Houzz Tours
India Houzz Tour: Vogue Meets Village in a Couple’s Apartment
With exposed brick, rangoli-style flooring and traditional artworks, this apartment is a rad-meets-rural abode
Set in an upscale neighbourhood with verdant canopies and picturesque vistas, the brief for this apartment was inspired by its surroundings. “The intention was to create a rustic backdrop without compromising on the comfort and plush appeal. To maximise the views, we sought to create an uncluttered, open-plan layout. The client wanted a space that reflected their personality and lifestyle; one that would exude calm, control and exuberance in equal spirit, and serve as an apt venue for all their social events. We created a mood board of rustic finishes and saturated colours, through fabrics, rugs, paintings and artefacts. All the constants were kept subtle while the variables were colour-rich,” says Deepak Guggari, cofounder and principal architect of VDGA. Besides Guggari, the project also included senior architect Rashi Sanson.
To the left of the foyer lies the living room, with an aesthetic inspired equally by modern and traditional elements.
A rectangular space, the layout is divided into a formal seating area on the left, and a knock-back nook on the right. In the former, an open display unit sits in front of a cement-oxide-finish wall, channelling glimmers of rusticity in the otherwise modern setting. A glossy stone coffee table offsets the muted matt periphery.
On the opposite side of the room, a red-brick exposed wall serves as a backdrop for the nook. A mesh-back jhula (swing) provides a perch for repose and reflection, while small planters dot the corners.
“We wanted the interior to look like it had been nurtured over the years. The client’s collection of artwork and artefacts was combined with novel, new-world finds. The house is filled with traditional Indian artworks such as Mata Ni Pachedi, Gond tribal paintings and vintage collectables from various sources. Canvas prints of various famous artists also enhance the spaces and add colour to the interior. Cane weaves and solid wood furniture, combined with a few modern upholstered pieces, make for a comfortable and rich setting that strikes a balance between the modern and the traditional,” says Guggari.
“We wanted the interior to look like it had been nurtured over the years. The client’s collection of artwork and artefacts was combined with novel, new-world finds. The house is filled with traditional Indian artworks such as Mata Ni Pachedi, Gond tribal paintings and vintage collectables from various sources. Canvas prints of various famous artists also enhance the spaces and add colour to the interior. Cane weaves and solid wood furniture, combined with a few modern upholstered pieces, make for a comfortable and rich setting that strikes a balance between the modern and the traditional,” says Guggari.
The living room connects to a terrace that is furnished with a contemporary reimagination of village-style seating. A wooden charpoy (bench bed), blankets and chairs conjure a relaxed and unfussy setting. Against the wall is a concealed freestanding bar, characterised by textured glass shutters.
A blue wall on the other side plays host to wood relief carvings. Below it, a raised platform conjures a typical village baithak (seating) with durrie (rug) and cushions, not to forget the ubiquitous hookah.
The dining room is familiar in its appearance, as it continues the design of the living room, with its exposed-brick accent wall and chevron-style flooring.
A timber dining table and farmhouse chairs serve as the room’s focal point, while a black pendant bathes the area in soft light at night.
The kitchen is separated from the dining room by a semi-open, backless cabinet. Here, a splashback of square white tiles is sandwiched by mint-green cabinetry below and wooden shutters above.
“Neat, clutter-free spaces are a mainstay throughout the home. The subtle interior is echoed by the silence and sounds of surrounding nature,” says Guggari.
A receding perspective of a sequence of arched doorways connects the common areas to the bedrooms, creating the illusion of a long passage, accompanied by a series of vistas of the cityscape beyond.
The main bed has diaphanous gossamer drapes.
The timber nightstands echo the tone and grain of the four-poster bed, while grey hues define the shell, in the way of charcoal flooring and exposed cement oxide walls.
The main bathroom could pass for a mini art gallery. Sable-print cement tiles clad the floor, while a teak floating vanity offsets the micro-cement-finished grey walls. The bath also sports a micro-cement effect.
“With its colonial artworks, mottled finishes and rich teak tones, the space takes us back in time,” avers Sanson.
“With its colonial artworks, mottled finishes and rich teak tones, the space takes us back in time,” avers Sanson.
Modelled on a rural-esque setting, the second bedroom is defined by an exposed-brick statement wall, ash-grey flooring and dark timber furniture. Underpinning the slumber zone is a village-style, chalk-effect rangoli, emblazoned into the floor tiles.
Highly textural and warm, a brick wall stands out in a way that a plain wall cannot.
Highly textural and warm, a brick wall stands out in a way that a plain wall cannot.
Opposite the bed sits a wooden rib-backed bench, presided over by a muted gallery wall.
A raised timber armoire matches the wood in the bed and nightstands.
Your turn
What do you love about this well-thought-out home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
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Read more about interesting architect in India with Lessons From Earth Architecture in Auroville, India
Your turn
What do you love about this well-thought-out home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
More
Read more about interesting architect in India with Lessons From Earth Architecture in Auroville, India
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India
Year built: 2018
Size: 280 square metres; 3 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms
Principal architects: Deepak Guggari of VDGA
The main door, painted teal, funnels into a foyer defined by a low-hanging ceiling with recessed lighting. The original Italian- marble flooring was eschewed in favour of Indian patent stone laid in a chevron pattern.