search
  • Travel A Journey From The Traditional Aangan To A Modern Apartment | Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

    In a quiet pocket of Mumbai, within the city’s layered urban fabric, an ancestral home long remembered has found its way into the present. Architect Rajesh Atha Studio’s latest 1,200-square-foot residential project introduces Hindustani Hygge, a design philosophy that reinterprets ancestral spatial principles like the aangan and verandah for contemporary apartment living.

    Travel A Journey From The Traditional Aangan To A Modern Apartment | Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

    Client Brief

    The architects conceived the project for a Mumbai-based dentist and his wife, long-time collaborators of the studio. Their brief was unconventional: not a list of rooms or finishes, but stories of mosaic floors in a Gamdevi heritage home, of wooden rafters watching over generations, of the copper vessels and stone surfaces that defined daily rituals. These recollections became the design’s foundation.

    Design Approach

    “We approached this project as excavation over invention,” says Rajesh Atha, principal architect. “The design emerged from lived memory, from spaces and objects that had shaped the clients’ sense of belonging.”

    aangan

    A Contemporary Framework Rooted in Tradition

    The home’s spatial planning draws from traditional Indian layouts. A custom teak entry door, its outer panel perforated for ventilation and its inner shutter solid for privacy, sets the tone. The entry foyer buffers the apartment from the shared lobby, much like a traditional porch.

    aangan

    Aangan

    This leads into a reimagined aangan, a courtyard-like nucleus that forms the social heart of the home. Here, living, dining, and kitchen spaces converge in a fluid arrangement, connected yet distinct. A concealed pocket door separates these communal areas from the private quarters, balancing openness with intimacy.

    aangan

    Living & Dining

    From the aangan, the living room extends like a shaded verandah. Layered with inherited objects, it includes an ash wood and rattan jhoola suspended near the window, a piece both nostalgic and present. The dining area centers on a marble-topped table paired with a custom Maharashtrian bench, a contemporary interpretation of floor-seating traditions.

    aangan
    aangan
    aangan

    Bedrooms

    The private zone houses the primary suite and a guest bedroom, with the primary laid out as a continuous sequence from sleeping area to wardrobe, dressing space, and ensuite. A floating marble bench at the window offers a quiet corner for reflection.

    Material Palette

    Every material was chosen for its ability to evoke touch, time, and familiarity. Teak rafters meet hand-painted plank ceilings in the main rooms, handcrafted patterned cement tiles add visual rhythm, and plaster walls with subtle break lines catch shifting daylight.

    aangan

    The sensory experience was as important as the visual one. Temple bells at the prayer alcove chime softly when moved, the swing’s creak was intentionally preserved, and natural ventilation carries the scent of sandalwood through the apartment. These cues ground the home in a lived-in rhythm.

    The Hindustani Hygge philosophy favors preservation over replacement. Existing furniture was restored, while new pieces were crafted by local artisans using indigenous materials.

    The clients’ inherited copper vessels, religious sculptures, and ritual objects were integrated into everyday use, reducing the project’s carbon footprint while retaining emotional depth. Here, heritage is not displayed; it is embodied. Every object tells a story, every material recalls a memory, and every space invites pause.

    A Broader Movement

    Beyond a single project, Hindustani Hygge represents a movement in Indian interior design, reviving indigenous planning wisdom for modern contexts, responding to climate, family structures, and daily rituals. It is less of a style and more of a sensibility. A home shaped by memory, belonging, and sensory grace.

    “It feels like home in a way I didn’t know an apartment could,” the client reflects. “It holds our past while making space for our present.

    Fact File

    Designed by: Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

    Project Type: Apartment Interior Design

    Project Name: Hindustani Hygge

    Location: Mumbai

    Year Built: 2024

    Duration of the project: March 2024 – December 2024

    Project Size: 1200 Sq.ft

    Principal Architect: Ar. Rajesh Atha

    Design Credits: Prachla Sharma

    Photograph Courtesy: Varad Anvekar

    Products / Materials / Vendors: Flooring and Surfaces: Handcrafted Cement Tiles – Bharat Flooring, Sintered Stone Flooring – Nexion, Natural Stone – Perfect Stones / Architectural Elements: Fiber Cement Ceiling Planks – SHERA, Texture Paint – Asian Paints, Flat Paint – Jotun Paints / Hardware and Fixtures: Electrical Outlets & Switches – Norisys, Plumbing Fixtures – Kohler, Aquant and Sloan / Kitchen and Storage – Modular Kitchen Hardware – Hafele / Kitchen Cabinetry – Shivam Modular Kitchens / FInishes and Details: Laminates – Royale Touche / Bathroom and Kitchen Tiles – MCPL

