An assembly-line apartment is enhanced creatively as a contemporary home for a techie couple.
What do you do as an architect and interior designer, when an apartment is to be converted into a livable home for a young family? That was designer couple Roopa Roy and Raajiv Sen Gupta, of Sthapati Kalp’s dilemma for Satish and Vani’s residence in central Bengaluru. “We put all our creativity into the empty shell of a house given to us. With inputs from the couple and working to a tight deadline we finished the design and execution of this project in ten weeks,” says Raajiv. The time-frame speaks not only about the professionalism of the designers but also their rapport with the clients. And the elegant home itself is a testimony to their creativity, especially the careful attention to detail.
Spaciousness was the operative word, as after living for years in Mumbai’s space-constrained homes, they longed for a home where things were spread out rather than boxed-in. So, as a first step, the four bedroom 2,200 sq. ft. apartment offered by the builder was accepted but transformed into a three-bedroom home. This enabled comparatively larger rooms and also provided the luxury of five balconies. To enhance this effect, they used low-level, medium-size furniture across the home. The home was not specifically built to a Vaastu plan but Roopa and Raajiv say that they generally try to avoid Vaastu dont’s. There is, however, one Feng-Shui-advised inclusion — a mirror at the entrance to “ward off evil eye”. This is part of the small foyer which also has an artificial wall with texturing and niches with artefacts — all lit up by energy-efficient LED lights.
Beyond the foyer is the living cum dining room. Satish and Vani wanted a bookshelf as an integral part of the living room. So, they were given one glass and wood panelling with shelves at an incline so the books are naturally stacked at an angle and don’t need any end-support. The couple thought wooden flooring would be elegant but realized it would be hard to maintain given two kids. So, Roopa and Raajiv gave them vinyl which looks like wooden-laminate flooring and even the ridges resemble a tree-bark. Vinyl doesn’t chip or peel off easily, doesn’t stain, and is easy to mop and clean. The rest of the house has vitrified marble tiles for flooring.
The central table is a combination of wood and veneer with mosaic tiles in a central groove — the tiles can be pried out and replaced with new ones every time one wants to change the look. The highlight here is the arresting sandstone-granite bar counter with butchwork on its side, which also serves as a room divider. Since granite can be porous and this area is vulnerable to spills, mosaic tiles were overlaid as points to put a glass on. Additionally, papier-mâché photo frames, marble chips, and little seashells scattered in a small groove (all waste materials) were used to create interesting elements as were the splash on the wall behind and unusual customized glass wine racks. The perfect finishing touch is provided by the spiral butchglass below.
Behind is the glass topped dining-table with a central groove lined with tiny white marble chips, and a S-shaped support. There are handmade S-shaped cane chairs. S stands for Sthapati and is also the shape of the false ceiling overhead which demarcates the circulation area from the living area. A bright-coloured wall with the words Live, Love and Laugh — the motto of the house — forms the backdrop. All the bedrooms use wooden blinds, while drapes are only in the drawing-dining areas. All bathrooms also use ceramic washbasins and unusual mirrors. A mask-accessorized wall leads onto the guest cum study room which has a large wardrobe unit. The children’s bedroom (with a tree-painting on the wall) has a bunker bed that leaves more floor space for the kids to play around. There is a toy dump, too, and the wardrobe has a mirror facing inside so it stays safe even during the kids’ playtime!
The master-bedroom has a low-level bed, a leather wallpaper finish on the wall behind, and headboard with overhead lights which preclude the need for bedside lamps. The wall-to-wall cupboard in a wenge and rosewood combination, and grooves to break the monotony, uses a combination of shutters and pull-outs for convenience. The room opens onto a balcony where artificial turf imported from France forms the flooring. This space is accessorized with small pinewood chairs and table, and a small rack containing decor objects and books in a corner. The turf is easy to maintain and equipped to drain away rainwater. For any apartment-dweller and especially for an ex-Mumbaikar, this feel and look of a lush-lawn is sheer luxury. No wonder, it is one of the couple’s favourite places at home.
Text: Aruna Chandaraju; Photographs: Ganesh
Sthapati Kalp (derived from the Sanskrit term that means “Architectural Dreams”) was founded in 2003 by chief architect Roopa. Now partnered with Raajiv, the firm provides aesthetic and practical architectural and interior design solutions for residential, corporate and commercial spaces. “Extensive travel and exposure to varied cultural backgrounds help us understand and execute global clientele requirements,” says the duo. Architecture, Interior Design and Town Planning are the core services offered by Sthapati Kalp.
102, Gitanjali Icon, Nagavarapalya Main Road, CV Raman Nagar, Bengaluru 560093; Tel: Roopa 09845110875/Raajiv 09880006791; Email: sthapati.kalp@gmail.com
