Designed by Ar. Manish Dikshit, this guest house in Tirupati with its contemporary interiors is a second home for the owner.
The requirement was for a spacious home with a dash of contemporary elements for this 5,100 sq. ft. space. Located in Tirupati, the guest house is divided into various areas like the lobby, living cum dining, parent’s room, guest room, master bedroom, upper and lower terrace. The decor of the house reflects the comfort of a hotel or a resort. “Since the client has his business interests in Tirupati, he needed to stay in a comfortable setting that doesn’t make him home sick,” says Ar. Manish Dikshit.
Placed in the central lobby of the dwelling is a square island with an idol of Nandi facing the temple. The lobby opens to the three main areas — living, dining and the kitchen. The huge living cum dining room that overlooks the terrace through the two large windows gives a warm welcome. A subtle division in the form of a suspended wooden frame hanging from the ceiling separates the living and the dining area. The large kitchen fitted with all the functional requirements is visible through a large window that connects the dining to the kitchen. This allows the three rooms to have a visible connection yet keeping them separate.
The guest bedroom follows a “Japanese theme” with a low wooden bed and horizontal Roman blinds. As wooden flooring adorns the room, a cartoon strip with Japanese animation does complete justice to the theme. A minimalist approach to design was taken for the parent’s bedroom, with a central grand four-poster bed made of teak wood in a dark finish. The walls are done in fresh lemon green that contrasts well with the bed. The decorative laminated panels in various areas break the monotony of plain walls.
Making way to the master bedroom, “Maintaining the contemporary elegance, I have used Italian marble for flooring while a customized fur head board adds spark,” explains the architect. The spacious bedroom has folding doors that take you to the balcony with remarkable views of the Tirupati temple. The Italian marble flooring continues into the large bathroom which extends to the walk-in wardrobe.
Every guest house has a place to party as well as spend time in solace. Done in natural sandstone, the lower terrace consists of an outdoor barbeque, with direct access to the kitchen, and seating. There is also a jacuzzi with a water curtain to maintain privacy and a collapsible roof over head. The stunning pond that has been divided by the dining room window cleverly links the terrace to the inside of the house. The outdoor speakers and lights help to change the ambiance at any time of the day or night. The false ceiling over the barbeque and pond illuminates the area at night, adding a dash of spark to the space. Leading from the lower terrace is a bespoke cantilevered staircase made from rubber wood. The staircase is covered by wooden frame work leading to the upper terrace. “The upper terrace is primarily a roof garden with 360 o views of Tirupati temple,” shares Manish. The stairs leads to a 4-seater gazebo with a traditional thatched roof.
With innovative designs and contemporary interiors, the architect has tried to give different identity to each of the area, allowing the client to relax and feel “homely”, even when away from home!
Text: Shweta Iyer, Photographs: Courtesy The Architect
After working with prominent architects including Hafeez Contractor and Nozer Wadia for over six years and serving as an architect for DID Consultants, Manish Dikshit launched his firm – Aum Architects. Besides designing residential and commercial spaces, he is also a guest lecturer at Rachna Sansad Institute of Interior Design. Business World Centre, 3 rd Floor, St. Martin Road, Off Turner Road, Mumbai 400050; Tel: 65531715; Website: www.aumarch.com
