. Architecturally, the ground floor layout accommodates an entrance foyer, living room, dining space, kitchen, and parent’s bedroom flanked by the courtyard. The private upper deck consists of a master bedroom, kid’s bedroom, guest bedroom, and entertainment zone.
Thus, apart from positioning the main areas of the house, such as the kitchen, living room, courtyard, dining room, bedrooms, and temple, according to the elements, even positions of design elements like doors and stairs are in accordance with the correct energy flows.
Natural light and cross-ventilation, modulated through skylights, enliven the house. The design team had to put the thinking cap quite firmly on their heads to churn out the out-of-the-box idea of using fabricated aluminium and glass pyramids to secure the skylights tactfully.
Tan-toned seating and profile lights framed in wood define the living room. It is beautifully accentuated by the dynamic play of natural light throughout the day. The convoluted flooring pattern and ritzy chandelier mark the entrance to the house. At the same time, the flooring pattern extends to the tan wooden ceiling embellished with cylindrical lights.
The changing play of light throughout the day creates dynamic moods. An erudite blending of natural and artificial lighting amplifies the spirit of the spaces. The bright yellow Jaisalmer stone-clad staircase adds a splash of colour to both levels.
This leads to the colossal challenge of moulding a visually appealing piece of architecture from a rigid design grid that dictates most of the decisions. Surprisingly, the architects dovetail modern aesthetics and traditional spirit to adjourn into not a showplace but an abode hallmarked by personalised timelessness.
In keeping with the client’s desire for a strictly Vastu compliant house, the placement of spaces in the house is in sync with the plan of the Vastu Purusha Mandala.
The patinated quartz dining table draws inspiration from fine dining restaurants, while the dainty vertical wooden crockery units elevate its elegance. The floral fabric chairs serve as feathers on the hat for the entire composition.
Wooden shutters for the base cabinets, paired with white and beige back painted glass wall cabinets, bring panache to the semi-modular kitchen. The neutral theme offers clear and peaceful energy to the homemaker through the hectic daily chores. The beautiful hand made green tiles on the breakfast tabletop work as a cherry on the cake.
This makes the house function as a homogenous unit, creating niches and corners for every occasion. The ambience is conducive to solitude as well as celebrations.
The use of natural stones like green Kota stone, multi-colored Kota stone, and Jaisalmer stone offers earthy, rustic vibes. Warmly hued Teak wood furniture and jute curtains complete the collage.
Each bedroom is themed to reflect the users’ personalities and expectations. Affability and complacency ooze from the minimal décor of the parents’ bedroom, marked by white walls and wooden furniture.
Panache and poise are the words that are tossed into the mind as one enters the master bedroom. Teakwood furniture is partnered with a neutral suede leather finished wardrobe and headboard. The green Kota stone flooring is inserted with a multi coloured Kota stone pattern. Almost zen in nature, the master bedroom speaks a language of serenity and warmth.
The colour scheme throughout the house is in adherence to the Vastu Shastra principles. The designers saw the restrictions placed by traditional science as a guideline rather than a challenge.
The guest bedroom features a pastel green theme, creating a cool and calm ambience.
The design elements in the daughter’s bedroom, including handles, wardrobe shutters, and headboards, infuse a tint of blue. Thus, The Home Studio has successfully created a dwelling that prioritises meaningful experiences for its residents, emphasising substance over gratuitous ostentation.
Materiality performed a great role in setting the natural-meets-contemporary aesthetic direction. An amazing mélange of traditional material palette with contemporary detailing leads to sublime vocabulary for the spaces. Jaisalmer stone flooring and wooden storage enhance the double-height pooja space. The interior design is congenial to the architectural language. Windows opening into the courtyard and front garden facilitate cross-ventilation and plenty of soft natural light.
A rationally designed balcony, above the main entrance of the house, not only creates a connection between the inside and the outside but also creates a strong narrative for the façade language. Cantilevered slabs shade the fenestrations, generating a sense of balance and anchoring the architectural composition.
Building your dream home is often a once in a lifetime opportunity, and when that moment comes, all your aspirations will fight for equal attention in the grand design scheme. How does one reconcile that? Principal architects Bhavi Katira and Krishma Shah of Bhuj-based The Home Studio just has the answer for us, or at least their recent residential gem—this palatial home for the Zaveris—can be our guide. A design, filled to the brim with details, stories, and intricacies, casts a sense of wonder at every corner of this house.
The house revolves around the concept of connections. Alluring fenestrations and skylights seamlessly connect the indoors to the outdoors. The articulated central courtyard intertwines the spaces both planarly and volumetrically.
This house is the perfect mélange of traditional and contemporary designs into a cocoon of comfort for different generations living happily under the same roof in current times. The connections between the spaces are analogous to the relationships between family members.
Fact File
Designed by: The Home Studio
Project Type: Residential Architecture & Interior Design
Project Name: A Cocoon Of Connections
Location: Bhuj, Kutch
Year Built: 2020
Project Size: 3575 Sq.ft
Project Cost: 80 Lakhs
Principal Architects: Ar. Krishma V. Shah & Ar. Bhavi J. Katira
Photograph Courtesy: Jignesh Zaveri & House of Artsy
Text Credits: Kruti Choksi Kothari
Products / Materials / Vendors: Wall construction – Bricks / Roof Construction – Reinforced Cement Concrete / Windows – Aluminium / Doors – Teak wood / Flooring – Kota stone, Jaisalmer Stone Bathroom finish – Ceramic Tiles / Kitchen Cabinets – Wood, MDF with acrylic finish / Kitchen Tandem – fluid / Kitchen Countertop – quartz storelne – cream with light brown dots / Laminates – Royal Touche Veneers – Royal Touche / Paints – Asian Paints / Bathroom Tiles – Simpolo / Highlighters – Handmade tiles by Vikram Studio, Ahmedabad) / Lighting – Profile lights by Pious, Bhuj and Hanging lights from Bela Casa, Anmol, Ahmedabad / Tapestry – Curtains by D Decor / Upholstery – Sarom by D Decor / Hardware – HETTICH / Faucets – JAGUAR / Tandem – FLUID, HETTICH / Air conditioning – LG
Firm’s Instagram Link: The Home Studio
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