    Firm’s Website Link: Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

    Firm’s Instagram Link: Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

    For Similar projects>>>Soothing Color Tones, Minimalistic Aesthetics and Zen Vibe is what Describes this Home

    This Heritage Home Gently Unfolds To Showcase A Story Of Materials & Memories | Envisage

    Editors’ Note – There is a quiet elegance in designs that respect heritage while allowing it to unfold like a story across every space. Advaita, designed by the team at Envisage, embodies this philosophy with a home that marries charming minimalism with the richness of Indian tradition. It is a Heritage Home that carries the […]

    Read More

    A Practical Design Blended With Modern Elegance Create This Balanced Home | PiNiK_The Architect’s Design Studio

    This 3BHK Residential Interior project, with a carpet area of 1400 sq. ft., features a meticulously reimagined layout. It enhances both aesthetics and practicality. A harmonious blend of functionality and design is seen in this residential interior project by PiNiK Design Studio. It exemplifies a seamless blend of modern elegance and practical design, creating a […]

    Read More

    Pastel Colors Add A Grounded Calmness In This Mumbai Home | TS Design Works

    The 36th Horizon offers a sweeping view of Mumbai’s ever-evolving skyline from its position as a mindful high-rise retreat perched on the 36th floor. Framing the chaos of the city in soft silence, this home covered in pastel colors strikes a delicate balance where urban energy stays outside, and a warm, grounded calmness thrives within. […]

    Read More

    Bespoke Interiors Stand Out In This Minimalist Indian Residence | SP Designs & Projects

    We designed this home in modern Indian Minimalist style with Mid-Century Modern influences and bespoke interiors. The clients wanted a cosy and inviting classical interiors that exude warmth and sophistication. Blending modern functionality with Indian craftsmanship and earthy aesthetics, all while keeping the space open and airy. We have taken inspiration from Indian homes from […]

    Read More

    This 4BHK House Design Balances Clean Interiors and Material Exploration | Interionce Design Studio

    Merriott Paradise is a thoughtfully curated apartment in Ahmedabad that embodies a refined contemporary aesthetic with strong ties to context and lifestyle. The 4BHK house design balances material expression with clean spatial flow, creating an environment that feels calm, rooted, and timeless. This 4BHK House Design Balances Clean Interiors and Material Exploration | Interionce Design […]

    Read More

    Warm Tones And Earthy Textures Come Together In This Mumbai Apartment | Interior Displays

    The concept in mind while designing the space was – Connection to Nature. The brief given by the client just said – make it look warm and earthy. While designing each space, we made sure to use natural materials and finishes in combination with warm tones. Designed to fulfill the needs of a young couple, […]

    Read More

    Soothing Colors And Warm Interiors Stand Out In This Creative Home | Studio Twenty Two

    “Some spaces talk to you the moment you step into them, this space did exactly that. A vision that setup in my mind and I couldn’t shake it off. This, 1800 sq. ft. space is an airy apartment flat located in Baner, Pune. The space feels uplifting as natural light floods it throughout the day. […]

    Read More

    This South Indian Home Design Is An Epitome Of Comfort In Tradition | By The Riverside

    The Varnam Edit is a deeply personal 3,000 sq. ft. south Indian home design residence located in Adarsh Premia, Banashankari, Bangalore. It is designed by Swati Seraan and her team at By The Riverside for a remarkable mother-daughter duo, Mrs. Bhagya Devi and Ms. Kavya. This South Indian Home Design Is An Epitome Of Comfort […]

    Read More

    This Divine House In Vrindavan Takes Us Through A Humble and Inspiring Experience | Studio KNest

    Studio KNest had the privilege of designing a divine house in the sacred town of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh—an experience both humbling and awe-inspiring. Our client, a Krishna devotee from the USA, wanted to capture Vrindavan’s spiritual essence explicitly within his second home. We, too, thus shared the vision and have tried to portray the rich […]

    Read More

    Soulful Spaces Come Alive in This Rustic Home Reflecting Minimal and Cultural Depth | Yashesh Shukla & Associates

    A thoughtful exploration of how tradition can exist within the framework of minimalism, this residential apartment is where art doesn’t just beautify but defines the architecture itself. Guided by the core theme of ‘Indian traditional aesthetic with a minimal contemporary approach’, the interiors reflect a seamless integration of cultural depth and modern restraint in its […]

    Read More
  • This Sloping Roof House In Kerala Is A Sensitive Reinterpretation Of Memory & Material | PATH

    This Hilltop House in Indore Is Redefining Aesthetically Refined Living | OutsideIn Consultants