Sunlight, greenery and handcrafted furniture come together in this spacious and subtle living environment designed by Hrishikesh More Architects.
Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Ruhma Ukaye; courtesy Hrishikesh More Architects
The site
Located in central suburbs, this is a compact, 800 sq ft two-bedroom apartment blessed with lots of natural light.
The brief
The design was conceptualised for a young couple who moved to their maiden home in the Maximum City. Being gracious hosts, the couple wanted to create a cosy, homely setting perfect for sitting back with a cup of coffee or entertaining a small group of friends and family. “Storage and more storage”, was the prime concern they voiced to their architects, Hrishikesh More Architects.
The central idea
“We went for a serene pastel palette accentuated with hand-crafted teak wood furniture,” says architect Hrishikesh More. “This old-school aesthetic adds to the subtlety of this minimalistic home. A minor tweak in the partition wall layout gave us the scope to add extra storage space to this compact apartment. The result is subdued, comfortable, functional, and timeless…”
The public zone
A pale blue-grey colour palette and handcrafted teak wood furniture unifies this space, making it appear large and airy. Art deco-styled mouldings on the larger wall create different elements as you move through the room. Colour and textures make an appearance though soft furnishings and art. The custom-made teak wood and linen sofa is set opposite a mid-century television console. Between them is a nested centre-piece in an interlocking design, rendered in sheet metal and teak wood.
The eye-catching dining ensemble, featuring spindle-back chairs, has been hand-crafted from locally sourced and refurbished teak wood. A black and gold abstract art by artist Rashmi Mhapsekar stands out remarkably in this cosy space. Sunlight and greenery — Areca palms, Strelitzia and a variety of aglaonema — bring a touch of nature into the urban residence. “All the wood surfaces in the house are finished with a natural oil-based polish, a zero-VOC material which is good for the environment as well as people using them,” reveals Hrishikesh.
The master bedroom
In this space, a soft mint-green moulded wall creates a backdrop for a delicate hand-crafted teak bed with a spindle headboard. Mirrored wardrobes housed in the entrance passage unobtrusively take care of storage needs. “Knocking-off the common wall between the bedrooms allowed us to create space for the wardrobe, and thus give some breathing space to the master bedroom,” says the architect.
The children’s room
The second bedroom, which serves as a kid’s bedroom, sports a fancy yet subtle design featuring a combination of blue and grey laminate and pale blue walls. A dropdown bed adds flexibility to the space. The study desk has been custom made in refurbished teakwood paired along with IKEA chairs and peg board.
Fact file
Project: Pastel Aesthetic
Location: Mumbai
Area: 800 sq ft
Principal Architect: Hrishikesh More
Design team: Bhumika Godbole
Execution team: Hemant More and Vighnesh Ubhare
Add a Comment