This is Kanso House, a zen home designed for a family of three that loves simplicity and thrives on celebrating family. The apartment, located in Mumbai, has calming views of the sea. Its beautiful large deck forms the perfect place to converge naturally and spend their time through different hours. There’s a powerful sense of calm, and everything is built around a purpose. This art of decluttering mimics the Japanese principle of Kanso, one of the seven principles of Zen philosophy, which means simplicity or purity.
Editor’s Note: “Inspired by Zen philosophy, this Mumbai residence radiates tranquillity with its serene design and calming ambience. Thoughtfully chosen tactile materials and a cohesive tonal palette create visual harmony, offering a soothing sense of comfort. The material selection seamlessly blends Indian design nuances with modern living, crafting a home that embodies both timeless elegance and contemporary warmth.” ~Simran Khare
This Zen Home Mimics One of the 7 Principles of Japanese Philosophy | Purple Backyard
Since the design studio Purple Backyard, with Kumpal Vaid at its helm, is known for its lived-in and meditative designs, the sync was almost instant.
The idea of pause and reflect is constant in this zen home. Kumpal wanted to use tactile materials yet stay tonal, and that tonal consistency is maintained absolutely through the use of textures and glass in partitions, not breaking away from the visual flow that makes this apartment like its namesake.
The project is also a deep dive into using and showcasing Indian art and crafts in small doses, blending their absolute beauty with a utilitarian canvas.
One also finds the use of a lot of Indian stones in various areas, like Indian black limestone for the bathroom, Kota stone for the deck, and silver stone elsewhere—all adding to the grace of the spaces.
The house is divided into private and open spaces with the help of simple sliders, forming a quiet light panel towards the evening.
The three users and their everyday activities provide the context around which the apartment is built. You can see each of their personalities in their private spaces, though there’s a singular flow that connects the whole space, forming one design language.
Kumpal was very conscious of the colours that were used and repeated throughout the house. Since the accent colour for this house is black, it makes the space not only very interesting but also very contemporary in nature.
But the most stunning character is the ‘silent red’. This makes its presence felt in more places than one across the house.
It also adds a fun and quirky element to the minimal ambience. Another conversation piece is the stone frame in the living room that reads “Kanso” in Japanese. Additionally, those pieces were etched by each worker on site, including Kumpal.
It is almost like the artist’s signature in a painting. Furthermore, looking at it just warms the heart as you feel everyone’s involvement in creating this zen space.
Houses are a reflection of the people who live in them (and those who help create them). Moreover, this house is a beautiful idea of exactly that celebration of family and simplicity.
Fact File
Designed by: Purple Backyard
Project Type: Residential Interior Design
Project Name: Kanso House
Location: Mumbai
Year Built: 2024
Project Size: 4000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Kumpal Vaid
Photograph Courtesy: Ishi Sitwala
Firm’s Website Link: Purple Backyard
Firm’s Instagram Link: Purple Backyard
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